How to Dress for Judo

Judo, which translates to "gentle way," is a martial art that involves using leverage and force to disable your opponent. Since judo involves grappling and throwing your opponent to the ground, it's important to dress in a way that allows freedom of movement and to wear durable clothing that can stand up to abuse.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Judo uniform (judogi)
• Judo belt (obi)

1. Buy a judogi, or gi, the traditional uniform for Japanese martial arts. While there are many retail outlets that will sell the gi (both Adidas and Nike make them), you may be required to buy a customized version if you belong to a judo class or dojo.

2. Ensure that your judogi is made specifically for judo. A gi made for karate, for instance, is made from a thinner fabric and may be unsuitable for judo. A judogi is traditionally made from a heavier, more durable fabric that will not rip when your opponent grabs you by the shirt.

3. Wear a gi that fits properly. A gi should be loose enough that it will not restrict your movement when you are training or engaging in combat. At the same time, you want to avoid a gi that is so big that it's always falling off whenever you throw your opponent to the ground.

4. Wear pants with elastic or drawstring in the waist. Remember that your judo belt is decorative and is used to signify the level of your training. It is not designed to hold up your pants.

5. Tie your judo belt around your waist in the preferred fashion of your dojo. The belt should be snug enough to keep your gi closed while you are in combat, but it should not be so tight that it restricts movement or makes you uncomfortable.

6. Avoid footwear. By wearing shoes, you can accidentally injure your opponent if you step on his toe. If you wear only socks, your footing may be slippery and insecure on the mat, which will place you at a disadvantage. Bare feet is the way to go.

Tips & Warnings

• Traditionally, a blue judogi was worn by at least one fighter in every judo match. In recent years, however, the blue judogi has been replaced with a red sash that attaches to one of the combatant's belts.

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[JudoSensei]

on 7/16/2008 The tips and warnings section is incorrect. Judo competitions traditionally used a red sash worn by one competitor to distinguish him from the other competitor since both wore white judogi. Recently this has changed so that one competitor will wear a blue judogi while the other wears a white judogi. In local tournaments where the blue judogi is not practical and competitors only have a white judogi, a blue belt can be worn instead.

Also, only young children should use elastic waistbands in their pants. Drawstrings are important to prevent the pants from coming off when pulled. The judo belt is not decorative and is used in many judo techniques. It is an integral part of the judo uniform, even though it is not used to hold up the pants. See http://judoinfo.com/gi1.htm for the exact size requirements for a competition judogi.