Gi's and etc.

Other than white are there any other colors? I know Aikido isnt a fashion show, but it would be interesting to see someone with a full black Gi or something. Also, it would be cool if I could get my hands on some Feudal Japan era japanese clothing reporductions. I like the baggy clothing look.

I have both white and blue judogi, but I don't know of anyone who permits anything other than white in aikido. However, you may have the option of selecting between black and blue hakama.

ah, I see. Thank you. There is an oriental imports store in my town, I always keep on the look out for interesting Gi's even if I cant wear them to Aikido, I can have them to wear for fun. Gi's are so much more comfortable than normal clothes.

I've got a gi with a slight pink tint (something red ended up in the washing mashine with it)... I try to avoid wearing it.

You might find this recent thread interesting.

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showth...highlight=pink

especially the last post by Eric Simmons

I'll point out the 'feudal era' japan was not a bunch of people running around in keikogi (dogi.) Instead maybe you are thinking more of yukkata (summerwear), samugi, or even the formal kimono and hakama..

Check out some yoga stores, they have what look like dogi pants, but are usually a bit more 'colorful', if that is to your liking.

Cheers

When I first started practicing, all the 4th Dans in our federation wore black gi's. It did give them a rather 'special' appearance. This was discontinued shortly afterwards, and now everyone wears white gi, the hakama are white for the 5th dans and above at gradings and other important occasions.

regards,

Mark

At our dojo we just incorporated a different color sheme (just for a change). We went to more of a Kendo type gi in dark blue with a blue hakama for Qu (3 and up). Black Hakama at shodan. I prefer the Kendo type gi not because of the color (I have a white one as well) but because it has shorter sleves that end half way between the elbow and wrist. This I find more conforable and easier to see and work with the wrist techniques. We probalby will go back to the traditional white top in the future (and I have the Kendo top in white as well when we do),

This color experiment was done just as a change and being an independent Dojo, the sensei can do these changes without getting in trouble.

David Jackson wrote: Gi's are so much more comfortable than normal clothes.

You really think so??? I hate wearing a gi for the moment. Allow me to explain: I used to practice Karate when I was 7 till I was 9, and the Karate gi had stripes to tie it so it wouldn't only be tied by the obi, which I find quite frustrating because the obi isn't enough!! I have to fix everything every time I stand from the floor, which makes the cool job of being uke quite heatable. I also have a problem figuring out where to tie the obi... some people say women should tie it around their waist, and I think it looks better, but I'm gonna have a piercing done in my belly button soon so it will bother me. Besides, Sensei always says the knot should be where the "hara" is, but that would be around the hips. Anyway, why did I just say all this??? I'm getting crazy... sorry!!!

My point, which I should have started with: there was another thread a while ago about a Dojo changing white gi's for black ones. I personally find this quite expensive for students, but... who am I to judge??? We are traditional. I like white hakamas, too. My Sensei's Sensei, who is an 8th Dan, has one. It looks cool.
Paul: why don't you just make your Aikido gi's with shorter sleeves, as we do? It's quite easy.

Well I'm soooo sorry I wrote so much... It's just that I have to study and I don't want to!!!

Lucy

you dont have to wear a aikido or judo gi just because you practice aikido i got one hated it and went back to my karate gi, if you got a competition karate gi the arms and legs are shorter by design anyway.

Lucy Smith wrote: : Paul: why don't you just make your Aikido gi's with shorter sleeves, as we do? It's quite easy. Lucy

Well we are a small Dojo of only about 15 students. I guess we could get our gis custom made but why do it when there are gi's around that are exactly what we're looking for. I also like the straps that keep the Gi in place and the Kendo gis come with those straps. One on the inside at the hips and one on the outside at the right shoulder. This keeps the gi in place during practice and constant readjustment is not needed as with a conventional Judo gi.

Paul Nowicki wrote: Well we are a small Dojo of only about 15 students. I guess we could get our gis custom made but why do it when there are gi's around that are exactly what we're looking for. I also like the straps that keep the Gi in place and the Kendo gis come with those straps. One on the inside at the hips and one on the outside at the right shoulder. This keeps the gi in place during practice and constant readjustment is not needed as with a conventional Judo gi.

Those ties to hold the gi together always just get ripped off when I try to use them.

Well this is quite a new thing for me so I don't know if those ties will hold up but the ones on our gi's are sown on pretty tough, I think the tie itself will have to rip before the stiching will let go. If you do a lot of throws by grabbing the gi, I think those ties will likely not help much, but since we do mosly wrist grabs, kokyo and koshi throws that don't rely on grabbing the gi, I think they will last a while.

Paul Nowicki wrote: I guess we could get our gis custom made but why do it when there are gi's around that are exactly what we're looking for. I also like the straps that keep the Gi in place and the Kendo gis come with those straps. One on the inside at the hips and one on the outside at the right shoulder. This keeps the gi in place during practice and constant readjustment is not needed as with a conventional Judo gi.

I've been using a kendo gi top too and quite like it. It's not as durable as a judo gi (I had to reinforce the area where the straps sew on). As to buying custom gi I'm fairly certain that wasn't what Lucy had in mind. It IS quite easy to alter the sleeve/pant length on a judo or karate gi to fit just how you like it.

Bronson

the other reason i prefer a karate is gi is they come in 8oz which is excellent and light for the hot summer months or at least one month in the uk.

The only organization that I know of using black Gi are the Bunjinkan (Ninpo arts). All aikido dojo's use strictly white or unbleched gi, with the rare exception of some using blue gi... but they are also very into Kenpo from what I have seen.

As for the fit of a Gi goes: have it tailored! Almost every Gi I've purchused had long sleeves. I just rolled them back to the length that I prefered and paid the seamstress at the local dry cleaners to hem up the sleeves for me for about 10 bucks or so. (If you do this with a new gi, wash it in hot water first... a few times. Make sure to get the "shrink" out before having the sleeves hemmed up.)

Color is over-rated when you consider the fact that a gi is a martial arts uniform made for getting grabbed, grappled and beat up. Stick with white, bleach it every so often to keep it looking fresh, but not all the time and not too much bleach... the smell is bad. And if you want fancy japanese clothing for around the house, then yeah... get a kimono, formal hakama and such to wear around the house. Personally, I'm not into that, though I have been known to wear my gi pants when I get home and just put on a clean shirt... till I have time to clean up after all the chores are done.

I prefer the white top myself as well but for a change if the sensei thinks he wants something different, what the heck, I'm game.

For me, it's worth it getting to shodan just to wear a hakama. Mmm...

(Black!)

I still think it would be cool to have Japanese clothes of like the Feudal era.

I have yet to purchase my Gi. I am looking at getting black, and I think that not allowing black would be foolish, I mean just look at the yin and yang symbol!!!! But thats just me, a poor little newb with no real expirience, sorry.

Note to Lucy
The reason women tie the obi around our waist is that our hips are bigger so if we tie it around our hips it just slides right up to your waist anyway.
I always end up tearing the straps out of my karate gi, and I can't even find a judo gi in my size that I can move my arms in.
And be really, really careful with your new piercing- as soon as you can you should get the screw-in kind of jewelry, the pressure rings can pop open and stepping on a bead with bare feet is no fun. Make sure you use antibacterial soap on it threee times a day.
I have a black gi but wouldn't dare wear it in the dojo.

WHHHHHYYYYYY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?


Could someone please explain this mentality to me?

Mikel Hamer wrote: WHHHHHYYYYYY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Because it's a uniform, maybe?

Uniforms in my mind don't matter its the training that matters. We did a month of training in the park with regular street clothes and ukeme on Grass one year. With shoes and all. I tell you moving/tenkaning in shoes on grass is much different than barefoot on the mat. Again clothes in my mind don't really matter, you should not limit yourself. Traditional is great and I'm all for it, but a change everyonce in a while does not hurt and is a healthy thing.

We have black judogi...it does not matter what you wear as long as the training is diligent and correct...One minute you are doing karate, the next MMA..oops, then Aikido...how many times must you change your attire in three or four hours...

Miku-san