Martial Arts Equipment

The first item that you'll need to put on your shopping list is clothing; specifically designed for the martial art you plan to specialize in. Most martial arts utilize the gi, or a plain white robe and pants as the basic uniform for training. A small belt helps tie the robe shut and allows you to move as freely as possible during your sessions. In many martial arts the color of the belt shows your expertise and achievements, but not all. If you do need to purchase a uniform it's best to discuss this with the trainer or sensei that you are learning with. Most schools use a recommended manufacturer and style of garment. The same holds true of footwear, if any are needed. While some studios will allow you to practice barefoot, some others will restrict you to certain sneakers and other types of shoes. Again, discuss this with your trainer before making any purchases.

A mouthpiece is your next item of concern. While most martial arts are considered to be peaceful and non-contact, many others offer a level of full contact sparring to those experienced enough to control themselves in that type of situation. A mouthpiece is a hard piece of plastic shaped to fit in your mouth and prevent you from injuring yourself if you are hit in the mouth or face. It may seem silly, but if you've ever bitten your tongue or cheek by accident you know the pain and possible injury that can happen. A mouthpiece allows you to take hits, even small ones, and escape these small but painful cuts.

Depending on the degree of contact that is allowed in your particular art you might also wish to purchase headgear and sparring gloves. The headgear consists simple of a padded frame that fits around and over your head, not covering your eyes, mouth or ears. This allows you to receive blows to your head without danger of a concussion or of bruising. Of course, accidents happen but wearing headgear while sparring is a good way to cut down on the potential danger of an accidental kick.

Sparring gloves and sparring footwear serve the same purpose - to allow you to give and receive blows without hurting your opponent. Sparring gloves seem much like boxing gloves with much less padding, covering your hands and extending partway up your arm. They allow you to move your hands much more freely than a typical boxing glove but offer more protection than the bare hand or that of a simple glove. Padded footwear is used more for those sports that allow kicks, such as karate and tae kwon do where the art permits kicks to be launched and points scored if they land on your opponent. Here the idea is the same as with the gloves, to provide protection for the sensitive top of your foot where many small bones are located and still allow you enough movement to launch an attack against your opponent.

Last, of course, we come to the weapons portion of your equipment. Depending on your style and art there may be no weapons required, but some ceremonial articles such as staves and swords are used in competitions to show off a martial artist's skill. During these exhibitions you will not be engaging any other opponents but simply displaying your skill and knowledge of a kata, or routine, with these weapons. Usually these weapons are nothing more than ceremonial reproductions with blunt edges and usually less heavy than their real life counterparts, but they can still be dangerous in the wrong hands. Due to this it is always important to discuss any purchases with your trainer and go by his or her recommendations as far as manufacturer and storage goes. Don't make the mistake of putting down a large amount of money for a flashy sword that you can never use in an exhibition or worse, one that can possibly hurt another person.

Beginning a new hobby in the martial arts doesn't require a major outlay of funds for the most part; but you do need some basic equipment. By following the requests and recommendations of your studio you can start learning your new art well prepared and well equipped for the exciting journey ahead of you.