Karate Uniforms

By Rob Redmond, www.24fightingchickens.com

Every sport has a uniform. Despite the fact that neighborhood games spring up with everyone wearing street clothes, our society has a habit of putting athletes into uniforms. In some cases the uniforms are practical, as in the case of swimmers or bicycle racers. Other sports uniforms are impractical nods to tradition, such as the baseball uniform. Karate is no exception, and it seems to be one of those sports which have a tradition of wearing a very well-known yet somewhat impractical outfit during training.

Karate players tend to dress in a cotton jacket and pants combination known as a “gi” or “doh-gi.” Say ‘g’ as in ‘game’ and pronounce the word “gee.” A karate gi is a de-evolution of the excellent uniform that judo requires its players to wear. The Judo uniform is extremely sturdy and designed to accept a lot of pulling and sheering before succumbing to abuse. The karate uniform has, over the years, has moved away from the woven uniform of judo and toward white cotton canvas in varying weights. Although cotton is favored as a uniform in karate circles, it is a poor quality cloth by today’s standards. Cotton is not particularly absorbent, so it does little to draw sweat away from the body. And, once it does become soaked with sweat, it becomes much heavier, clings to the body, and begins to rot. Most karate uniforms start off as beautiful white, almost light blue, soft, duck canvas. As the uniform is worn, though, it begins to stain yellow from sweat, particularly in the armpits, and the stitching begins to rot and disintegrate. A karate gi that has been worn many times first self-destructs at the stitching that holds the sleeves to the jacket. Also, the stitching in the crotch begins to unravel as well. Proper care and treatment of the uniform is necessary in order to prevent it from becoming a yellowish, smelly, rotting testament to the odors that humans would probably regularly emit if there was no soap.

Proper Care for a Karate Gi

• Wash After Every Use – You might think you didn’t sweat in your karate uniform very much during that cold, winter training session, but you did, and you need to wash the thing to get the bacteria you left behind out of the cotton to prevent it from smelling and rotting. Wash the uniform after each time you wear it and sweat in it. You should never wear your Karate uniform to training sessions two times in a row without washing it.
• Wash it quickly – Do not allow your karate gi to stand before being washed. As soon as you return home from practice, it must go straight into the washing machine. If you allow it to stand over night, it will smell in a way that few detergents can remedy. Allowing sweat and dirt to dry on the cloth overnight almost guarantees that it will not come very clean when you finally do wash it.
• Do Not Use Mechanical Dryers – Your karate uniform must dry on the line. That means that if you train every day, you will wash and dry a gi every day. In humid environments, your karate gi may require two days to line dry. You’ll need to purchase two or three karate uniforms in that case, because you cannot wear it repeatedly without washing it.
• Bleach Infrequently – Using chlorine bleach on your cotton uniform will get it clean, but bleach is a strong base, so it will damage the material, causing the stitching to come apart. However, when your karate gi needs bleach, then put some into the wash with it. Some recommend boiling as an alternative to using bleach in order to get a Karate uniform completely clean. Boil a huge pot of water, preferably outdoors, and then dump your gi in the boiling water for 10-15 minutes and let it simmer. Do this outdoors for two reasons. If you have a child, and the water spills, it could kill them. The burns you would receive from spilling such a pot of water are unthinkable. Also, whatever was in your gi in the way of smelly bacteria and dirt will boil out into the air in your home by riding in the steam. So, your entire home could become infected with the smell of your armpits. Holy cow, that’s almost as bad as the possibility of being burned! Boil it outside.
• Pre-soak Your Karate Gi – Don’t throw your gi into the washing machine, pour detergent on it, and then start the washer. Follow correct laundry procedures. Start the washer so that it begins to fill with water. Put detergent in immediately, and allow the detergent to dissolve into the water. After the washing machine has nearly completed filling with water, add your karate gi. You should also try to wash it with some other white items such as towels, because washing it alone will reduce the friction cleaning effect of modern day washing machines. Turn off the washing machine and allow your karate gi to soak in the soapy water for at least 20 minutes. Then start the washer again and allow it to begin its wash cycle.
• Hang Dry Immediately – When the wash cycle is complete, hang your karate gi to dry right away. Every moment it spends in the washing machine is another moment for it to mildew and yellow.
• Fold Properly When Dry – When your uniform has finished drying, you will find that it is usually quite wrinkled and that it looks like an unmade bed. You can iron your karate gi, but I wouldn’t recommend going that far. Considering how your uniform will look after 15 minutes of training, you probably shouldn’t bother with the iron unless you are about to wear it to a competition. When your gi is completely dry, not still moist, but totally dry, you may fold it. The customary way of doing so in Japan is shown below.

How to Fold Your Karate Gi

I have always worn my karate uniform to and from practice sessions in my car, on my bike, or when walking to practice. When I lived in Nagoya, I noticed that the Japanese were never seen in their karate uniforms riding on a subway train or bus. In Japan, one apparently does not wear a karate uniform in an inappropriate place. The Japanese are very sensitive to context, and therefore don’t appreciate the more casual Western approach to clothing in which one might not take time to change clothes before changing locations. Where as in the West, you might see someone in their workout clothes at the gas station or other public place, no Japanese would ever do this. Instead, they make sure that they change into appropriate attire before changing situations. Most people put their karate uniform into a gym bag to take it to the dojo.

While in Japan, I saw people just stuff their karate uniforms into their gym bags without any concern at all. My instructor was a different matter. He never stuffed his karate uniform into his gym bag. He always had his uniform folded carefully and then placed into the bag. Usually, one of the senior club members would fold it for him and put it into his bag. You might also enjoy folding your uniform carefully the way the Japanese do: tied together with your belt. Then you can place it like a neat package into your bag.

• Use the Floor – The first step to properly folding a gi is to get on your knees on the floor. Lay the jacket out with the back down to the floor. Spread the sleeves out so that they point straight out to the sides in opposite directions.
• Fold One Side Over – Fold one sleeve and a quarter of the torso of the jacket over toward the other sleeve. As any part of your jacket that was on the floor is folded in, brush it off with your hand to get anything that stuck to it off. Also, this brushing action helps you to crease your uniform neatly.
• Fold the Sleeve Back – Fold the sleeve back on itself to get it out of the way.
• Fold the Other Side – Now fold the other side in and that sleeve back the same way.
• Fold the Jacket Up – Two more easy folds and your jacket is folded into a nice square.
• Now for the pants – Lay the pants out on the floor and brush them off to flatten them. Fold them in half, bringing one side over the other.
• Fold the Top Down – Now fold Top half of your pants down and continue folding them so that your gi is rolled up in folds in three motions.
• Tie a Bow – Now place the jacket and pants together, making sure that the loose ends are inward on both items. Wrap the belt around the package, and tie it off. You’re done!

Dispensing of Some Dirty Myths

Some people are very proud of their yellowed and torn karate uniforms as if they are a sign of seniority. I think this is very similar to the urban legends surrounding the need to never wash a karate belt. Some people seems to extend this belief even farther to include their uniform, and they continue wearing a uniform even though it has long outlived the point beyond which it should be burned to prevent it from stinking up a landfill somewhere. Senior karate experts may own many uniforms of varying ages, and I wish we would do a better job of getting a new uniform when it is time. To me, a yellowing, stinky karate uniform is a sign of poverty, nothing more.

Another foolish notion is the one that says you should never wash your belt. I have been doing karate a long time. I wash mine regularly, though not daily or even weekly. If you wash your belt, which should be no problem at all for it, just make sure you avoid bleach and allow it to soak in soapy water for a long time. Your belt can probably go through the dryer, and it should be washed much less frequently than the rest of your uniform. If you don’t wash your belt, it will begin to smell like urine, it will rot, and every time you or anyone touches it, you are risking an infection from the dangerous bacteria growing within it. Putting on a two year old belt that has never been washed and then rubbing your eyes with the same hands? Your mother taught you better than that. Wash your belt. But don’t wash it with your uniform unless you want your gi to change color. One secret of washing belts that only a few seem to be aware of is that belts will hold their color longer if you soak them in salty water for a while then rise them out good after the soaking. I have no idea why this is true, but colors hold to clothing longer after a bath in salt water.

Expensive Uniforms

I remember looking at the people in books and video tapes and thinking how much better they look in their karate uniforms than I did in mine. So, I bought the expensive brand of uniform that I saw them wearing, hoping I would look better. But I didn’t. I didn’t realize it at the time, but buying a standard sized uniform is apparently not good enough for some people. The people you see in videos and books demonstrating kata usually have their uniforms hand-tailored. They have the uniform custom designed around their measurements, and that’s why their uniforms never have quite the sloppy look that yours and mine have. The price tag for such a uniform might exceed US$300.00.

Even though I buy my uniforms mass produced with standard sizes, there are still a variety of makes and models available to choose from that are radically different from one another. Shotokan experts tend to prefer moderately expensive heavy weight cotton uniforms with 3/4 length sleeves and 4/5 length legs. Beginners should probably not invest in expensive uniforming until they are sure that they enjoy the practice of karate. Very inexpensive karate uniforms are available from almost every manufacturer and retailer of karate supplies and equipment. Belts also come in a variety of flavors.

Color belts are usually pretty standard, although there are noticeable changes in quality from one brand to another as far as color tone, cloth, cut, and stitching. Black belts come in a variety of styles and materials. The most common belts purchased are heavy-duty cotton belts that last for decades and the silk/satin covered kind. Cotton belts wear out more slowly, but silk belts are prettier when new. Also, the silk belts wear out gracefully and have better movement and presentation quality when performing a kata in front of a crowd. There is a lot more information about belts and issues surrounding them on this web site.

Wearing a karate uniform can be a great psychological boost for your mental state in karate. However, perhaps it is also a crutch after a little while, and it is a great idea to do a lot of karate training in regular old street clothes just to change your experience around a bit. Like most things in karate, there are no real shortcuts. Expensive uniforms and belts do not make your kata more beautiful. Nice wrapping does not make a crummy present less crummy. However, if you are one of the best of the best at kata, perhaps getting a custom-tailored uniform for performances is an excellent idea.

One of my long-time students used to say that Karate is a Japanese word that means “art performed in difficult clothing.” I have to agree. After wearing karate uniforms for much of my life, I feel secure saying that I think I am firm in my opinion that they are annoying. My uniform is always in need of tucking in here, pulling down there, or retying here and there. The belt comes loose, the drawstring in the pants comes loose, the jacket pulls out of the belt, and the whole thing soaks up with sweat and doesn’t wick any of it away from my body. I much rather prefer to do my training in some regular athletic shorts and a t-shirt than I do a Karate uniform. For me, uniforms have become something that are worn to dress occasions like tournaments and rank examinations, or to teach a class. When training on my own, any old crummy clothing will do as long as it is roomy and flexible.