nyramat911

I'm a bit of a late-comer to this conversation, but I'll throw my two cents anyway. Noah, you're correct in that it's much more common in WKF style tournaments where thicker red and blue belts (such as Shureido and Tokaido brands) are favoured, and that it's just a regular hair tie which matches the belt colour. I know some people who have these brands of black belts in the dojo and do the same- the belt is just too thick to stay in a knot properly when it's new. However, the trick is to put on the hair tie before the final stage of the knot, so you can feed the ends of the belt through, thus ensuring the ends stay in place. Alternatively, you can put the hair tie on middle of the belt so there's no chance of it falling off, but still feed the ends though in the last step. Jesi boy I've never seen anyone do this because they wanted a loose knot, only because their belt is too thick to maintain a small, tight one. It's quite rare to see this in the dojo, even for black belts- generally you're training so much that the belt loses its stiffness pretty quickly. The issue with competition belts is exactly that- they're for competition. In class one usually wears their rank belt, not a competition belt, so it's the rank belt which gets worn out. Liam, I haven't competed for a few years, but higher level competitors in AKF tournaments often did this, particularly when it became trendy to use the thicker belts for kata. The thick-belt trend didn't continue into kumite, so this behaviour wasn't observed there nearly as much.

Hi Safroot, I realise that this post is a little old now, but hopefully this will help... I've lived in the US where recspecs were the norm, but now that I live in Australia sports glasses are a bit harder to come by. In my dojo there's a "no glasses" rule for any partner work, and this extends to kids and adults. Consequently most adults just bite the bullet and overcome the "poking myself in the eye" concern and wear contacts, even if it's just for karate class. There is one guy at my dojo who wears sports goggles, but I've never asked him where he got them from. This being said, however, if you speak to your optometrist you should be able to get a recommendation for sports goggles (OPSM has some options http://www.opsm.com.au/rx-sport-glasses but are notoriously expensive) or at the very least a valid prescription which you can use online. I'd imagine that something like this http://www.sports-eyewear.com.au/product.php/68/sports-goggles-prescription-rx-progear or this https://goggleman.com.au/collections/ball-sports-eyewear would be acceptable to use during martial arts training (but may be banned during competition, depending on the tournament rules). Please let us know what you decide to do- I'd be interested in your review if you do decide to go for sports glasses.

Hi there, I doubt you'll find all of those in one book, particularly from that time period- techniques have changed and evolved over time. http://www.kassiskarate.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/book-208x300.jpg This is one I have which is pretty good, it's by Kenei Mabuni, the successor to Kenwa.

As others have said, some (usually high end) brands will have extra ties as an option, as Japanese women commonly have them. On a budget though, a bit of DIY or a tailor is your best bet- then you can choose a gi you like, without being limited. My mum sewed velcro onto a lightweight gi for me (so when grappling etc it comes undone rather than tearing the gi), and ties on a gi for a training partner, and said that sewing on ties was much quicker and easier from her perspective. If I wanted something on a heavyweight gi I'd have to go with the ties (or an expensive tailor) because the lapel and velcro would be too thick for mum to sew through. Good luck!

Hi there, I'm about 5'6" and 65kg, and certainly can relate to the gi coming open! For my lightweight gis my mum was able to sew velcro onto the top to keep it closed, and another member of my dojo (same height and weight as me) has ties like the Japanese women do. I certainly agree with the posts above- the heavier the gi, the stiffer it is, and the more likely it is to come open. I personally prefer middleweight gis, I find the fabric pliable enough to stay in place (for the most part) but still make a nice noise when I move!

When my brother did TKD all the kids wore club tshirts with their dobok pants and belts. Given Australia's climate, a tshirt is quite practical, particularly for children training in a gym. The requirement was that they wore their club tshirt or dobok top, that was all that was allowed (no 'whatever shirt they wore that day' kind of stuff), so they still looked neat. Last year, my karate club got club tshirts for the first time, and some of the instructors wore them with their gi pants, without a belt. Needless to say, soon the kids started wearing them without their belts either, and some kids started wearing any tshirt they wanted without a belt. Based on these experiences (as I myself prefer to train in a full gi, never a tshirt), I fully support the idea of children (and even teenagers) wearing a club tshirt with their pants and belt. By getting a club tshirt made (even something simple, like a white shirt with the club logo on it), uniformity can be maintained. Additionally, if you get a good quality tshirt a couple of sizes too big (think an 8 year old wearing a size 12), the shirt will easily last a few years.

I think (as previously mentioned), it depends mostly on the club. However, I think it also depends on the style. I'm a female who practices karate, and I don't wear a shirt under my gi, the same as my instructors and the other adults I train with. However, my style of karate (Shito Ryu), means that we do a lot of standing techniques, and very little throws/groundwork, so my gi stays more or less in place. If I spent more time doing groundwork, I would probably wear a shirt underneath for modesty.

Hi there, I'm 5'5" and about 140lbs, and I have an Arawaza Crystal in a size 4. It's a little small, given that the Arawaza size chart says I should have a 4.5, but fits well enough for kata competition. however, Kumite gis (such as the Onyx) fit a lot looser and generally have longer jackets, arms and legs than kata gis. Kumite gis don't generally shrink, so your best option is to take them to a clothing alteration place and have them take it up for you. Sorry that I can't be more helpful.

Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been checking posts as often as I used to! I'm 5.5" and I bought a Tokaido gi (something or other gold) when I was 155lbs in a size 4. I think it was one of the China made ones. It's relatively loose in the body compared to the other brands I have, but I don't mind that. being only 5.5" I had to get the sleeves and pants taken up, but again, I'm more concerned about the fit of the body. Overall I think a 4 is a good size- that's what all my other gis are (Arawaza, Adidas, Shureido, SMAI etc.). With a 3.5 you may find that (depending on your body shape) it restricts some movements. Hope that helps!

Yamaga also

I haven't competed seriously in a few years (since shitei kata was eliminated), so my repertoire then was -bassai dai -seinchin -kosokun sho -gojushiho -nipaipo -chatanyara kusanku In case you didn't guess, I'm a Shito Ryu practitioner

I looked at getting a Gladiator Guard (I'll admit, I wanted the fangs), $80 is a fantastic price for a custom mouthguard, and I'd highly recommend them for truly being able to customize your mouthguard to what you want. The only down side is that they don't ship to Australia!

My last non-custom one was a shock doctor gel max (back when this was the 2nd highest one they offered!), but because my front teeth stuck out slightly, the gel part molded to them, and the harder plastic was closer to my lip. Consequently, when I moved up to the seniors division (18+), one decent head punch was all it took to split the inside of my lip open. Based on that, if you choose to go boil and bite, make sure you find one that works for your teeth!

I was wondering if this is a universal truth, or do some people disagree? The general consensus seems to be that a heavier gi pops better than a light weight gi. By "pop", I mean the snapping sound made when performing certain techniques. --Generally the 'universal truth'. White belts wonder how they get that 'snap' noise, and as soon as they get a heavier gi, it's suddenly much easier. Has this been your experience? Is this at all useful during kumite or just kata? 12 oz is probably the most popular weight among heavy weights. Is that the sweet spot for the average karateka with 10 oz being too light and 14 oz a bit too heavy? -I don't think it's at all useful during kumite, the weight of the gi makes you feel slower and hotter. As for the weight, I think most people think the heavier the better- I've got a 14oz Tokaido and a 13oz Arawaza (both WKF) and I know people who have heavier in both. Some people say that brushed cotton doesn't pop as well as canvas. Is that true? What if the material is brushed on the inside only? --This I don't have an answer to. I don't even know what brushed cotton is! Obviously, the quality of the technique is the important thing, but when being judged in a tournament or during testing, appearance and sound can have an effect on people watching. How much does a heavy weight gi help with that? --Quality of technique is important- great technique can even make a light weight gi 'snap'; I've had instructors who can make a tshirt make noise. That being said, my brother got a brand new Shureido new wave and all he has to do is walk onto the mat and people look at him because it makes so much noise. From that point of view, a heavy weight gi definitely helps with the effect on the people watching.

As far as kata gis go I think they're reliable and fit well, but aren't as 'snappy' if you're looking for a serious competition gi. I've got a tokaido gold, shureido new wave 2 and an adidas elite, and for training the adidas is my favourite. Overall, I think the adidas kata gis are excellent value for money.

I'm a big fan of a custom fitted one-either by the dentist or there are companies online which mail you a kit to make a mold. I've tried standard ones, pro force, shock doctor, etc, and everyone I know who has had a custom fitted one has never gone back to anything else.

Hi there, just to add my 5 cents in... I currently have a Yamaga Silk black belt, which is just starting to show signs of wear around the knot after 18 months of constant use (wearing it 4-5 nights per week). Prior to this I had a standard, club issued cotton belt (no embroidery or anything fancy) which I wore for 4 years, and the only sign that I wore it at all is that it's softer now than when it was new. Generally speaking, cotton black belts will last a long long time. One of my instructors wore his 6 days a week for 30 years before he deemed it 'unusable'. Another one of my instructors wore a Yamaga silk belt for about 5 years before they said it was unprofessional to keep wearing it, however a friend of mine has been wearing his for about 8 and he thinks it's fine, but one of his students told him to wash it (the white cotton inner is now grey-brown from all the blood, sweat and tears). Ultimately, it's up to you, but I will suggest that if you're going to go the silk/satin route, make sure you go with a brand which is known for it's reputation, rather than the cheapest one

Hi there, I agree with those above me--definitely something to ask your Sensei before going ahead with it. When I was a kid one of the visiting Japanese instructors would write our names on our gis for us (we later figured out it was so he could remember them!) but he just used a sharpie and it turned out fine. However, as Wastelander said, it may bleed over time--mine didn't bleed, but continued washing meant that it faded beyond recognition within a year or so.

IMHO, I have to agree with both points of view here. Yes, martial arts in the west isn't as "hardcore" as it is in the east. But yes, this is a 9 year old child we are talking about. This story is not uncommon- I've heard of it being threatened before, but I've also heard it done before. The humiliation part... Well, IMO, that's not the main issue here. Yes, it's bad, but I would be humiliated if I was in trouble with the Sensei, it doesn't matter what I did/what the punishment was. But the fact that the Sensei abused his position and physically assaulted a child... That is the issue here, IMO. As an instructor, I know that disruptive students can be hard to deal with, especially if they hit another child and make them cry. This being said, I do give you a thumbs up for recognising that your child was in the wrong. This being said, however, it is never okay for an instructor to assault a student, child or adult. There are plenty of punishments-physical and not, to deal with the situation. In my club we have a 'time out mat', on the edge where students can sit out, away from all the action (and fun). Where I train, pushups would be a common punishment, even for a child. This is a physical punishment which gets the point across that it's not acceptable, without harming the child. IMHO, you were right to speak to a head instructor/owner. They should then speak to the Sensei, as (I know this sounds bizarre), but they might be unaware that what they did was very wrong. Perhaps the Sensei could meet with the head instructor/owner and come up with a discipline plan to be implemented across all classes-timeouts, pushups etc, which are non-confrontational, and most important, not assault.

I've been injured on and off for the past 2 years, so I probably spend about as much time at the gym as I do at the dojo. I do exercises recommended by the physio to help strengthen karate muscles, but I also have a weights program written by a boxing trainer to help maintain strength even when I'm injured. I try to do at least one cardio session per week, usually on the spin bike (sigh, so boring).

I compete in WKF rules, so 1 point for a punch 2 points for a kick to the body 3 points for a head kick or take down with follow up technique

The easiest way to determine the size of a gi is to try it on. Often martial arts stores will stock several brands, so try on several, as each brand fits slightly differently. For example, I'm 5'5", and wear a 4 in heavy weight gis, but a 5 in lightweight and my SMAI gi is a 6! But, they are all different brands. If I bought all the same brand, but different styles, then they would all be the same size. Personally I don't like the feel of Shureido fabric, as I prefer the heavy canvas. That being said though, everyone I've ever met who has owned a Shureido has said that they'll never ever go back to wearing a different brand. Good luck!

It's up to you how long your belt is, most people prefer mid thigh to knee length. Personally I prefer my belt to reach almost my knees, because it stays tied up that way, and I don't grapple. If it were past my knees, however, it would get in the way of low stances and/or hit me in the face.

It looks like she ties it the normal way, just has a really thick belt. In WKF competitions thick belts are common (Shureido brand etc) because they look really nice, but their thickness prevents them to be tied tightly without coming undone during the kata. As the belt coming undone can result in losing points/disqualification, many athletes in Australia (and I assume overseas) with thick belts use a hair tie of the same color to hold the belt knot, I think this is what you can see on her belt.