Martial Art Clothes - Walking the Walk

In order to be a true martial artist, you need martial art clothes. There are millions of martial arts enthusiasts around the world and that is one thing they can all agree to.

Obviously the clothing doesn't automatically make you good at Karate or Kung Fu. You can't just put on a black bandana with Chinese characters on it or a black belt and kick someone's butt. But if you want to talk the talk and walk the walk, you have to get the gear.

It seems like all forms of sports have their own special gear. Boxers wear boxing gloves and baseball players wear cups (they better) but what do Ninjitsu and Jujitsu practitioners wear and why? The boxer needs the gloves to protect his knuckles and his enemy's skull. If it weren't for boxing gloves, the sport would be much bloodier and painful. If football players didn't wear the tight pants and long sox they would end up with grass or turf burns and wouldn't be able to run easily. Well, if you don't wear the right kind of martial art clothes, you could hurt yourself or your street garments.

As an example of the practical aspects of the proper clothing for martial arts, let's use the Ninja suit. The Ninja suit is an all black suit that fits snugly on the body and is strapped or tied on using different belts and straps. The suit includes gloves, Ninja boots and a cool mask that covers most of the face except for the eyes. Other than looking good, the suit allows you to move freely while restricting unnecessary movement of the toes, fingers or even your breath. You have to remember that the Ninja is supposed to be a stealth fighter and so he needs to ensure that he is neither seen nor heard. Ninja are also supposed to be nocturnal and the black suit helps you blend into the night.

You see, it is important that if you play a certain sport, you walk the walk in the right gear. Martial arts clothes are a part of the sport. In addition, a gi, or doba or whatever name a uniform is called, can also be used for both offensive and defensive moves. So before you hit the mats, suit up with the right martial art clothes. You wouldn't go skydiving without a parachute, so don't go out into hand-to-hand combat with pants that will rip when you kick or a shirt that won't let you swing your arms.

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