Long or short?

[Sylo]

I know females in most martial arts schools are required to keep their hair up in a tie. What about guys?

I have about shoulder length hair, and I am trying to decide if I should get it cut (I'm also in a band, and the long hair helps me "look the part") or try to pull it back (its long, but too short to really pull back without it falling out).

Today would be my first day back.. but I don't know if I want to go being rusty on my form, and looking all scraggly.

 

[Kreth]

Having had my hair both ways, I have to say it's a personal decision. If you want to keep your hair long, make sure you can defend against a hair grab.
Long hair can have its advantages. I once escaped from a bearhug about 3 hours into a training session by shaking my head rapidly and whipping my training partner across the face with a sweat-soaked ponytail... :lol:

 

[IcemanSK]

In the early 90's, I rocked hair down to the middle of my back. I either wore it in a pony tail or braided. Spinning kicks were not fun when it was braided. The hair tie caught me in the eye as it came around. (Hard to explain black eye).

Long hair is (as has been mentioned) a great handle during grappling, etc. Short hair is just easier to take care of as well. Looking cool (stylist) & being cool (tempature wise) are two different things. I chose the latter after the handle was used one too many times.:ultracool

 

[shihansmurf]

Go for the mullet, the El Camino of hairstyles.

Tonight we're gonna party like its 1978:bangahead:

Mark

 

[RevIV]

in my school, male or female if your hair is long it must be pulled back. -- or out of the face.

 

[EternalAspirer]

In my (limited) experience, long hair doesn't seem to cause much of a problem, as long as it stays away from the eyes. If it's too long, it can get caught up when grappling, but otherwise does not present much of a problem at all.
As for hair grabs, while longer hair makes it more likely to get caught in one, it's also easier to get out when you have longer hair.

 

[Sylo]

yeah, I study TKD.. so no hair grabs.

 

[Phoenix44]

Long hair--tied back, braided or not--is always a problem if you're grappling. If you're not doing any grappling or floor work, it probably doesn't matter.

 

[theletch1]

As an old Marine I'm always in favor of short hair. Dog gone hippies!
Shave it, grow a mustache and goatee and you'll look evil enough for the rock band.

 

[Sylo]

i'm known for my boyish good looks.

I'm a 27 year old who looks 17.. a beard will not help that matter.. lol

but thanks for the idea.

I think i may just get it cut so that its long, but short enough to not be annoying

 

[Blindside]

At one point I was actually choked out by my ponytail, but as of the last haircut, my wife accuses me of trying to look like a jarhead. Between the two there is no question that the short hair is more comfortable and easier to deal with. It just lacks.... style.

Lamont

 

[theletch1]

At one point I was actually choked out by my ponytail, but as of the last haircut, my wife accuses me of trying to look like a jarhead. Between the two there is no question that the short hair is more comfortable and easier to deal with. It just lacks.... style.

Lamont

Accused you?! Accused you?! There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking like a jarhead. I've been doing it for 20 years and the ladies love it... no, really.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Just allow hair grabs and beard jerking. Then see who cuts their hair short. Same goes for nose, ear, and lip rings!

Deaf

 

[Mimir]

Sigh - Alas for me the whole debate is academic as my hair is falling out faster than it grows these days.

 

[Kacey]

I don't require my students - of either gender - to do anything specific with their hair. They wear their hair the way they do outside the dojang, as that is how it is most likely to be if they are attacked, so they need to know how they defend themselves when their hair is the way it usually is. For comfort, I pull my up in a pony tail when I work out most of the time - but I make sure I practice everything with it the way I usually wear it, which is held back by some type of headband.

 

[bowser666]

I keep my hair short. It is safer and eliminates an easy hair grab attempt. Plus it is easy maintainence for my lazy butt in the mornings

 

[punisher73]

A couple of points on the long hair.

It is personal choice, but I would recommend that if you are going to keep it long to understand the nature of a real hair grab attack and understand how much of a disadvantage it can put you in. When I worked in the jail an inmate was telling me of his time in prison (his hair was very short) and that he used to have really long hair braided in a ponytail (he was a biker), he saw one inmate walk up to a guy from behind that had long hair grabbed it and immediately spun his hand around with the hair to almost knot his own hand in it and then proceeded to beat the snot out of the guy because he couldn't get up or away to fight back.

Had a fight with an inmate who was crazy (literally, not just figuratively) and strong as an ox. He had oiled his body up and no one could get a hold of him or try to wrestle him down. I grabbed him by his hair and dropped straight down to the ground, he went right with me and was immediately cuffed. Again, long hair can be used against someone very easily and hair attacks are not the simple grabs that many practice in their dojos.

 

[Kreth]

Again, long hair can be used against someone very easily and hair attacks are not the simple grabs that many practice in their dojos.

Then again, if someone grabs your hair, you know exactly where at least one of their limbs are, and it's fairly simple to apply a lock from there.

 

[Laurentkd]

I know females in most martial arts schools are required to keep their hair up in a tie. What about guys?

I have about shoulder length hair, and I am trying to decide if I should get it cut (I'm also in a band, and the long hair helps me "look the part") or try to pull it back (its long, but too short to really pull back without it falling out).

Today would be my first day back.. but I don't know if I want to go being rusty on my form, and looking all scraggly.

I would say it is personal preference, unless females in YOUR specific school are required to keep it tied back. If that is the case I would assume the rule is because of the long hair, not the gender, so your's should be tied back as well.