Black\color gi

[Nevinyrral]

I have a question that has been bothering e for a long time. Why are there a lot of multiple color gi's ie red top and black pants, or full black gi?

And also what is the attidue of people thowards that kind of gi, as I have seen most people shun black gi.

Thanks for answers.

[Dobbersky]

I think its more on cultural issues, White symbolises purity etc and many of the Japanese arts like Karate, JuJitsu, Judo, Aikido etc specify a white Gi, I think its more on the Okinawan Kenpo side where the Black Gi comes into play.

I think we've done a Thread on Gi colours where there has been some excellent posts by a varying amount of Members

Edited October 24, 2012 by Dobbersky

[DWx]

Just up to the individual schools discretion. As Dobbersky said, most places will use the white gi as it has that symbolism of purity but plenty of places give the instructor a different coloured gi (so he can clearly be seen) or blackbelts may be allowed to wear a different colour to distinguish them from kyu grades. In grappling styles such as BJJ or Judo and especially in their competitions, they usually use white or blue (or sometimes other colours) so that you can easily tell who's who.

[darksoul]

Exactly.

As I've stated in a different thread, in Shaolin Kempo, we have rules on the gi's. In my old dojo, you wore a white gi up to purple belt, then full black.

In my current dojo, it's full black gi from the get go until 1st Dan where you are allowed to wear a white jacket with black pants. At 3rd Dan, you can wear black jacket with white pants. At 5th Dan it's a Red Jacket with black pants, and at 7th Dan, a purple jacket with black pants.

The reasoning behind the black gi stems from the Okinawan heritage of the karate side (Shorinji Kempo.) The colour combinations is to differentiate dan grades easily when there are lots of dans in a room.

[bushido_man96]

My TKD uniform is white. I was in another school for a while that wore white tops and black bottoms. My Combat Hapkido uniform is black.

My suggestion is to worry less about color, and more about training.

[darksoul]

My suggestion is to worry less about color, and more about training.

Wise words!

[Lupin1]

At my school kyu ranks have to wear a plain white gi while black belts pretty much have free rein (they all stick to white and black by choice, though). I kinda wish we were allowed to wear black, though. I tried out a TKD school once while I was serving with AmeriCorps and they gave me a black gi and I still prefer to wear it while training on my own. It's more practical. It doesn't show dirt and stains and still looks new even though I've had it almost two years whereas my white gis start looking worn and grungy after a year or so. I also REALLY wish I was at least allowed to wear the black pants during a certain time of the month when wearing white pants while moving around a lot makes me very, very nervous...

I think things like red and purple and pepto-bismol pink may be going a little overboard, though...

[DWx]

At my school kyu ranks have to wear a plain white gi while black belts pretty much have free rein (they all stick to white and black by choice, though). I kinda wish we were allowed to wear black, though. I tried out a TKD school once while I was serving with AmeriCorps and they gave me a black gi and I still prefer to wear it while training on my own. It's more practical. It doesn't show dirt and stains and still looks new even though I've had it almost two years whereas my white gis start looking worn and grungy after a year or so. I also REALLY wish I was at least allowed to wear the black pants during a certain time of the month when wearing white pants while moving around a lot makes me very, very nervous...

I think things like red and purple and pepto-bismol pink may be going a little overboard, though...

Agree with you on all accounts. White is a horrendous colour for keeping clean!

One of my doboks is pepto-bismol pink on the back from when it was sweaty in my bag and dye leached off of my red sparring gear. Tried tons of different concoctions to get it off but can't get it out.

[Lupin1]

Agree with you on all accounts. White is a horrendous colour for keeping clean!

One of my doboks is pepto-bismol pink on the back from when it was sweaty in my bag and dye leached off of my red sparring gear. Tried tons of different concoctions to get it off but can't get it out.

I just got a new white gi in the mail yesterday (my old one was a casualty to the hard water I washed it in during my two years in the desert). I spent all evening washing and drying it to try to shrink it a bit before hemming it and then when I put it on to see how it was fitting I didn't realize I had a cut on my cheek. So now my brand-new, snow white gi already has a bloodstain right in the front middle. I posted on Facebook that I must be hardcore if my gi is bloodstained before I even work out in it once.

[Harkon72]

In our school, 3rd Kyu and above wear all Black Gi. Never thought why.