Why does your do bok look like that???

[SahBumNimRush]

What does your do bok look like and why is it significant? What color is it and why? what patches and why? what trim/stripes and why?


As for me,

The Moo Duk Kwan do bok is white, and I have heard several explainations for the color. I have heard that white in Korea is similar to the color black in the U.S. We wear black to funerals to honor the dead, as do the Koreans with white. So we wear white to signify that we are prepared to die in our training. Obviously, in today's society, no one is willing to die learning martial arts, but it is an interesting symbol. I have also heard that is is merely a patriotic color, like red, white and blue is for us in the U.S. I honestly do not know for certain why our do boks are white.

However, I do know why we trim our lapels. It is a symbol of eliteness in the martial arts community, harkening back to the Hwa Rang. The Hwa Rang (not today's Hwa Rang Do btw) trimmed their uniforms to set themselves apart from other soldiers. My Kwan Jang Nim compared it to graduating from Anapolis or West Point vs. enlisting. At BB we not only trim our lapels, we also trim our cuffs and the bottom hem of our do bok tops.

We also wear a patch over our left breast with the Moo Duk Kwan symbol on it, as well as the American and South Korean flags on our arms. There are other patches that are allowed, i.e. specific school patches, demo team, etc.. . But this is all that I wear.

I notice that ITF, I believe it is has a black stripe down the sides of their uniforms, what does that symbolize?

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I would like to note that I am in no way insinuating that Moo Duk Kwan is superior by my Hwa Rang comment. I was only stating the tradition behind the trimming of our do boks.

 

[dancingalone]

In a way, it's neat to have those traditions.

I'm afraid that the TKD school I attained my BB in years ago had no such significance attached to their uniforms. Most everyone wore the white crossover gi. Brown and black belts could mix and match black uniforms as they chose, and occasionally you saw some one with the Moo Duk Kwan jacket trimming in black, but it was strictly for fashion.

At tournaments back then, pretty much anything was fair game. Camoflauge and star-spangled banner unis were popular at my school.

Now that I have my own karate school, I pretty much will let the students wear anything as long as it is durable and safe to practice in. Most students choose to wear a white or natural judo uniform as I do.

 

[rlobrecht]

At our school, early belts wear a white V-neck dobok, usually with the school logo on the back (black and gold print.)

Black Belt Club members wear a red wrap around uniform with the school logo on the back (white print.)

1st Dan Black Belts can add black trim around the neck or bottom edge (but not both, I don't think) to either a white or red uniform.

2nd Dan Black Belts can wear a blue uniform.

Our Kyosanim wears a Blue uniform with black cuffs, a black stripe down the legs and arms.

Our Sabumnim wears a black uniform.

Anyone can add Korean and US flag patches to their sleeves, but it's not required. There are some other patches (special awards, demo team, etc.) that some of the Black Belts have.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Thank you for your replies, and I would like to say that I do not believe there has to be a tradition behind it. However, there is a meaning behind ours, so I was curious what if any is behind others outside my particular kwan.

Look forward to seeing more input on the subject!

 

[dortiz]

" by my Hwa Rang comment"

Trust me start studying about the "Flowering Youth" and you will see we did not take it as such ; )

 

[SahBumNimRush]

" by my Hwa Rang comment"

Trust me start studying about the "Flowering Youth" and you will see we did not take it as such ; )

Haha! I've done enough studying about the students of the flowering youth that I've realized what an "interesting" past they have. While the king's intentions were good, his methods were jaded, and as were the two maidens'.. . Something about suckering young boys with cute poontang for war just doesn't sound right to me.. .

But I guess they weren't the only ones to do that

 

[Stac3y]

I do American Karate (not TKD, but influnced by it, for sure.) I just had to respond to this because a parent asked me a few days ago what the "significance" of the black crossover gi is. For us, it has no traditional significance; it's a practical matter. As one of the other instructors says, "The kid can dump a whole Fanta on himself in the car on the way to class, and we don't have to care, or even notice." The black gis don't show stains, so they look neater and last longer, and don't require bleaching to stay decent.

Our brown belts (who are pretty much indentured servants until they rank up to black) wear red crossover gis so they are easy to spot and yell at. Black belts can wear what they want, as long as it's not too ridiculous.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I do American Karate (not TKD, but influnced by it, for sure.) I just had to respond to this because a parent asked me a few days ago what the "significance" of the black crossover gi is. For us, it has no traditional significance; it's a practical matter. As one of the other instructors says, "The kid can dump a whole Fanta on himself in the car on the way to class, and we don't have to care, or even notice." The black gis don't show stains, so they look neater and last longer, and don't require bleaching to stay decent.

Our brown belts (who are pretty much indentured servants until they rank up to black) wear red crossover gis so they are easy to spot and yell at. Black belts can wear what they want, as long as it's not too ridiculous.

Thanks for the response. I never thought about the black uniforms from a practicality stand point. But now I wanna wanna, wanna FANTA! **does his little dance**

 

[Carol]

Thanks for the response. I never thought about the black uniforms from a practicality stand point.

Many men don't...if ya know what I mean.

 

[Stac3y]

Black is also slimming.

 

[Humble Student]

Mine is all black

 

[dbell]

Students wear an all white Judo style Gi, Black Belt Club (hate that name, but... (It is a group that have stated that they are there till they reach at least 3rd Dan, pay a little (not much) more, and get a few hours a week more training on their own)) wear black Gi pants, white Judo Gi top. No patches, or other things on the Gi (I MAY add a small patch with the school name in Japanese in a black with a black circle around it on the right breast, but not sure). White Gi top is Judo as we do a lot of throws, black pants so I know who is who (as if I wouldn't, right?) and so that others know the intent of those students as well.

 

[sfs982000]

All beginning students in my school wear traditional white gi's, once they move up in rank to around brown or red belt and if they enroll into the Leadership program then they wear red trim along the lapel of the gi top. Then I believe that depending on the level of certification they have they red/black trim. Fully certified instructors and all 5th degrees and above wear black trim around the lapel and have a black stripe running down the leg of the bottoms.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Mudanja in our hapkido program wear a white crossover dobok with black diamond pattern stitching. Yudanja wear a black version of the same dobok with white diamond pattern stitching. I do not know of any specific significance to the colors.

Our taekwondo program is similar: white vee neck doboks for mudanja and black vee neck doboks for the yudanja. The only difference is that a white dobok with a black vee neck collar is optional for yudanja.

Patches are optional: Korean flag on the left sleeve, US flag on the right, and the WTF logo on the left front or the Korean flag on the left front and the US flag on the right front.

Our kumdo program uses the indigo keikogi and hakama (same as kendo) with yudanja having the option to wear white.

Daniel

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Mudanja in our hapkido program wear a white crossover dobok with black diamond pattern stitching. Yudanja wear a black version of the same dobok with white diamond pattern stitching. I do not know of any specific significance to the colors.

Our taekwondo program is similar: white vee neck doboks for mudanja and black vee neck doboks for the yudanja. The only difference is that a white dobok with a black vee neck collar is optional for yudanja.

Patches are optional: Korean flag on the left sleeve, US flag on the right, and the WTF logo on the left front or the Korean flag on the left front and the US flag on the right front.

Our kumdo program uses the indigo keikogi and hakama (same as kendo) with yudanja having the option to wear white.

Daniel

I have often wondered about the significance of the diamond stitching on hapkido doboks. Does the diamond stitching re-inforce the dobok, creating a higher durability for the throws associated with Hapkido? Or is there some other reason for the diamond stitching?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I started a thread on that very subject in Hapkido: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82176

I know that the diamond pattern was a Jidokwan invention. Some of the posters indicated that judogis have a diamond shaped quilting and that when they were older, that pattern showed from dirt and wear. I do not know that there is any officially stated reason. Aside from looking cool.

Daniel

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I started a thread on that very subject in Hapkido: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82176

I know that the diamond pattern was a Jidokwan invention. Some of the posters indicated that judogis have a diamond shaped quilting and that when they were older, that pattern showed from dirt and wear. I do not know that there is any officially stated reason. Aside from looking cool.

Daniel

This is the reason for my OP. I have a suspicion that most of the traditional uniforms have some symbolic or practical meaning (or both). Just as the traditional symbols of various arts have meaning, if all practicioners of a particular style wear a specific uniform with specific markings, it would stand to reason that there is a meaning behind it. I doubt the pioneers/founders of these styles were thinking in terms of fashion back then.

The OP includes the reason the Moo Duk Kwan has a specific dobok with the trims' symbolic meaning. Although today, there are many non-traditional uniforms being utilized in otherwise traditional schools, I am curious as to the meanings behind the original uniforms' symbolism.

The Hapkido/Jidokwan uniform is a prime example. It is quite unique, and I would think it would have some meaning beyond aesthetics. But I honestly don't know for certain, and I was hoping to see what, if any, explanations the knowledgable people here at MT could provide.

So far, I'm hearing alot of aesthetic reasons, and some used as a ranking system, like belts.. . While these are honest answers, I was hoping someone from a more traditional standpoint could shed some light on the subject.

Thank you to everyone that has put in their .02 on the matter, and I hope to continue this discussion!

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

As far as taekwondo doboks, the ITF dobok and the Vee neck are intended to resemble the Korean hanbok. The black trim on the color for yudanja is also inspired by the different colored collar that some hanboks had/have. No hanbok pictures that I have ever seen were white, however, and the thin belt used in taekwondo is a direct lifting from Shotokan Karate, which of course lifted it from Judo.

Daniel

 

[SahBumNimRush]

As far as taekwondo doboks, the ITF dobok and the Vee neck are intended to resemble the Korean hanbok. The black trim on the color for yudanja is also inspired by the different colored collar that some hanboks had/have. No hanbok pictures that I have ever seen were white, however, and the thin belt used in taekwondo is a direct lifting from Shotokan Karate, which of course lifted it from Judo.

Daniel

Do you know what if any significance the black stripe down the pants of the ITF doboks have?