Although judo uniforms vaguely resemble other Japanese martial arts uniforms, the judogi has evolved to withstand the rigors of grappling and throwing techniques. Special features include reinforced stitching at common stress points like the shoulders, sleeves, chest and knees. Taking good care of your judo uniform is a way of showing that you take good care of yourself, too. It’s also obligatory for competition: According to the International Judo Federation and USA Judo regulations, you cannot compete with a dirty, smelly or torn uniform.
Step 1
Inspect your judo uniform to be sure that it’s clean, dry and doesn’t smell bad. There should be no rips or tears anywhere in the fabric. This is the bare minimum standard for both competition and polite dojo etiquette.
Step 2
Put on a short-sleeved white T-shirt or leotard under your uniform if you’re a woman. This is required for competition, and a prudent choice during any training session, as it’s easy for your judogi to shift position as you train. Men aren’t required to wear an undershirt, but if you sweat a lot, you’ll find wearing and washing undershirts to be much easier than constantly washing your judogi, which may shrink when laundered.
Step 3
Put on the pants for your judo uniform and tie the drawstring at your waist. Wear full-coverage underwear beneath, in case your pants shift during competition or training.
Step 4
Open the jacket and slide your arms into the sleeves. Bring the right front flap of the uniform across your body, then bring the left front flap across, overlapping the right. If your judo uniform has cords to secure the front flaps, tie these snugly to help keep your uniform jacket in place.
Step 5
Press the middle of your judo belt against your belly button, then wrap both ends around your waist so that they cross on the front of your body. Tie the belt ends in a square knot. See the Resources section for an animated demonstration.
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