Why The Full GI??

[sensei8]

Here's where I might appear like I want to jump off a cliff, and some here might want to help me jump off a cliff by pushing me off the cliff...so...here goes nothing...

Whenever I see a picture or a video or whatever other media type, and I see the practitioner training/practicing, not producing a commercial for profit, but for their own personal desire, at home, wearing a full blown gi, I think either ego or showing off, is that practitioners sole intent.

That practitioner doesn't need to wear the full blown gi at home because the floor reveals everything; knowledge and experience...the whole shooting match.

[singularity6]

Sometimes I wear a full gi at home to train. Sometimes it's just pants and a t-shirt. Other times, it could be track pants and a shirt. Ultimately, I will do what I feel like at a given moment. One thing I'll likely never do, however, is take have my picture (or a video ) of me training.

[singularity6]

I was thinking about this post...

While I really do like the look and feel of a gi while training, I've often thought that (as others have pointed out) you won't be wearing one out on the streets. I've requested that we train in street clothes from time to time (that request still hasn't been granted, however.) Our regular instructors have never used martial arts on the street, but our master instructor has (numerous times - former cop.) Most pants that men wear are rather restricting, as are some dress shirts and jackets. Sure, we could train at home in regular clothes, but I feel it'd be useful to get some input about what works/doesn't work, and what to expect from someone who's had to use martial arts outside the classroom.

[bushido_man96]

I once read an article on the importance of rituals which had done some studies and found that people actually perform better if they have some sort of ritual associated with a task, and do that ritual before the task. Clothing was included as part of the "rituals" in some cases--putting on a nice suit, for example. I'm of the opinion that putting on a gi is part of many people's ritual for karate. I know that I feel I perform better in a gi. That said, I don't put the gi on for training at home

I think you nailed it. I think it ends up being a psychological thing more than anything. Flipping a training switch, in a sense.