What clothing is suitable for Tae Kwon Do?

Answer 1

While virtually any clothing could be used for training in Taekwondo,

in general practice, Taekwondo training clothes should be "practical." This means that it should allow for free range of movement without inhibiting the performance of techniques, and without being dangerous to yourself or partners in practice. For safety purposes, there should be no metallic or sharp objects (jewelry, clothing snaps, zippers, or belt buckles). Taekwondo is typically practiced in bare feet to condition the feet, develop a better sense of balance, and to maintain a clean and healthy training surface, as well as for safety of training partners.

The standard dobok (training uniform: see related link below) consists of a pair of ankle length pants which are moderately loose fitting, with extra material sewn in the crotch for ease of kicking. The shirt is either a cross lapel (standard Karate style) or v-neck pull over (Kukkiwon, World Taekwondo Headquarters approved). These uniforms are usually light weight (polyester/cotton blend), and come with a cloth belt to help hold the waist of the shirt close to the body, and allows for color belt distinctions for instructor grading of the student's progress.

Heavier weight uniforms (similar to a judo gi) are sometimes used for the grappling, throwing and self defense aspects of training (Hapkisul, Yusul, and Hoshinsul). Additional protective gear and body pads (head, chest, forearm, fist, shin, foot, mouth, and groin guards) are also utilized for tournaments, and higher contact reality-based training for self defense.

In some specialized training (particularly among advanced color belts and Black Belt students), regular street clothes may be worn to reflect the type of attire which one might be wearing when actually defending themselves. This will likely affect the choice of techniques used, and the range of motion (especially with kicks), that are practical for real-life self defense. The type of shoes worn in outdoor training can also affect the stances, pivoting, and use of certain kicks. It is often possible to quickly remove shoes in street defense if they might present a hazard to yourself, however you never know when you might be called upon to defend yourself when you are barefoot, and have no choice but to do so, thus training in bare feet is the primary method.

Besides comfort and ease of training, another reason for using the Taekwondo dobok as the proper attire, helps the student to develop the right frame of mind and a feeling for authentic philosophy of Korean Taekwondo. The wearing of a designated uniform also promotes discipline among those students who might be lacking in such, and removes the attitude and personalized style of individual street clothes with inappropriate messages written on t-shirts, possible gang related symbols or colors, or hats worn to indicate gang affiliations, cliques, or social clubs not related to Taekwondo training.

All students are the same, and the only distinction is made between the junior to senior in rank which should represent an advanced development of knowledge, skill, and personal character (including honesty, integrity, courtesy, humility, and adherence to a code of moral and ethical conduct), which are among the most important things the student of Taekwondo should learn to value and respect.