The roots of karate uniforms date back to peasant garb in ancient and medieval China and Japan, but the conventions were codified by shotokan karate founder Gichin Funakoshi and judo founder Dr. Jigoro Kano during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although the specific rules regarding your karate uniform, or gi, will vary by school, most program rules cover the same general areas.
Class
Wearing your full uniform to class is a baseline expectation in most karate schools. Many traditional programs will not allow you to participate if you show up without your gi, or with your gi incomplete. Others will permit you to participate after doing a token set of penalty pushups, or simply putting up with some good-natured ridicule from teachers and classmates.
Appearance
The specific appearance of your uniform is part of the rules in a typical karate program. Some common guidelines will cover color and cut -- for example, a school might require a white top with white bottoms for beginners and identify teachers with a specially designed uniform. It's common practice for schools and organizations to have patches made, which students are required to sew onto their uniforms.
Cleanliness
Another category of gi requirements related to appearance is cleanliness. A karate student will be expected to keep his gi clean and relatively wrinkle-free. In part, this is to ensure a clean and professional look to the program as a whole, and to encourage specific students to launder their uniform and make training with them more pleasant.
Safety
Wearing appropriate safety gear is part of the uniform rules for karate schools that permit contact during practice and sparring. Examples of safety equipment include padded sparring gear, groin protection and sports bras. This set of rules is not just part of school preferences, but often a requirement defined by the liability companies that insure martial arts programs.
Rank
The colored rank belt is one of the most iconic aspects of the karate uniform, with different colors representing different levels of skill, commitment and time in rank. The style of belt, order of colors and even the particular knot used to tie the belt on are all part of the rules for any karate program.
References
- Gichin Funakoshi: What is Karate?
- Judo Info: The History of Judo
- Dave Coffman; Martial Arts Teacher; Bushido Martial Arts; Hillsboro, Oregon
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