What is the difference between a judo uniform and a taekwondo uniform?
Judo gis (“uniforms”) have to be a lot thicker than other martial arts’ gear because it’s all about grappling and throwing (think wrestling and rugby). Taekwondo is about punching and kicking, so you have lighter attire which allows quicker movement over a greater range. As a one off, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a judo gi to a taekwondo lesson, although she might get a bit hot. You wouldn’t want to turn up for judo in a taekwondo gi, though because it would tear like paper. However, many martial arts clubs are quite precious about whether you’re wearing the right gi, even down to whether it’s the right one for their particular association’s version of that particular martial art. I’ve even been to clubs that make you unpick the stitching of the manufacturer’s logo!!! Most beginers turn up in t-shirts and tracksuit bottoms for the first couple of lessons before they decide whether they’re sticking with it long enough to be worth buying the clobber.
