Aikido Gi For Slender Guy

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[Sy Labthavikul]

Hello,

I am fairly short ectomoprh (5' 7"), and my genetics and a long history of running and doing bodyweight exercises has left me weighing 125 lbs. with a 28" waist and 36" chest.

When I started studying aikido about a year ago I made the mistake of going cheap and buying a Century double weave judo gi. I bought a size 3, the adult small, but the damn thing is still quite big on me: to get the jacket to wrap around me tightly the way I like requires quite a lot of overlap, and the legs of the drawstring pants look like balloons on me when i have it cinched up tight. The length of the sleeves, the jacket height, and the leg length are all fine, its just the thing seems to have been made for someone with at least 30 more pounds on them.

I wouldn't mind looking like a child in his father's oversized clothing so much but all this extra fabric gets in the way of my training: my jacket gets undone even though my belt hasn't budged, and there is so much extra fabric in the legs that sometimes I get caught up when doing techniques or taking ukemi. Also, the thing is stiff as cardboard and feels rather abrasive to my (relatively) sensitive skin.

I decided to finally invest in a better gi, and I'd like a recommendation for a slender fitting gi thats durable but also relatively soft. I wish I could try before I buy but there are no good martial arts supply stores near where I live (San Gabriel Valley near Los Angeles), at least as far as I know, and I'm wary of the sizing system that Mizuno and Adidas use since many times my height makes me a size 3, say, but my weight makes me a size 1 or 2.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Nick P.]

No real suggestions, but a question; how long have you had you existing gi, and have you tried throwing it in the dryer?

My Iwata gis (and most others I have had) tend to feel very, very stiff if left to air dry. Allowing them to dry in the dryer AFTER a few wash/hang dry cycles (so the shrinking has stabilized) might help you on both the sizeing and stiffnes issues....or not.

I did buy the ebogu hi-dri-thingy-tex gi, and as part of a group purchase inquired about sizeing before placing the order; this helped me secure the promise from them that I could exchange if need be, and I did (5 way too big for me, 4 remains ample).

I can tell you that, in my epxerience, medium was too snug for me and large a little ample from Bujin; maybe ask them about ordering both sizes and returning the one you don't want to keep?

(edit: I am 6', 170lbs, 33" waist, size 17 dress-shirt, and am eternaly floating between "medium" and "large")

[Sy Labthavikul]

When I first got the gi it was WAY too big for me: I've been washing it and putting it in the drier since day one and it shrink significantly, but its still quite large. I've had it for 3 years so far, used it for about one year, off and on.

I heard that Adidas judo gi's are Euro cut and therefore slimmer: however, I REALLY hate those stupid black stripes they insist on putting on the shoulders. Are there other brands that are known to have slimmer cuts?

If it weren't obvious from my name, I am Asian: maybe a Japanese brand which (presumably) would cater to Japanese sizes?

[DonMagee]

I would suggest the bjj gi's by fuji.

They have no patches on them and look just like any other aikido gi or judo gi. But they are bjj cut which makes them very fitting for slender guys. Buy them a size up though because they shrink a lot.

http://www.kodokangear.com/ko-fuji-jj.html

Get the FUJI BJJ White Single Gi not the more expensive one. The more expensive RGDA gi's are all patched up. Although if you wanted to you could remove the patches. But as far as I can tell they are the same as their cheaper gi, only with patches.

[Larry Feldman]

Bujin Designs makes a "Tall" size. Perhaps a Small Tall, or Medium Tall would fit better.

I believe their web site is www.bujindesign.com

Or find a seamstress that does alterations.

[Fred L]

I'm 5' 7", 135#. Try Toraki judo gi's. I find that they fit guys like us with "perfect" builds really well, since they're cut tighter for competition. Mine has held up with hard use for 5 years.

Fred