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All about Judo uniforms

The Japanese martial art of Judo is known to test the mind, strength and durability of the practitioner and their clothing. The rigorous nature of the sport means the kimono also known as the gi is constructed from a weaved cotton design to last the pulling and pushing nature of the sport. 

Unlike Jiu-Jitsu a Judo gi is a designed to be loose fitting, with a baggy jacket, which includes large sleeve openings, this is designed to be easy to grip, to initiate a takedown.

When a student is looking to buy a judo gi, they should consider the following.

Durability
Since the sport of judo involves takedowns which are initiated by grabbing the gi jacket, a strong and well-constructed gi is a must for anyone who trains or competes regularly. Don’t make the mistake of buying a karate gi and thinking it will be able to withstand multiple takedowns.

Thickness & Weight
The thickness of a gi comes from how it’s weaved, it is recommended to get some gis of varying thickness to help with seasons. There’s nothing worse than training in a double-weave gi in the height of summer. Collar thickness is also a consideration when picking your gi, a thick collar makes it difficult for your opponent to grip, while easier for you to break a grip.

Fabric
There are various fabrics and fabric blends which can be used to make a judo gi more durable, however, cotton is really the goto when it comes to buying your first gi. Synthetic fabrics like polyester are great for being water resistant, but, a good, breathable material such as cotton is a much better choice. Cotton also has many other benefits see www.zenjo.co.nz/benefits-of-wearing-100-cotton/

Weave
Weave often indicates the thickness, strength, and durability of a judo uniform. Cotton gis usually come in single or double weave (with single weave being lighter).

The weave of a gi is one of the most important aspects of a Judo Gi. We will go through some of the three most common weaves

Single Weave – A single weave is the lightest weaves of judo gi. This weaves one layer of cotton fabric within itself to give a strong but lightweight kimono

Double Weave – A heavier brother of the single weave, this weaves two single weave fabrics together to give a heavier gi jacket construction.

Judo Gi Colours
When buying a Judo Gi, you only have two options either white or blue. It’s highly recommended to get a gi in each colour. When competing in Judo competitions you are required to wear one or the other depending on what side of the mat you compete on. It’s very common to change your gi colour midway through the competition.

Judo Belts
As a student progresses through the art of Judo, they will be awarded different belts to signify their journey through the martial art. The series of ranks, known as kyu, are represented by colours belts, known as obi. Once a practitioner receives their black belt, their progress is then represented by dans.

We are the New Zealand distributor for Core and Fuji Sports and Mizuno judogis. Mizuno IJF and FujiSports Double Weaves Gis have been consistently voted as either No.1 or No. 2 in the world by various internet sites.