Sapphire1166

Update here. So I basically was in tears the other day. I ordered a cheap medium weight gi online in a size 7. It was too long, and just a tad too snug in the waist. So I returned it and ordered a size 8 (the highest size many companies offer) knowing I'd need it tailored, and the waist was still too snug! It was like the only difference between the 7 and the 8 was an extra 5 inches in length. So I'm lost as to what to do. I can't continue showing up to class in sweatpants and a t shirt, but I truly don't know where to find a gi that fits. I've tried 7's and 8's in 3 different brands so far, and the waists are all still a little snug and I can't imagine moving comfortably in them.

After a long hiatus (12 years!) I finally started back into karate. My former style was Uechi-Ryu, but I practiced in MA and couldn't find a single Uechi-Ryu dojo nearby. After taking a practice class at a Shotokan dojo near my house, I decided to practice there. The issue is that for the 4 classes I've attended so far, we ONLY do katas after 10 minutes of warmup/stretching. I've found myself completely lost as the stances, punches, blocks, turns, and katas are very different. With Uechi we practiced the very basics (punches, blocks, turns, conditioning, stretches) for almost a month before getting to katas. With this dojo I'm just thrown into the katas as a "learn on the spot" thing. With Uechi the class would be broken up with different types of conditioning, history lessons, katas, and pairing off. With this dojo it's warm up, then kata, kata, kata. I guess my question is, is this typical of Shotokan? I know there are a lot more katas in Shotokan than Uechi, but I guess I sort of assumed that the classes would have much more varied activities. It's been hard not to compare my "old" style with my "new", but I'm trying hard!

So after a 12 year hiatus, I'm finally getting back into martial arts and have started Shotokan. I just had a baby and am very out of shape and overweight. I'm currently a size 20 who is 5' 8" and cannot, for the life of me find a gi that fits me. I tried a size 7 Tokaido and the waist was too tight for me unless I hiked it way up, but I was literally swimming in the pants and top. The top of the gi nearly reached the floor! Is there anywhere I can find a gi to accommodate my larger waist without having to do extensive alterations to the rest of the gi? I'd prefer a cheaper uniform until I lose some weight and can invest in a good gi, but if my options are severely limited I'll take what I can get. Thank you in advance!