Wearing a Taekwondo gi and belt outside appropriate or inappropriate

[JR 137]

I found something quite ironic. The Kyokushin guys I was around all had the no gi outside the dojo rule. Yet, the Fighting Black Kings movie is full of guys wearing their gis while running out on the streets and various other training stuff. I’m pretty sure it was for the camera, but you never know. They were barefoot running out in the streets with their gis.

Our rule is don’t wear it outside if you don’t have to. And if you have to, don’t wear your belt. Outside of demos and stuff like that anyway. It’s not a written rule anywhere that I’ve seen. There was an adult student who’d always show up in his gi with belt on. He got a couple of looks and shaking heads every now and then by us, but it never went any further than that that I know of.

I’ve never had to wear mine outside the dojo. I only wear the pants out once a year on the way to our beach training because there’s no good place to change quickly.

Edit: Actually, our dojo had some damage to it that resulted in no changing rooms (among other things) for several weeks. We were asked to wear our pants in and put our tops on when we got there. Some wore the top in too, which was fine, but no one wore their belt in.

Edit 2: Kids come in already dressed in their gis and belts all the time. No one gives them a hard time. Truthfully, the adults rather that, as the changing rooms are quite small, and it’s just a bit awkward changing with the kids.

 

[dvcochran]

I must sweat more than the average person. That or some schools/classes are just harder workouts than others. I would not want to ride home in my uniform after class. I have to use the truck the next day for Pete's sake.

I was taught it was a form of respect not to wear your belt outside so I do not do it unless there is a reason to such as a demonstration. If it is a school rule and it is done in the right spirit I am fine with it. If it is a school I am not familiar with I have no problem with it people wearing their uniform/belt outside although admittedly it looks weird to me. It does bother me to see someone (kid or adult) having an ice cream or such in their uniform. But, if it was a kid I would put more of it on the parent(s). Just the way I was brought up.

As far as a form of advertising; it is a commonly used idea and for the most part a good one. There are exceptions and I have had people they would never take their child to a certain school because of the way they saw a child wearing one of their uniforms acting. Nothings perfect.

 

[dvcochran]

It doesn't matter if it's small or not. I'm not letting a martial arts instructor control me outside of training. I'm a grown man I'm not being told what I can wear and what I can't just because some guy has an ego complex and a few pieces of tape on his belt

I think you are missing the intent (as least the way I was taught it) in not wearing the belt or even the uniform outside. If it is used as a vehicle to teach/learn/reinforce respect, it is a great and easy tool to use. If it is done as the "don't do it because I said so" mentality, yes that is not cool.

I still don't understand how some of you guys WANT to wear your uniform home. It's like I have been dunked in a warm tub of water by the end of a good class.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I still don't understand how some of you guys WANT to wear your uniform home. It's like I have been dunked in a warm tub of water by the end of a good class.

Outside of the sweat aspect of it, this reminded me of something. Well made, light gi pants are by far the most comfortable pants in the world (at least to me). If it was socially acceptable, I would wear them all day, every day. Some of them even have pockets!

 

[Dirty Dog]

I commonly wear my dobak pants to and from the dojang. I've done it for years. I wear a t-shirt or tank, which I wear under my dobak during class.
On occasion, I've put on my doback at home and walked from the lot into the Y wearing it.
I fairly often see students (usually kids) still wearing their dobak when they stop at Walmart on the way home.
I've seen people (not from our school) wearing their full uniform, including belt any number of time.

Nobody cares. We tell the kids they cannot wear their dobak as a Halloween costume, but otherwise, I don't see the issue.

As for the teenage 4th Dan... Not my school, not my problem.

 

[snake_monkey]

15 could be a ripe age for TKD especially if he started early...However! A player of that level should know that wearing the full garb outside the school could be considered distasteful or 'bad etiquette' in TMA. I personally am always on the lookout for black cotton pants or other athletic pants that I can train in and walk around in, but change my shirt for a workout. I have a hoodie with the school name that I wear a lot.

 

[Headhunter]

I think you are missing the intent (as least the way I was taught it) in not wearing the belt or even the uniform outside. If it is used as a vehicle to teach/learn/reinforce respect, it is a great and easy tool to use. If it is done as the "don't do it because I said so" mentality, yes that is not cool.

I still don't understand how some of you guys WANT to wear your uniform home. It's like I have been dunked in a warm tub of water by the end of a good class.

No I see the intent. Instructors trying to control their students outside the school which they have nothing to do with. It's controlling and it's an ego power trip for them. I'll respect any instructor inside the class but outside of it they're just a regular who's input on what I do means nothing

 

[pdg]

Kind of a bit of reply to @dvcochran

We have a lack of changing facilities...

In most venues the closest thing is the toilets. Certainly no showers.

So normally, I shower and get dobok on to go to class, then after class I put a towel on my car seat and shower/change when I get home.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Outside of the sweat aspect of it, this reminded me of something. Well made, light gi pants are by far the most comfortable pants in the world (at least to me). If it was socially acceptable, I would wear them all day, every day. Some of them even have pockets!

I often wear an old gi around the house. If I had one with pockets, I'd probably do more of that. Bujin design used to offer a samugi (as opposed to a dogi) that had them, but I never got around to buying one.

 

[dvcochran]

Kind of a bit of reply to @dvcochran

We have a lack of changing facilities...

In most venues the closest thing is the toilets. Certainly no showers.

So normally, I shower and get dobok on to go to class, then after class I put a towel on my car seat and shower/change when I get home.

We have a shower which I seldom use. Occasionally I am leaving a class and going straight to a client so I plan ahead and shower. I have a towel for drying off after ever class and have placed it on my truck seat before.
Man, I must sweat a lot.

 

[dvcochran]

No I see the intent. Instructors trying to control their students outside the school which they have nothing to do with. It's controlling and it's an ego power trip for them. I'll respect any instructor inside the class but outside of it they're just a regular who's input on what I do means nothing

You do understand that most TMA's take a wholistic approach, teaching body, mind, and spirit don't you? It should change a person outside of class as well. If you are one thing inside the walls and something else when you leave you are missing something.

 

[Headhunter]

You do understand that most TMA's take a wholistic approach, teaching body, mind, and spirit don't you? It should change a person outside of class as well. If you are one thing inside the walls and something else when you leave you are missing something.

And I think that if you're an adult and let another adult tell what you can and can't wear in your free time then that's mentally weak.

I'm not kissing another mans butt just because of a belt rank and letting him control any part of my life that doesn't involve classes

 

[Gerry Seymour]

We have a shower which I seldom use. Occasionally I am leaving a class and going straight to a client so I plan ahead and shower. I have a towel for drying off after ever class and have placed it on my truck seat before.
Man, I must sweat a lot.

I miss having a shower. Both places I used to teach at (YMCA and local rec center), I could shower if I was sweaty (always in the Summer, even when teaching). The dojo I'm at now doesn't have active showers (they exist, but are used for storage).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

And I think that if you're an adult and let another adult tell what you can and can't wear in your free time then that's mentally weak.

I'm not kissing another mans butt just because of a belt rank and letting him control any part of my life that doesn't involve classes

So, no uniforms? See, we CHOOSE what rules we accept when we sign up for something. It's not someone controlling you if you choose it. If you have a problem with it, you just choose NOT to train there. I don't personally care to wear my uniform outside the school, so whether the school has that rule or not is irrelevant to me.

Saying someone is mentally weak because they aren't bothered by a rule that really has no significant effect on their life is, at best, needlessly aggressive.

 

[Headhunter]

So, no uniforms? See, we CHOOSE what rules we accept when we sign up for something. It's not someone controlling you if you choose it. If you have a problem with it, you just choose NOT to train there. I don't personally care to wear my uniform outside the school, so whether the school has that rule or not is irrelevant to me.

Saying someone is mentally weak because they aren't bothered by a rule that really has no significant effect on their life is, at best, needlessly aggressive.

If people want to do that that's their choice but I'm never going to kiss another mans feet and let them control me like that

 

[Gerry Seymour]

If people want to do that that's their choice but I'm never going to kiss another mans feet and let them control me like that

Again, you see it as "kissing...feet". Aren't all rules accepting someone else's control? Why does that specific rule bother you so much?

 

[W.Bridges]

At the TKD school that my son and I are at, we are aloud to wear the uniform out side to and from class. We are asked not to wear the belt outside of class. I been to other school that did not care just as long you came in a clean uniform. I have trained under several different instructors since I started MA back in the 90's. One of my Kenpo instructor did not care if we wear a gi and belt or a Kungfu uniform and sash. He said uniforms did not matter much, we were there to learn.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

Inevitable?

Has that happened to you a lot when you've been wearing your kit going to and from classes?

I wouldn't casually wear it outside of going to and from something if i had anything anyway. good precaution to take and i do so/recommend people do.

i dont really like wearing things which dont blend in well that much anyway or can cause unneeded provocation/attention. I am the accidental wannabe greyman.

Not once did anyone ever want to fight me for it, at most someone would ask me where I train, because they also train and/or are looking to train, but it was always cordial.

Might depend where you live. But see above, its mainly a precautionary measure.

 

[Headhunter]

Again, you see it as "kissing...feet". Aren't all rules accepting someone else's control? Why does that specific rule bother you so much?

I'll follow any rule inside the club, outside of it it's none of their business what I do. Doesn't matter what the rule is whether it's you have to come for a drink with us once a week (one club had that rule) or you must go for 3 runs in one week. Doesn't matter. My free time is mine and I'm not getting told what I can and can't do by someone who outside of training is no better than me.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I'll follow any rule inside the club, outside of it it's none of their business what I do. Doesn't matter what the rule is whether it's you have to come for a drink with us once a week (one club had that rule) or you must go for 3 runs in one week. Doesn't matter. My free time is mine and I'm not getting told what I can and can't do by someone who outside of training is no better than me.

As I’ve said, it’s a matter of what bothers each of us. Your closing comment makes it clear riles like this are - to you - about who is better as a person. I just don’t see is that way, so am bothered less by some of these ideas.