TRUE OR FALSE? You should buy your child a karate uniform at the first lesson.

Sign up your child for hockey, it is obvious that he will need skates, a hockey stick and more. If you enroll your child in soccer, it goes without saying that he or she will need a pair of cleats. If you enroll your child in martial arts, it stands to reason that you will need a uniform, right?

A kimono, really?!?

In karate, the uniform is called karate-gi. The suffix gi means uniform (so in judo we wear a judo-gi, for example). It is neither right nor entirely wrong to call a kimono a uniform. The kimono is a traditional Japanese uniform, so from this point of view it is right to call it that. However, a Japanese robe worn by a geisha is also a kimono. I can’t imagine you practicing karate in an outfit like that.

Start with track pants

A priori, when practicing karate, almost nothing is required. Even anecdotally, in Okinawa (main island of the Okinawa archipelago, Japan), it was common to exercise in underwear. But in becoming an official Japanese martial art, the DNBK (Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, a Japanese organization dedicated to the recognition of traditional Japanese martial arts) implemented the use of the white uniform and the use of a curriculum, an educational system for evaluating learning, modeled on Judo with belt ranks. To start with, it is therefore perfectly adequate to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as sports trousers and a t-shirt.

How much is your uniform worth?

By offering a uniform from the first session, what merit will your child have had and what value will it have for him? For this reason I recommend waiting a certain period of time of a few weeks for the child to demonstrate good behavior at home, at school and to have active participation on the tatami (traditional Japanese mat on which some martial arts are practiced). The club uniform then becomes an object of desire that the child must earn if he wants to conform, and thus create the feeling of belonging. This is how karate-gi will take on all its value and why he will pay attention to it, because it will represent the fruit of his efforts. This line of thought is also in accordance with the ideology of martial arts practice, which consists in the continuous search for improvement.

Do you want to buy a uniform?

A basic uniform usually includes pants, a jacket, a white belt, and an organization crest or embroidery on the jacket. To choose the right size you need to consider various factors such as the nature of the materials: a 100% cotton uniform shrinks when it dries if you put it in the dryer. Then, depending on the club, the uniform worn must respect a color code. In our case we wear the traditional white uniform; represents the search for purity and perfection. Then there are different ranges of uniforms: basic, intermediate and expert. Of course I recommend taking a basic uniform, often light, resistant, with an elastic waist for a better fit, 65% polyester / 35% cotton. Furthermore, especially for girls, it is mandatory to wear a white sweater under the karate gi.

[ Magasiner nos uniformes de base ]

In conclusion, as in all sports/disciplines, you will need equipment and practicing martial arts is cheap in my opinion. It is recommended to donate the uniform after a certain period of time, based on merit. This will be required to participate in official events such as grade exams, competitions, training courses and any official event in order to comply with the organization’s requirements.