Aikido/aikido gi

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Expert: David R. Organ - 10/13/2008


Question
I have recently started to practice Aikido and now I am planning to buy a suitable gi for this martial art.  It seems that an aikido gi specifically tailored for this
martail art is hard to find. Can you please assist by recommending a genuine web site/make from where I can purchase a good aikido gi? I would prefer a lightweight
(single weave)white uniform with more protection on the knees, shoulder and collar.
In my country the weather is quite warm and the only gis I have found are tailored for Karate or Judo.  I would also like to pointout that the gi has to be delivered to Europe as I live in Malta.  The reason is that not many websites deliver gis overseas.


Answer
Hello!

First let me congratulate you on your decision to take Aikido! I am sure you will love this fascinating, complex art.

There is no 'aikido gi'. We use judo gi's, since they provide the protection we need during practice. Judo gis are fashioned from heavy cotton, with reinforced elbows, collar and shoulders. This is because judo, like aikido, has a lot of throws, grabs and falls; gentle art or not it still gets quite rough at times and you need the protection a good heavy gi provides.

That said, a lot of yudansha - black belts - prefer karate gis because they are lighter in hot weather. Since our ukemi is generally good enough to protect us, we no longer need the really heavy padding.

In your case, I recommend using a judo gi. It'll be some time - years, in fact, before your ukemi is good enough to trust a lightweight karate gi. I can't really recommend a website since I don't know any, but I can tell you the brand you should buy - Fuji brand. Far and away the best gi makers in my book - I've used them for twenty five years. They're more expensive - around seventy-five dollars in Canada - but well worth the expense.

This is a good question to ask your instructors though; they will have good equipment and will be able to tell you where to get them from and how to order if that's neccessary.

Good luck in your aikido training - and remember the first rule of the martial arts:

HAVE FUN!!

:)

Cheers!

Aikido

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David R. Organ

Expertise

I can answer any question relating to Ki Society (Shin Shin Toitsu) Aikido and to the application of Aikido towards defence in real-world hostile/violent encounters. I certainly don't have all the answers, but I believe strongly in research and will study all answers before replying.

Experience

I have studied the Martial Arts for a little more than 25 years. Barring an all-too-brief but enjoyable foray into Tai Chi, my studies have been restricted to Japanese arts and Canadian Forces Unarmed Combat; a course I both taught and employed for several years. I am a retired soldier (Infantry) and veteran peacekeeper, with several tours of duty. I have also served as a security guard, bodyguard, repo man and bouncer - jobs which involve a high degree of risk for little personal gain. I teach Aikido, formerly as Sempai, now as Sensei of my own school here in Westerose. Many of my students are cops, soldiers and EMTs, who come to me because of my experience in dealing with violence and high-risk situations. I'm currently writing my first book on the subject which (at the rate I'm going) ought to be on shelves sometime this millenium. :)

Organizations
I am proud to be a member-in-absentia of the Ki Society. I have not yet taken the plunge and formally aligned my dojo - Great Wave Aikido - with the Ki Society; that will come once the school is firmly established. I also hold a CTM designation with Toastmasters International.

Education/Credentials
My formal education is limited to high school and post-secondary technical training (I hold my journeyman's papers as an offset printer). Despite that I have an insatiable curiosity and spend my meagre quiet hours studying a variety of subjects; from physical science, to saurian palaeontology (a subject that has fascinated me since I was 10) to my personal favourite, ancient history and mythology.

Awards and Honors
Well...I'm still alive, if that counts. There is no competition (barring Taigi) in Ki-Aikido, no trophys. Most of my life has been spent getting in, doing the job and getting out again in mostly one piece. Any further awards - such as decorations recieved in the line of duty - are strictly personal, and not discussed. Sorry. :)

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