Martial Arts Gi | The Karategi

Karate gi (空手着 or 空手衣), also called keikogi aka dogi, is the formal Japanese moniker for the traditional uniform used for Karate kumite or practice and karate tournaments.

A Karategi is similar to a judogi (柔道着 or 柔道衣, Judo uniform) as it shares a common origin. The material and cut of the uniform is generally much lighter and looser fitting. The biggiest of Karategi is only 0.5 kg (16 oz) compared to some judogi at 1 kg (35 oz).

Because of the nature of Karate training which emphasizes striking, kicking, and a more limited range of standing throws compared to Judo.

The Karategi has evolved in a manner that maximizes flexability and speed without the extremely coarse and strong fabric required for grappling and throwing found in Judo. They are made from smooth cotton which may be brushed or ribbed for unrestricted movement and extra comfort. Reinforced stitching is common, as to compensate for the stresses put on the Gi.

Keikogi (稽古着) (keiko, 'practice', gi, 'dress' or 'clothes'), also known as dōgi (道着) or keikoi (稽古衣),[a] is a traditional uniform worn for training in Japanese martial arts and their decendents. Emerging in the late 19th century, the keikogi was developed by judo founder Kanō Jigorō.

Karate Gi Sizes

They range from size 1 to 10 normally. if you're small you'll have a gi that is a 1-3 larage 2- 6 and very large at 7-10. They often have a letter A, or B as well. The karate Gi makes a snapping sound that is beautiful once a kick or punch in karate is perfectly executed. I'm heavy so I wear a size 7. But I'm always trying to lose weight since the larger onces are more expensive. You can get them on eBay or from you Dojo with the custom Dojo logo on them for more team unity.

Wearing the Karategi Karate Gi.

Don't forget to put the left flap over the right flap of your karate gi. Tie the middle ribbon. Put you're karate belt over the flaps to keep them from coming apart. Always wear your GI because you Karatge Dojo is a team.

Author BIO:

Joseph Fanning is an orange belt as of this writing. He's working towards his black belt. He blogs about technology, coding, websites, Seo and more.