YorkJitsu

Everyone associates wearing some strange sort of pyjama like suit with martial arts.  Well Jitsu is one of those martial arts.  However when you first start you probably don't have the appropriate rugged pyjamas (or gi as they are known in Jiu Jitsu), so you can wear something more everyday.

What to wear in Jitsu

When selecting what to wear keep in mind these 3 points:

1. You should be able to move freely in your clothes to allow you to stretch.
2. You should not wear your best clothes as during the course of training they could get stretched out of shape or torn.
3. Avoid clothing with plastic or metal buckles these can cause accidental injury to the wearer.

Usually jogging bottoms and an old T-shirt will suffice, though in the winter months bringing along a jumper can also be handy.

Also whilst not strictly clothing related the following points should also be observed.

• Long hair should be tied back so that it does not fall into your face.
• Finger and toe nails should be kept short so - long nails can cause injury.

What not to wear in Jitsu

Some other things to keep in mind once you enter the hall where you will be training are:

• You will typically train on mats, so remove any shoes and socks before you go on the mat.  Shoes typically damage the mats, and the coating on modern mats mean that people in socks tend to get no grip and slip a lot.
• Take off all of your jewellery and put it somewhere safe.  Jewellery can get snagged or broken.
• Jewellery that cannot be removed (e.g. some piercings) should be taped over to ensure that it does not get knocked or caught.  This shoulld be done prior to the session and not at the start by raiding a club's first aid kit.

Use the changing rooms

Finally try and get changed at your training venue.  Most martial arts training halls should also offer a closed changing area.  This will ensure that your uniform does not get dirty when you walk into the hall and it wil also mean that when your all sweaty at the end of the session you have some other clothes to change into.

So now you know where and when to train.  You've selected your clothes and your almost ready to enter the dojo ...