The Judogi (Uniform)

The judogi is the thick cotton uniform of the judoka. While judogis may appear similar to other martial arts uniforms at first glance, they are much heavier and are designed to withstand repeated pulling and twisting. They are not very expensive and it is well worth getting a proper pair of "pyjamas" as soon as you decide that you are going to continue with Judo. White judogis are traditional and appropriate in the club, while blue judogis are only worn by one of the fighters during a higher level competition to help distinguish them for the audience. Our club submits an order for belts and judogi shortly after the beginning of each session.

Having a clean, un-ripped judogi is part of showing respect for yourself and others. You should clean your judogi regularly. Cotton judogis are soft and comfortable but they have a tendency to shrink, especially in the dryer (many people choose to let them drip-dry on a regular basis). Special care should be taken during the first few cleanings to ensure that they maintain their size. Some basic guidelines for caring for a judogi can be found here.

The judogi is composed of a pair of pants (shitabaki) and a jacket (uwagi). Female judoka of all ages also wear a white t-shirt or or similar undergarment under their jacket. It should have a regular t-shirt collar, not a v-neck.

The pants have drawstrings that run inside the waistband and one or more loops at the front of the pants. The drawstrings should be pulled tight and then put through the loop or loops at the front of the pants before tying them together tightly.