school uniforms

[YoungMan]

As I have been told, and I agree with, when all uniforms are the same then the only thing separating you from the guy next to you (other than belt color) is level of skill. Especially at the Dan level, uniformity in dobok color means only skill separates one black belt from another.
Otherwise it quickly degenerates into a fashion contest.

 

[Twin Fist]

i dont care what you are wearing, skill is always the only thing that matters

i swear, if i ever get a stick in my *** about what people wear, someone shoot me.............

 

[AMP-RYU]

i dont care what you are wearing, skill is always the only thing that matters

i swear, if i ever get a stick in my *** about what people wear, someone shoot me.............

ok......

 

[AMP-RYU]

Realistically, uniform colors serve no real purpose other than uniformity. I require white gis to red and red and above black gis. I think parents see this and think control and like it! Maybe keep a few extran students bacause of it....I dont know but its what I like.

 

[Twin Fist]

hey, my students wear BLACK, and nothing but black till they are brown belts, then they can wear whatever they want to.

but i aint gonna sweat the small stuff

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Our school has a variety, depending on the class:

Taekwondo:white for geub ranks and either black or white with black piping on the collar for yudanja, student's option. Our taekwondo doboks are the vee-neck style.

For very young kids, we offer the CPC (Childrens Personal Conduct) program that has a DVD and vee-neck doboks in yellow, green, black, blue, and red, each with a different animal on the chest. Power rangers anyone?

Hapkido: white crossover with diamond pattern for geub ranks, black with white or gold stitched diamond patern for yundanja.

Demo Team: White crossover with red and blue racing stripes across the chest and the school logo on the back (I'm wearing it in my avatar).

Kumdo: navy blue for everyone, white is optional for yudanja.

Daniel

 

[Carley]

We're allowed to wear any color we want, besides the black-trimmed one that is BB only.

Most people wear the standard white, but others wear all black (like me ), black pants and white top, red pants and a black top, and there's about two people with all-blue doboks :O

 

[Laurentkd]

Our school has a variety, depending on the class:

Taekwondo:white for geub ranks and either black or white with black piping on the collar for yudanja, student's option. Our taekwondo doboks are the vee-neck style.

For very young kids, we offer the CPC (Childrens Personal Conduct) program that has a DVD and vee-neck doboks in yellow, green, black, blue, and red, each with a different animal on the chest. Power rangers anyone?

Hapkido: white crossover with diamond pattern for geub ranks, black with white or gold stitched diamond patern for yundanja.

Demo Team: White crossover with red and blue racing stripes across the chest and the school logo on the back (I'm wearing it in my avatar).

Kumdo: navy blue for everyone, white is optional for yudanja.

Daniel

I forgot about those!! Some other master convinced mine to try it out when the CPC was trying to get off the ground. We did, tried to convince ourselves it was good, and HATED it. Everyonewas soon back to "normal".

 

[YoungMan]

I couldn't imagine colored uniforms, much less black or black/white. I'd practice in street clothes before I'd do that. Anyway, my class my decision as to what students wear. If a students wants to wear their own uniform, I tell them after you make 9th Dan or I die you can wear whatever you want. Until then...

 

[Steve]

In the military and plice, to build unity, all members wear the same uniform. You don't have a choice as to what YOU want to wear, because it's not about you. It's about building cohesion.
To me, Taekwondo is the same. If I look at a class and see 10 students wearing 10 different uniforms, to me that means there is no cohesion and unity. I think white uniforms are the standard for TKD because traditionally Taekkyun was practiced in a white hanbok. One of the reasons why the Kukkiwon made the uniform switch. The V-neck is very similar to the hanbok.
Now, if a class uses all of one color, I understand the principle. Again, it's about cohesion and unity. I don't get allowing students to wear whatever they want. It's not their class. Who's in charge?

I agree that if you're looking at using a military model and learning environment, then this is a legitimate way to go about it. However, it's not the only way. I'm a little disturbed by the correlation to seem to draw between uniforms, cohesion and respect/discipline. Your last two sentences are what popped out at me.

There are lots of ways to build cohesion and unity while still fostering a sense of individuality and create expression.

To answer the original post, we wear pretty much whatever works. The only requirements, as someone else said, is safety and durability. In no-gi classes, shorts without metal that could snag the mats or someone else. Shirts that aren't so loose that someone could catch a toe. Gis should be well made. Most guys wear gis cut and made for BJJ, but some wear judo gis. It's personal preference

Color and the rest are optional.

 

[Steve]

i dont care what you are wearing, skill is always the only thing that matters

i swear, if i ever get a stick in my *** about what people wear, someone shoot me.............

Quoted for truth!

 

[Tez3]

I wear a uniform for work as do my colleagues but you will find that there's very little actually uniform about it as we chose to wear different elements of it as we want, you'll find this is true also of the military. discipline and cohesion doesn't come from wearing a uniform, it comes from good leadership and self control. Putting everyone in the same uniform does very little actually for ensuring your class is a productive one. You could just end up with mindless clones.
I have never seen a class where students wear what they want turn into a fashion show, people wear what is practical.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I forgot about those!! Some other master convinced mine to try it out when the CPC was trying to get off the ground. We did, tried to convince ourselves it was good, and HATED it. Everyonewas soon back to "normal".

I haven't seen any recently, so I don't know if we're still using those or if people simply haven't opted for them. The kids are cute in them though.

Daniel

 

[Manny]

In my dojan the dobok is what ever color you want but white and the collar has to be the same color of the belt, for me is weird I will like to se only black collars in black belts uniforms too. Also in my dojan a third dan and above can use the karate top (not the dobok v neck) with the black lapel if wishes altought this uniform is used on ceremonies or special times.

I would like the blacl belts to use black pants/white jacket like in some TSD schools.

Manny

 

[Steve]

I have a question for all of the guys who have to wear specific colors at different belt ranks. Several posts in this thread have said something along these lines. How often do you have to purchase new uniforms? On average, how much do they cost? Is it strongly encouraged or even required for you to purchase it from your school? And finally, do you purchase them in addition to a testing fee?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

The only dobok change at our school is at first dan/poom. The testing fee at our school includes the price of the Kukkiwon registration, new dobok, and embroidered belt. The dobok is, aside from being either white with a black collar or black altogether, a higher grade dobok.

Only when transitioning from a geub rank student to a yudansha is there any change in the dobok.

Daniel

 

[YoungMan]

Our only change is going from a white V-neck uniform to a black V-neck uniform from gup to Dan. No black uniforms for us. Anyone who tried would get a some funny looks and at least one lecture.
We did get some people wearing mixed uniforms come to class years ago. It was a pleasure to make them pay in free fighting.

 

[Tez3]

Our only change is going from a white V-neck uniform to a black V-neck uniform from gup to Dan. No black uniforms for us. Anyone who tried would get a some funny looks and at least one lecture.
We did get some people wearing mixed uniforms come to class years ago. It was a pleasure to make them pay in free fighting.

Do you know how that sounds? I think you may want to have a think about how you're coming across. No one coming into our club would get battered for wearing something we didn't like.

 

[Steve]

Do you know how that sounds? I think you may want to have a think about how you're coming across. No one coming into our club would get battered for wearing something we didn't like.

Exactly my first thought. While I'm sure it wasn't meant in this way, it smacks of hazing and intimidation.

 

[CDKJudoka]

Exactly my first thought. While I'm sure it wasn't meant in this way, it smacks of hazing and intimidation.

Try walking into a Military barracks, as a soldier or marine, wearing something other that what is prescribed and see what happens. Same should hold for a Dojo/Dojang in my opinion. You are learning combat, and should be uniform with the rest of the students.