Non white uniforms

[equaninimus]

I'm in cmplete favour of attractive female students practicing in the "traditional" uniform, i.e. : loincloth or nude.

[Bretty101]

Surely traditionally there were no grades or colour belts in taekwondo. These were all gimmicks bought in for us westerners!!

 

So we can have coloured belts but not coloured suits?

 

Do you judge a book by it's cover?

 

Out of respect i'll wear any suit an instructor/master asks me to, white or otherwise.

 

Bretty

[battousai16]

"Not only that, but I've noticed the fancier the uniform the worse the technique and manners. "

 

first up, in his/her defense, i've noticed that too.

 

second, i think y'all are taking way to much offense to this. it's one person's opinion, don't seat it.

 

third, i think the core of the martial arts is the heart and soul of the practitioner, not the clothing of him/her. my favorite uniform was green top/black bottom (though granted, that wasn't a TKD, which seems to be what you're getting at),but i hardly think that makes me an evil person. besides, i don't know about y'all, but i know i'm not pure, i make mistakes all the time. wouldn't wearing something symbolizing purity technically be dishonest, which is pretty shady in its self?

[CCDI]

I think that when we are put in a situation where we have to make a quick judgement about our saftey, a subjects clothing can give us a valuable clue as to their intent and what our actions may be. However

 

I also believe that after you have trained with a person or a group of people for several months, you may be able to make a judgement about their motives and integrity. In most cases we can also learn something.

[MichiganTKD]

Interesting point, Battousai16.

 

However, one of the points of wearing a white uniform is not necessarily because we are pure. We are not. It is also because we strive to be pure. Since one of the goals of traditional martial arts is self improvement, it stands to reason that purity is something we should seek, even if we never achieve it. It doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

 

Don't get me wrong. If all you want to be is a fighter, and you don't care about self improvement or purity, then you can wear whatever you want. But if you practice, or claim to practice, a traditional martial art, then I think it is awfully hard to be legitimate without a white uniform.

[battousai16]

hmmm... and interesting point yourself. i consider my self a traditional martial artist, but i hardly find it essential to where white, mostly for convenience purposes. i see where you're coming from, but aren't uniforms white because people originally trained in their undergarments and pajamas? and belts can be different colors and represent different things, why can't a uniform? though i understand this is a subject i'm never gonna' sway you on, no matter how hard i try, and vice versa

[Spookey]

MTKD,

 

I question your comment regarding Mr. Cho... would your comment therefore not stand true(based on your point of veiw) for other pioneers such as Jhoon Rhee, Ernie Reyes!

 

Furthermore, would you not consider the WTF (not knocking the WTF...please take this in context) for it's mass marketing and commercializm.

 

Finally, I would like to add...I own two doboks!

 

1. Official ITF Cazzatto (White)

 

2. Traditional dogi (White)

 

yet am not sighlently knodding my head!

 

TAEKWON!

 

Spookey

[MichiganTKD]

I consider Ernie Reyes one of the biggest MA whores on the planet.

 

As far as the WTF, I don't deny that it has hugely marketed Tae Kwon Do in a way that I don't always agree with. I don't particularly care for its emphasis on Olympic-style sparring. On the other hand, I never bought into Gen. Choi's insistance that he was the founder of Tae Kwon Do. So I guess it goes both ways.

 

Getting back to what I was saying. Ernie Reyes is a perfect example who someone who embodies the "colored uniform" mentality. He is the epitome of the "Mr. Hollywood" type. While I enjoy watching his kids perform onscreen (I'm not sure if "act" is the right word ) I do not consider him to be a traditional MA. Maybe he is better off not wearing a white uniform.

 

Regarding Hee Il Cho. I don't doubt his technical ability. What I do doubt is his ability to do anything in Tae Kwon Do without turning it into a money making venture. Everything the guy does is for sale. All he seems to care about is how many books and videos he can sell, how many magazines he can get published in, and offering seminars to anyone who wants to attend. You know, prostitutes don't care who they sleep with either.

 

His blue and red uniforms just strike me as one more way he can get noticed.

[KoreanTiger30]

I have a question then what about all other Korean martial arts that wear black uniforms like Kuk Sool Won, Hapkido, Haedong Gumdo, Teukong Musool, etc. Are these bastardize martial arts?

[Toast]

Lets remember, what you wear doesn't improve your abilities in any way.

 

My school, you have to wear a white uniform till you are a black belt. Then you can wear a black one. Instructors have 1 red uniform, and demo team a red one. If your on NASKA Teams, or Team America, you need to ask permission to wear a different uniform...