In Takewondo, the uniform is called a Dobok rather than a Gi which is the name of the uniform worn for Karate. The Dobok differs slightly from the Gi in that the shirt is a pullover rather than a robe style shirt. Wearing the proper uniform in taekwondo class shows respect and follows proper etiquette.
Our video today shares 10 tips for your Taekwondo uniform and here is a summary of those tips.
- Keep your uniform clean – wash and dry your uniform after each class. You might find that over time, it loses it’s brightness and so you can use a whitener in the wash but make sure that it doesn’t contain any bleach as that will yellow the fabric. If your uniform starts to wear, tear or get too small, it’s time to replace it.
- Keep your uniform tucked in under your belt – when we move around in class, our uniforms can often come out from underneath our belts so we need to adjust our uniforms and tuck them back in as soon as we have the opportunity.
- Make sure your belt is tied properly – you can check out a previous video we shared here about tying your belt properly.
- Wear the appropriate uniform and logo for your taekwondo school – it’s a sign of respect. Of course if you are new to taekwondo and just trying out your first class, that’s okay. Likewise, if you’ve just transferred from another school. But, make sure you purchase your school’s uniform with logo as soon as you’ve decided to commit to that school.
- Make sure that your pants aren’t on backwards – this can easily happen due to the style of the taekwondo uniform but in the majority of uniforms, there is a tie at the front.
- Don’t roll up the sleeves of your shirt – this is a tendancy for a lot of people to want to get to work and roll up their sleeves when they enter class but it’s not proper taekwondo etiquette.
- Leave your accessories at home – remove any rings, necklaces, watches and earrings to prevent injury to yourself and others. Exceptions are hair accessories (to keep your hair out of the way) and prescription eyeglasses.
- If you wear a t-shirt underneath your Dobok make sure the colour is white or black and make sure it isn’t a graphic t-shirt.
- Watch out of the dangling elastics on your uniform – tuck them into your shirt so that they aren’t visible.
- Don’t use your taekwondo uniform for anything other than class – it’s not pajamas and it’s not a halloween costume.
Click below to watch the video for 10 Tips for Your Tae Kwon Do Uniform:
If you’re looking for Taekwondo Classes in Waterloo, look no further than D’Souza Martial Arts. We offer classes for kids, youth, teens and adults. Contact us at 519-725-5550 to schedule your free trial class.