I've noticed that many schools,and from videos and pictures that many Kung Fu practictioners wear uniforms similar to that of Karate,or Tae Kwon Do. I thought Kung Fu had different uniforms and instead of belts they used sashes?
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I've noticed that many schools,and from videos and pictures that many Kung Fu practictioners wear uniforms similar to that of Karate,or Tae Kwon Do. I thought Kung Fu had different uniforms and instead of belts they used sashes?
You know Bumblebee Man from the Simpsons? With the yellow-and-black striped outfit padded like a fat suit, and with headgear featuring deely-bopper antennae?
That's the traditional kungfu uniform, which is why so many schools use gis instead.
Actually, I just think a lot of folks expect a dude who does martial arts to wear a gi; silk pjs would confuse them, so teachers wear gis and black belts.
My taiji shifu just runs class in whatever he happened to throw on that morning, it seems. Cargo pants, a t-shirt, and a stocking cap (for warmth) is not uncommon. He wears the silk PJs in his promotional materials, though, or silk PJ bottoms and a school tshirt.
hhmmmm.I like that idea of what your sifu throws on he trains in. I would rather wear jogging pants and a shirt than wear a gi.
Now that I think of it a little more, I don't think I've ever seen him in real silk. The stuff he wears is cut like the silk pjs, but is made of cotton or something else less expensive and easier to wash. But, the idea is there.
On a related subject, I do my forms for the most part on break from work or between university classes, so I don't change for my training either; it's just what I've got on.
I haven't been in to kf class in a while, but I wear the gussetted, elastic waist-&-cuff pants he sold me when I enrolled and either a school t-shirt or some other tee I don't mind sweating up when I do.
uniforms are highly overrated. It's all about sweats and a t-shirt.
For training, yeah, but there's times when you want to dress to impress.
I agree
Then there's judo. You definitely DON'T want to wear just anything to judo practice. A t-shirt wont survive it.
Kung fu uniforms are not actual uniforms!they're just clothes that were used back in the day.I repeated this on another thread.
in ancient days people practiced in their regular clotes.I asked my sfu about uniforms and that was the reply.Here's part of the conversation ,when I used to be in kids class and was very misinformed, that might answer some questions.
me:Then are these the the clothes they wore? (black thin pants and black t- shirt with logo and sash)
sifu:*laughs* No, this is just our workout clothes.The real ones are the ones they wear in some tournaments.
me:Why do they only wear it in some tournaments?
sifu:It's a formal tournament.
me:Are there specific clothes for certain styles?'cause I've seen different ones.
sifu:*laughs again* No,do people wear certain clothe's today?It's just clothes.They came in different colors.It doesn't matter.
me:The sashes too?
sifu:Yes
me:Puzzled look
sifu:Noticing what I was thinking says-- remember there a no sash rankings in kung fu or everyone would have been in kung fu *laughs in between*
There you go folks.I was a misinformed but very meek child.That was about 4 years ago sigh.
there also is no such thing like colored belts or sashes.
In japan the belt is used to hold the gi together it is white like the uniform. When you tie and untie it many times it becomes dirty and since its made of cotton it cannot be washed so the more you train the darker it gets.
As for kung fu sashes they were made of silk the #1 material in china and wraped tightly around the dan tien and kidneys to promote good posture and tighten yin kidney chi.
I wash things made of cotton all the time.
Well, my instructor pretty much said, "How often do you get into a fight wearing your pajamas?"
Train to fight- this includes training in your everyday attire. In my old Kenpo class we wore the gis- but I wasn't complaining- there were quite a few busty chicks in attendance! ;)
How much sense does it make to wear the uniform just because they "were used back in the day."?
At this rate, in 10 years we'll all be fighting each other wearing our disco tights and bell bottoms!
Peace!
:D
why are kung fu students wearing japanese "gi"? i agree with the uniforms just being traditional clothing( sashes were often worn as pockets...with your belongings wrapped up in them and tied around) but still...uniform or not...why wear a japanese uniform???? sure they're neat, but learn a japanese art if you really wanna wear one.
There are Kung Fu uniforms that are made of cotton.
The ones made of silk never last that long.
I think the reason for people wearing gi's is two fold. One, people do seem to associate martial arts in general with JMA so the Gi is somthenig familiar to them. Second, I don't know if you've tried to purchase one lately but Gi's are dirt cheap in comparison to even cotton KF uniforms.
I buy the "regular clothing" story but I think that a uniform is an important part of training in the martial arts. It develops an esprit de corp and I think makes outsiders feel that your school is more serious. Is CMA less serious than JMA? Hardly but I think that people training in T-shirts does not convey the same message as a uniform.
Lastly on the silk vs. cotton issue. I could be way off base here but I think that silk uniforms were popularized by modern day competition, I doubt that Joe Blow wore silk daily. I also have a personal bias against silk because it does look like pyjamas and I think that part of the reason why people dis Wushu is because of the silk.
Basically you should train in what you feel comfortable in and have something comfortable but more formal for tournaments.