Wearing a 30 year old shotokan gi to kyokushin - and a white 'judo' belt and pants?!

[FutureProdigy]

I am in the process of getting a ichigeki or unbleached japanese gi, however it will take a bit still for it to arrive. So, in the process I was wondering whether or not I could wear my dads old shotokan karate gi. It does not have the kyokushin kanji on it but the gi looks almost identical to the kyokushin one.

I also do not have pants yet (my dads does not fit me) but my judo ones do. It looks very similar aside from the knee patches. Would this be ok?

My other question is, I do not have a kyokushin white belt but i have my old judo white belt. Could I use this ?

I thought I should ask before I offended a traditionalist in my dojo.

[ksan]

As long as its clean, i would not mind it

Its not about what you wear, but what you do in the dojo...

I wore my fathers old brown belt for may years with pride to the dojo....

Osu

[GJEChamberlain]

Osu!

Those that matter won't mind: Those that mind won't matter.

Gary

[Nix]

Wise words, Gary.

FutureProdigy,

Explain to your sensei that it will take some time for the dogi to arrive, and I see no problem with practicing in a non-Kyokushin dogi/obi.

Osu!

[kakatootoshi]

Dear FutureProdigy,
I think only the opinion of the Sensei matters. Respect their way.

OSU!

[Martin H]

You are a beginner, so it will probably not be a problem. explain to your instructor that it is a temporary solution.
Ive seen judo, shotokan and tkd DoGi´s used by the beginners (but never a mix). it not a big deal and is all better than "civilian" gym clothes
In the end it is your instructor who decides if he will allow it, though.

[MilkManX]

I wore my Judo Gi for the first few weeks till I got a regular Gi.

[BiiggDDD]

For the most part they shouldn't really care. The only thing I really have a hard time understanding why it matters if you were a different gi. You came to that particular dojo to train and learn new skills, as far as i know karate isn't a modeling business so why should you care on what type/brand of gi you wear?

[sokaiya]

Originally Posted by GJEChamberlain

Osu!

Those that matter won't mind: Those that mind won't matter.

Gary

Osu! Perfectly put Sensei.

[FutureProdigy]

He didn't seem to mind tonight, I felt a bit out of place wearing such a mis mash of different MA uniforms... but I felt more in place than when i was wearing judo pants with as t-shirt

[kakatootoshi]

Originally Posted by FutureProdigy

He didn't seem to mind tonight, I felt a bit out of place wearing such a mis mash of different MA uniforms... but I felt more in place than when i was wearing judo pants with as t-shirt

Dear FutureProdigy,
That is good and I hope you will receive your new Dogi soon.

OSU!

[seienchin]

I actually routinely wear judo pants with my kyokushin gi top - I "grew up" in a dojo where we did a lot of grappling, and when I progressed to studying grappling independently, I bought a judo gi. I discovered the joy of the truly baggy (and daggy) cut of judogi pants, and I love them. The patch on the knees is not really noticeable.

What you do in the gi is more important that what the gi is, as long as you show respect for those with whom you train by making it as clean as you can. You could always get a kyokushin kanji patch to sew onto it, or if you want to express yourself artistically, hand embroider it. (That is what I did with my first 2 gis, being unable to afford the official ones. $10 op-shop gis, with hand embroidered kanjis. I still have one of them. )

[supergroup7]

Originally Posted by kakatootoshi

I think only the opinion of the Sensei matters. Respect their way.

I like how you stated it so clearly, and concisely, Kakatootoshi! This is how I'd view it, also.

[FutureProdigy]

Originally Posted by seienchin

I actually routinely wear judo pants with my kyokushin gi top - I "grew up" in a dojo where we did a lot of grappling, and when I progressed to studying grappling independently, I bought a judo gi. I discovered the joy of the truly baggy (and daggy) cut of judogi pants, and I love them. The patch on the knees is not really noticeable.

What you do in the gi is more important that what the gi is, as long as you show respect for those with whom you train by making it as clean as you can. You could always get a kyokushin kanji patch to sew onto it, or if you want to express yourself artistically, hand embroider it. (That is what I did with my first 2 gis, being unable to afford the official ones. $10 op-shop gis, with hand embroidered kanjis. I still have one of them. )

That's a good suggestion. I think I will embroider the kanji onto my gi, only because I will then be able to use it as a extra top for training while 'fitting in'

p.s. out of curiosity what form of grappling did you do, and are you still practicing?

[smoothsake]

I would stress the Japanese idea of conformity. It is not a good idea to stick out too much from the norm, if at all. If you don't know what I'm talking about do a little research on Japanese school uniforms, salaryman's suits, what color ties you wear to a wedding and to a funeral, etc. If your dojo is run in a very Japanese traditionalist way I would try your best to stick to what your sensei and senpai wears.

[seienchin]

Originally Posted by FutureProdigy

p.s. out of curiosity what form of grappling did you do, and are you still practicing?

My original kyokushin instructor was really into BJJ an incorporated it into our regular classes.

After my Kyokshin shodan, I wanted to do more of this, so I went and trained in a japanese MMA called Submission Arts Wrestling (SAW for short).

No, i no longer practice- my knees are really just too hopeless for this. I find working on soft mats just torture.

[BiiggDDD]

Whatever happens FutureProdigy just remember the gi doesn't make the karateka

[FutureProdigy]

Originally Posted by BiiggDDD

Whatever happens FutureProdigy just remember the gi doesn't make the karateka

lol... that was out of the blue? I only asked out of respect and fear of upsetting people.