Why wear Gi's?

What is the point of wearing a gi?

After reading SM's fairly amusing post, it dawned on me that a lot of people wear Gi's, but I wondered why? Does it make a difference to your training? Is it for tradition?

I know you can choke someone out with a gi, but apart from that, I don't see their uses...(Im not saying they don't have one, just that Im a little uninformed on the issues of wearing them.)

 

no use....just traditional...dont particularly like the gi top....its a bit restrictive and can act as a weapon against you in a fight.

 

it'd be embarassing doing it naked!

ok, more serious answer:
I think because it is a hardwaring form of clothing that can be used in training without ruining your street clothes.

 

Because you'll get strange looks if you dont wear anything

 

I read somewhere that it was because there are no class distinctions in a class when all the students are wearing a Gi. There is no rich or poor etc...

But I think Vampyre Rat's answer has more relevance.

 

As Dave Turton said in a post on another forum a few months ago, the gi is based on what 17th century Japanese peasants used to wear. Because they didn't have any money for special equipment, they turned up to train in what they were wearing. For no reason other than entirely anachronistic tradition, people have continued to wear a uniform based on peasants clothes, which had sod all to do with martial arts.

On the other hand, while I absolutely DESPISE gi jackets, because I find them immensely uncomfortable and constrictive, I often wear the trousers to various classes, because they are loose with a low crotch meaning I can throw off my high kicks as much as I want.

In terms of BJJ and MMA, many MMAists who come from a BJJ background feel that gi training means they have to be more technical, so treat it as a useful handicap.

My arguments for it, if I had to argue in favour of something I don't like, would be that it provides a uniform that is also unifying in terms of an organisation, giving a sense of belonging, and it is also a relatively durable set of clothes for a style which involves a lot of throwing, like judo. Also (not very strong point), it provides a satisfying 'snap' when you execute a technique, which looks/sounds great in a grading.

In terms of SD application, training in a gi is rather silly, as most people don't wander round the streets in a gi. If you want to train SD, train in the clothes you'd normally wear in the places you're likely to be attacked (e.g., outside a pub, not in a dojo) - to refer to Dave Turton again, he wrote a great article about this in MAI (I think; might have been Combat. I have the issue, so can dig it out and quote if anyone is interested).

 

We wear gis for the traditional aspect and also to measure the speed and power of our punches and kicks. When you hear the snap you know it was delivered hard and fast.

 

To measure it? I can see the aesthetic purpose, but not that. You want to measure the speed and power of your punches, go hit a punchbag, or better a yet, a person. Sparring is good for stuff like that.

And what tradition? The tradition of being a penniless 17th century peasant?

 

oh them were the days!!

 

Aww, come on. My judo gi is the most comfortable suit of clothing that I have! Seriously, though, we have had people come in and train for a long while without a gi, and street clothes just can't handle the kind of punishment that you get in class. We've even ripped gis apart at times...
But, for an aesthetic value, the gi does keep everyone on the same level, as students and equals, as Alexander said earlier. The belt is there as the only distinction. On the mat, you are only judged by your martial ability, not by any other personal factor.

 

I stand corrected. I forgot I was in a post consisting of a group of know it all martial artists.

 

I went from wearing a gi in kempo to loose pants/shirt in kung fu, and man its so much better! I feel free, I'm on top of the world! Well that, and the shirts are cheaper to replace, but anything heavy enough to mess my shirt up we wear pads for (i.e. sparring).

 

Tradition, uniformity, save trashing your personal clothing :bang:

For those who find the gi jacket uncomfortable and restricting, shop the adult sizes, stop wearing the children's sizes

They are meant to be worn at least one size up

 

Pointless IMO, unless it's groundfighting or judo.

 

I have trained in a gi and no-gi. I personally don't like no-gi because I am vain and all my fat rolls hang out in a T-shirt . I trained with a woman like that and she kept flashing her chest and her belly and frankly, modesty prevents me from doing that. If I were a little thinner and things stayed in place better no-gi might be more of a modest option for me.

I like the gi because it keeps me covered, and if we are talking self defence, people here in Winnipeg do wear jackets 75% of the year so learning how to defend when someone grabs sleeves or collars is a useful thing.

I train covered up in kickboxing too - gi is not an option there but I do wear long dri-weave shirts and long pants. I told you I am a prude!

 

Kano invented the modern gi for use in Judo.

The reason, as was stated was to remove class distinctions. At the time Japan was very divided by class, Kano was a forward looking person who wanted to help rid Japan of this. So he put everyone in a simple, cheap, white gi. No one stood above anyone else. Everyone was level. Even the white colour - Dye was expensive.

This reason is not really valid anymore IMO.

We get "traditionalists" complaining about the coloured uniforms... Well the reason white was done was because it was cheap... and these guys are wearing there $300 imported uniforms complaining about people in $50 coloured ones...

No shoes because that is custom, no shoes in doors. It is a religious thing, yet we got Christians and athiests alike complaining about people wearing shoes durring training...

Traditions don't usually exist for the sake of tradition, until you know the reason for it, you can't really make a call on whether or not it is still justified.

A gi is based on Japanese style clothes, but as a cheap, durable, substitiute that masks the class distincition prevelant in Japan at the time. Are those reasons relevant in western society at this time?

 

I love my dobok (gi). I'd live in it if I could. Matter of fact, a lot of the time at home I do! If only my boss could see my point of view.....

 

My dobok feels like a second skin now, I <3 it

 

I like it. It's strong and durable, and is easily going to last longer than any other clothing I might wear to training. It means I can grab my dobok (gi) and put it on before training without even thinking about what I'm going to wear. Then again, I'm also one of those people who have no problem with having to wear a school uniform every day, in fact, I'm happier that way.

 

hahahaha at least it looks cooler than my uniform..

...kung fu pants with a red and white shirt. blah.