uniform for beginers

[black heart]

what type of uniform do you recomend for beginers in bujinkan?
i would like to know as much detail as possible. makers, weight, stiching, etc. thank you.

 

[Cryozombie]

I wear a heavyweight Century Gi. And... even being a heavyweight gi, I still got a sleeve torn off doing throws. Haha.

SO maybe a Judo Gi would be better.

 

[newtothe dark]

I use an extra heavyweight 16oz I believe from Boldwear it seems to hold up well I cross train with BJJ guy who is very hard on it. If you want let me know I can get you a link to them

 

[black heart]

thank you, if you would please give me the link that would be great.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Century Heavyweights and IronMan uniforms are pretty common. Really almost any brand that has a good Heavyweight black uniform will be fine. Talk to your instructor though and see what he/she recommends.

 

[Obi Wan Shinobi]

It would also depend on the dojo. I have always trained with a dogi but when I started visiting other dojos and/or seminars, alot of Bujinkan guys just wear a t-shirt and dogi pants or BDUs.

 

[ninja5]

i like black swets with a obi belt

 

[Tsuki-Yomi]

The Iron Man Gi from Century is a great gi. My only complaint is that when you wash it it gets very wrinkley because it is so thick. My middleweight gi doesnt seem to do that. Maybe drycleaning instead of the washer?

 

[Shizen Shigoku]

For beginners, just some gym pants / sweat pants and a t-shirt should be fine. If they stick with it for a few months, then investing in a full dogi is a good idea. After 9th or 8th kyu, it would be a good idea to go ahead and get the full gear - gi, tabi, midori obi, etc.

I go with a middle weight myself. I've considered a high-quality heavy weight, but for something in the range of 200$ - I'd rather get a cheap middle weight for 20-40$ patch the knees as necessary and just replace it every year or two..

Something basic from Century or Macho should be fine.

 

[ElfTengu]

You can get black judogi nowadays, I would have bought one of these years ago if they had been around, instead of having a collection of gi most of which I rarely wear. But you might find a judogi too much if you live in warmer climes.

Some of the jiu jitsu gi (strangely they are more like a reinforced karategi than a judogi) are good but can take a couple of years until they become softer than the average office carpet tile.

My favourite is an aikido gi dyed black, except the dye often doesn't take to the stitching on white/unbleached gi. The sleeves are a bit shorter on an aikido gi, which makes them more like traditional Japanese kimono, and easier for tehodoki training.

T-shirts are great but don't wear any that you are fond of because they will die very quickly in a decent dojo.

I don't recommend 'ninja suits' but this doesn't stop most of us from owning one in black, white and camouflage, just because we can't resist!

 

[Bruno@MT]

I used my old jiu-jitsu gi when I started ninpo.
When I decided to stick with it, I (well, my mother . my wife'd object to misusing the washing machine) dyed it black.

The seams were synthetic, so the dye didn't hold. I used a CD marker pen to color the seams black. And yes, this was a tedious and boring job.
Still, that way those gi became useful once more.

Besides, it took over a year before they took on the shape of my body and became soft at the right places. It would be silly to have 2 comfortable white gi on the shelf and then buy an uncomfortable black one.

 

[BujinBos]

For the starter on a budget, IMHO a great starter keikogi is the ProForce 14oz.
My Ronin Super Heavy Weight 16oz keikogi, from Discount Martial Arts Supplies,[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]has been a great value[FONT=&quot]. [/FONT]When I pulled it out of the box I thought “boy are the pants huge. You can fit two of me in there.” It was cut large so I have a little extra room. Machine washable no problem. It did take a full year to break in but is now very soft to touch. After 5 years it is still black and solid. Some people like the faded look, so this gi is not for them. At the 4.5 year mark some stitching in one of the ties gave way, but the rest holds no problem. In the last few months one of the knees is now giving way to a hole. Your mileage may vary but it has been terrific for me.

Don’t forget the old standbys like Tokaido, They are built like a tank!

Good luck.

 

[ElfTengu]

It would be silly to have 2 comfortable white gi on the shelf and then buy an uncomfortable black one.

If you have this option, like Bruno and me, then go for it. It will save your pocket and more importantly, your nipples.

Otherwise, if comfort is a factor, those black judogi I mentioned are comfortable from new. And judogi are made for being pulled about a lot so should be durable. And the chunky weave absorbs sweat brilliantly!

If you don't like the weave of a judogi, and durability is more important than comfort then go for the option suggested by BujinBos, although remember that excessively stiff gi will actually inhibit your movement to enough of a degree to affect your progress. I really feel this myself, when I switch between one gi and another, and if you are fairly new to the art you will need to be able to move fluidly to get into good habits for the future.

 

[BujinBos]

Elftengu makes a terrific point. If you are feeling uncomfortable in your gi, then that may lead to not being comfortable in training which, as is suggested, will affect your progress. I have been there before and it’s no picinic.

Good luck.