Is it ok for a Shidoshi to create his own rules?

[RoninX]

I´ve seen Hatsumi train with cowboy boots.

[lost_in_translation]

Hold on a second. The only "top" shihan in Japan that I see regulary wihout uwagi are Nagato and Noguchi Shihan, Seno and Oguri Shihan more often than not wear it. In the case of Someya Shihan's dojo you MUST be in full correct uniform. Kan Shihan also usually wears uwagi as well. It is wore in Japan, it is worn at the hombu. Hatsumi sensei has said before that the uniform of the bujinkan consists of the full keikogi with kyahan and its been a long time since they have been seen. Also look at any of hatsumi senseis recent books and you will see all of the shihan in full dress, not a t shirt in sight

[EWBell]

So how do people who wear only t-shirts make through class with it being shredded? If all of the techniques of that particular class involve throws from kumiuchi, then I don't see a t-shirt lasting too long.

[lost_in_translation]

They don't it is fun to watch the mad scramble for jackets when it happens though and when you can't grab the t shirt, you go for the flesh heehe

[Dale Seago]

Originally Posted by lost_in_translation

They don't it is fun to watch the mad scramble for jackets when it happens though and when you can't grab the t shirt, you go for the flesh heehe

Very true.

I'm not formal about attire in my own dojo; if it's cold we'll wear the jacket, otherwise we generally don't unless we're working on techniques that would make it desirable to avoid shredding a t-shirt. One of my dojo-class video clips on Facebook has me doing everything wearing a business suit and tie, because I was at a pre-class event that went late and I didn't feel like taking the time to change when I arrived. (The student who posted the clip called it, appropriately, "Suitable Tie-Jutsu", partly because at least once I used the tie as part of a technique while still wearing it.)

If I'm going to someone else's class (in Japan for instance), or attending some other instructor's seminar, I always bring the full uwagi and adjust to what that instructor and his own students are wearing. Likewise, if we bring in an instructor from elsewhere for a seminar, I expect my own students who may attend to bring the whole kit & caboodle and similarly adjust to that instructor's comfort level.

A core concept of ninjutsu is being able to "fit in", after all. . .

[Brian R. VanCise]

Originally Posted by Dale Seago

If I'm going to someone else's class (in Japan for instance), or attending some other instructor's seminar, I always bring the full uwagi and adjust to what that instructor and his own students are wearing. Likewise, if we bring in an instructor from elsewhere for a seminar, I expect my own students who may attend to bring the whole kit & caboodle and similarly adjust to that instructor's comfort level.

A core concept of ninjutsu is being able to "fit in", after all. . .

Absolutely Dale,

Fitting in and being respectful based on what another teacher expects is an excellent approach.

[ElfTengu]

Isn't it bizarre really how we dress up in all that gear?

Keikogi are, and always have been, basically a reinforced or tougher version of Japanese traditional everyday clothing or undergarments, and very little adaptation to the techniques would have been required once they were back in kimono, i.e where to grab and use of lapels, sleeves and obi of an attacker.

But modern clothing, in Japan and the rest of the world, bears very little resemblance to keikogi, which should probably more resemble jeans and casualwear if the same adaptability is desirable. I guess it's about tradition and preserving the historical as much as anything.

Olympic judo would look very odd if the participants wore jeans and denim jackets or canvas facsimilies of business suits!

[Bruno@MT]

True to some point. In Genbukan, the dress code is strict. Personally I think it is a good idea though. It is one of the ways to instill structure in a relatively large group of people.

And one of the things is the traditionalist aspect. In order to learn some of the traditional forms, the gi is required to be able to do so. More to the point: the forms that require a gi can easily be translated to leather jackets or business suit. Ergo the gi is still useful, as are the forms requiring it.

[ElfTengu]

Originally Posted by Bruno@MT

More to the point: the forms that require a gi can easily be translated to leather jackets or business suit. Ergo the gi is still useful, as are the forms requiring it.

It's not all Marlon Brando or George Michael. Getting a grip on this is a lot harder than getting hold of someone's gi (especially with my natural padding making it even tighter!)

http://images.onlinecommercegroup.co...ket-sample.jpg

or this equally leathery surface:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0LErihJE5u...n-shamrock.jpg