Martial Arts & Uniform

[Deutscher]

There should really be a whinge section

My whinge for today:

I do freestyle martial arts and we have to wear uniform (black jacket and black pants), I see the point of having a "uniform" to show who taught us and stuff ... but why does it have to be long jackets and long pants?!

Stupid traditional things ... meh ... muay thai aint got long jackets n long pants ... they got like signlets n short shorts

If no one has noticed ... we live in Australia... were it gets hot!! theres like 20 of us running/fighting/training in this small room (something like 7M by 10M (im not good at estimating, but u get the point)) with no aircon/fans!!

What is wrong with people these days! Is it some sort of test? too see who is willing to die in this room for the school or something. At the end of each session ... it's like you went for a swim.

Nyway ... thats my rant for today

[vlv8vic]

How long have you been doing it? I used to teach freestyle ZDK for Bob Jones and i'd be fairly unimpressed if someone had such little respect for the tradition because they didn't want to get hot or took issue to how they looked.
The reason i asked how long you have been at it is simply because if you gave a shit about the style and the tradition you wouldn't question it.

Tradition aside, it makes for far more effective training when you can practice grabs and throws on something that won't rip - sure in real life a person will be wearing something regular but no one wants to lose a t-shirt each week at training because it gets ripped or out of shape. I've trained at a level where we wore some fairly enormous flowing pants that looked a whole lot like a dress - it was part of the katana/sword training and gave it particular meaning.

Maybe freestyle martial arts isn't for you.

[Deutscher]

How long have you been doing it? I used to teach freestyle ZDK for Bob Jones and i'd be fairly unimpressed if someone had such little respect for the tradition because they didn't want to get hot or took issue to how they looked.
The reason i asked how long you have been at it is simply because if you gave a shit about the style and the tradition you wouldn't question it.

Tradition aside, it makes for far more effective training when you can practice grabs and throws on something that won't rip - sure in real life a person will be wearing something regular but no one wants to lose a t-shirt each week at training because it gets ripped or out of shape. I've trained at a level where we wore some fairly enormous flowing pants that looked a whole lot like a dress - it was part of the katana/sword training and gave it particular meaning.

Maybe freestyle martial arts isn't for you.

Sorry, I don't mean to disrespect. I've been training for about 3 months now. I also do Jujitsu and MMA. I do 4 nights a week of martial arts. In freestyle we don't do grabs and throws, but I see your point in Jujitsu about the ripping of shirts etc.

I don't get why you'd say freestyle martial arts isn't for me... because I don't like the GI. I respect my sensai and I respect my school and others.

Tell me what the uniform means to you. Maybe I'll see a different side to it. I just learnt that it benefits in Jujitsu. I don't see how a uniform changes the way you see the tradition/sensai or students. For example, religion .. because you don't pray every day or go to church every day means you shouldn't belong to a certain religion? even though you still believe all of the rest?

[vlv8vic]

What type of freestyle is it? because me blabbing on about ZDK might be worthless.

The reason i suggest that it might not be for you is that you are already questioning aspects of it at such an early stage in your training.
If it's freestyle you will do grabs and throws at some stage.

[Julie]

Its just part of being in martial arts and you just have to put up with it, its tradition. Some of the asian countries where different martial arts originate have far more extreme temperatures than we have to endure here. It will help with your conditioning too. I wish my daughter got to wear a black uniform, do you have any idea how hard it is keeping a white uniform clean when they spend half the lesson on the floor lol. If its something you really feel strongly about maybe have a firendly word to your head instructor and suggest they adopt a training shirt, they can only say no. My daughter's lucky, they are allowed club training shirts and only have to wear full uniform for grading.

[Deutscher]

What type of freestyle is it? because me blabbing on about ZDK might be worthless.

The reason i suggest that it might not be for you is that you are already questioning aspects of it at such an early stage in your training.
If it's freestyle you will do grabs and throws at some stage.

Ah my bad, didn't realise you said ZDK.

Quoted from the website of my school - Freestyle - This class is designed for street defence with a combination of Kickboxing, Boxing, Thai boxing and the use of some Karate technique. Adding Jujitsu which covers every defence you can think of.

So I don't know which style you'd say it would be. But thats it. Don't do much jujitsu in that class tho because we have a specific jujitsu class. Therefore we don't do throws (because most of them can't do breakfalls) or grabs.

So what is the tradition? other than wearing a uniform? Nobody's ever told me anything. It's not one of these traditional schools like they have in thailand, it's one of these modern schools which are meant for self defence.

[Deutscher]

Its just part of being in martial arts and you just have to put up with it, its tradition. Some of the asian countries where different martial arts originate have far more extreme temperatures than we have to endure here. It will help with your conditioning too. I wish my daughter got to wear a black uniform, do you have any idea how hard it is keeping a white uniform clean when they spend half the lesson on the floor lol. If its something you really feel strongly about maybe have a firendly word to your head instructor and suggest they adopt a training shirt, they can only say no. My daughter's lucky, they are allowed club training shirts and only have to wear full uniform for grading.

Haha, white. I feel slightly better

I'm not going to stop going to martial arts over it, I was just pointing out that I wasn't a fan of the uniform. Geeez, not even allowed a opinion these days. In my MMA I once had a white tank on ... wow did that get dirty! XD In MMA we were shorts/boardies and a t-shirt. Generally wear black boardies and black tank.

The same Sensai teaches Freestyle and MMA, so... in Freestyle he'd care and MMA he doesn't?

[mulligan-can]

Its very specific to the martial arts tradition you follow. Mainly cos it is exactly that, a tradition.

Martial arts is about hurting people, most often quite badly.

So obviously a large amount of what they teach is based around discipline and self-control. You need to respect and adhere to the traditions if you want to master/advance in martial arts.

vlv8vic was pointing out that it might not be for you cos your showing doubt/distrust and a lack of faith/dedication.

[Deutscher]

Its very specific to the martial arts tradition you follow. Mainly cos it is exactly that, a tradition.

Martial arts is about hurting people, most often quite badly.

So obviously a large amount of what they teach is based around discipline and self-control. You need to respect and adhere to the traditions if you want to master/advance in martial arts.

vlv8vic was pointing out that it might not be for you cos your showing doubt/distrust and a lack of faith/dedication.

I'm not doubting anything though, I know the things my sensai teaches is great. If I doubted I wouldn't be there 4 time a week. I am dedicated, yes I've only been there 3 months but I enjoy going there and sure I'll be there for a long time to come. Maybe if I said his techniques and teaching methods were lousy, it would be a different matter, but it's the cloths I wear which I had a slight problem (which doesn't affect anything), and only reason is I find it uncomfortable.

[FirstVR_JC]

Hey there, your gi is worn for the pupose of training... vlv8vic expained it all very well for you. Your gi aids in your application of techniques and and of course there is the tradition of the unifom .... when you put it on all else should be forgotten about your day and concentrate on training only. Congradulations on choosing a martial art.. if you are in a good school you will become a better person.

If it gets too hot... which it probably does sometimes.... it will only aid in your stamina and abitlity to handle an uncomfortable situation .... happy training.

[System]

great points from everyone

i did karate for 3 years, now i've been doing taekwondo for 2, in karate its a (sry for spelling) Doh Gi, and for TKD a Do Bok. both are white, as Julie said, VERY hard to keep white haha, over time you get faint stains on the knees etc.

If its hot- deal with it, the harder you train in the heat the better you become. Dont complain, if your instructor tells you to do 30 pushups after a tonne of techniques- you bloody well do them haha. I've been through the same thoughts as you, but it does help.

Try a weekend training- 2, 5 hour blocks a day, non-stop.... alot of fun

[vlv8vic]

So what is the tradition? other than wearing a uniform? Nobody's ever told me anything. It's not one of these traditional schools like they have in thailand, it's one of these modern schools which are meant for self defence.

It's something you'll have to pick up with your style - might even find it's one of those things that 'just is'. It is much like the belt system most forms use. I love the stuff - if only there was a place locally running it that wasn't purely interested in profit.

I get the impression you don't see the traditional ones as meant for self-defense. Tradition and self-defense can certainly be one and the same. There are however, lots of 'hack' schools out there molesting the art.

Julie - hate the white Gi. Our kids class had them for a while then went to blue. I had a range of black ones and they were fantastic (they were dedicated 2nd degree+ gi though).

[minux]

I think the words

"Toughen up princess" work well in this scenario

[blackdoggg]

where did you teach zdk?
im going to get back into it as soon as im getting regular hours at work (at the moment it changes to frequently to commit to anything)
i used to do it as a kid, once in dromana when i was MUCH younger (like 7yo till about 10/11yo), and then began from the beginning when i was about 14 in kananook under Billy Menae. But im very keen to begin again and train properly as ive been brought up with the idea that its very good for you (not just zdk, all martial arts), not for thedefense, but for the fitness (and boy do you getthe fitness under billy's training!) and the mental discipline.
i do miss it even if i didnt get far second time round, was just the age i feel, around 15 everythings upside down :P well, was for me lol

[Jesterarts]

I think the words

"Toughen up princess" work well in this scenario

Haha... so true...

I trained martial art for about 11 years I think...

In that time I did ZDK, GKR, and SUSUMU-RYU (The one from a current affair for being to rough and dangerous... )

Each dojo I was at had a keen sense of tradition and thus he all wore the Gui's.

There are a few reasons for the uniform...

As said, the practical reason is that gui's can survive what you put them through...

In terms of tradition... in the styles I was in they are like a belt... I was shattered when I damaged a gui because of all the stuff it had been through with me... sweat blood and tears.

Also... when you punch and kick with enough speed you begin to get a wipe like crack... which sounds impressive when a whole dojo of people acheive this...

If you don't like it... then don't do it... wearing a gui shows commitment to the club and to the sport.

That's my opinion anyway...

[Deutscher]

Hmm... thanks for the replies guys. It has made me think bout it. Maybe I'll ask him to get a fan instead hehe. nah I wouldn't do that. Had great time last night, did some sparring with a southport guy.. mann thats weird aye. He's like the only person southport in my school. Got a few hits to the head cause forgot he's punching with the other hand haha.

[Deutscher]

Can anyone tell me some good brands of gloves? I was looking at some RDX grappling gloves or the Warrior MMA gloves. Which would be a better choice?

[Juztin]

As you said mate, you've only been in for 3months you'll get over it and your body will adapt =]

Muay Thai on the otherhand where we wear singlets and sick fight shorts =P, we still die from heat.

Doesn't matter if its traditional or not, respect and honour come with most uniforms you just wont realize it yet =]

[vlv8vic]

where did you teach zdk?
im going to get back into it as soon as im getting regular hours at work (at the moment it changes to frequently to commit to anything)
i used to do it as a kid, once in dromana when i was MUCH younger (like 7yo till about 10/11yo), and then began from the beginning when i was about 14 in kananook under Billy Menae. But im very keen to begin again and train properly as ive been brought up with the idea that its very good for you (not just zdk, all martial arts), not for thedefense, but for the fitness (and boy do you getthe fitness under billy's training!) and the mental discipline.
i do miss it even if i didnt get far second time round, was just the age i feel, around 15 everythings upside down :P well, was for me lol

Taught down south-west vic. I did train with Billy at a couple of training days in Melbourne when Steve Nedelkos used to run them. No idea what happened to him but he was great to work with. Been a long time......

Can anyone tell me some good brands of gloves? I was looking at some RDX grappling gloves or the Warrior MMA gloves. Which would be a better choice?

3 months in i wouldn't be too worried. Your instructor will tell you what is suitable. I'd never have had anything too heavy or close to boxing gloves because of the genuine 'freestyle' about it - needed to still be able to work grabs etc. I usually only trained with training mitts but by the end i was able to pull punches up pretty close and trusted the people i worked with so we bareback at times. That's a surreal experience the first few times.

[System]

Also... when you punch and kick with enough speed you begin to get a wipe like crack... which sounds impressive when a whole dojo of people acheive this...

lol yeah i love that sound too the 'flick' of the sleeves and legs when you do your thing

[vlv8vic]

lol yeah i love that sound too the 'flick' of the sleeves and legs when you do your thing

geez i forget about that. Worked really well with the heavy material. Not sure how to describe it but one uniform i had was more live canvas than anything - but it was the best one too.

[Deutscher]

vlv8vic - Reason I'm asking is because my mate had a pair of ringmaster I think they wer and the stitching started coming off and velcro wasnt good and he said he only had them for 4-5 weeks. I used a pair from the school last night (second hand pair), but the stitching near your fingers was coming off (I don't know how much use they had endured already). But I want something that will last for awhile.

[System]

geez i forget about that. Worked really well with the heavy material. Not sure how to describe it but one uniform i had was more live canvas than anything - but it was the best one too.

yeah i have the same set for TKD- has a lil pattern in the material and is slightly thicker

[vlv8vic]

vlv8vic - Reason I'm asking is because my mate had a pair of ringmaster I think they wer and the stitching started coming off and velcro wasnt good and he said he only had them for 4-5 weeks. I used a pair from the school last night (second hand pair), but the stitching near your fingers was coming off (I don't know how much use they had endured already). But I want something that will last for awhile.

can't remember what mine had on them. Might have be Blitz or something. They're out int eh shed and it's bucketing down so no good looking now. My training mitts are inside but they were only branded with head honchos BJC.

EDIT i recall the stitching being ok but the latex or whatever was on them would eventually wear off or get a bit flaky.

[Deutscher]

Cuz I don't know much bout glove design. I went to Giri martial arts and spoke to the guy... I had a look at some cheap ones ~$50 Warrior Wraptor... he said they're crap haha. I was like glad I asked. They didnt have the open palm thing.. they were only training ones he said (had less padding aswell). He showed me the Warrior MMA ones ~$79. Seems like a hefty price (I know boxing gloves are more) but still. Too see what happened to my mates, I wanted to get something decent that'll last for $80 (I don't know how much his cost). But the guy showed me that the Warrior MMA had coverings to the foreknuckle or watever you call it and had better stitching than a Punch grappling glove they also had. I can get a set of RDX for $50 or so (ebay). Are they really that different? Or am I just making a fuss over nothing?