The uniform or costume plays a significant role within all cultures. It allows the individual to basically be whomever they choose to be on the given occasion without fear of identification, whether a party, holiday, or other festive occasion. Within the martial art culture, the use of various costumes entails an even more secretive and or purposeful use. For instance the ninjas would use the uniform to carry out assassinations or stealthy strikes against their adversaries. The ninja’s costume would allow them to not only not been identified but also to not be heard or seen or at least keep the exposure to a minimum. The the uniform color was usually black as most missions would be carried out at night so visibility was at its weakest. The fabric of the gi was usually of a cotton weave so it moved easily with vary little resistance for maximum quiet. The ninja was covered from top to bottom, including all the way to the top of the hands with the dark material so the only thing that showed was their eyes. They were very successful with their operations and to this day their tactics are still used by militarizes all over the world.

The traditional martial artists who were not the secretive type used their uniforms for an entirely different purpose. The intent was and is to show respect for their style, uniformity, strength and dedication to their system of study. The color most often used by these styles is white for integrity and honor and it is often adorned with a patch or several patches which shows the dedication to their system of study. The color also serves as a recognition of the level of accomplishment they have achieved within their particular system. The color can also vary depending on the system the person chooses to study. Most often red, black, white or even blue are the chosen colors. However the traditional Japanese or Korean systems almost always use exclusively white for their representation.

Uniforms or costumes are very important in the martial arts arena, because they can also be used for utilitarian purposes. In the case of judo or jiu jitsu, uniforms play a vital role in the techniques within the art. They are used to grab a hold of and perform certain locking and grappling movements to control or subdue the opponent. The uniforms can differ greatly from the styles of martial arts that do mostly kicks and punches as these have to be made and sewn differently so the that uniform does not tear or rip when being used in the matches.

When looked at, it is easy to discern the important role the martial art uniform or costume has played within the world of the contact arts.

Whether standing or grappling it is an integral part of the systems of study. The unifying aspect of the costume or uniform is probably one of the most important contributions to the martial art world. The wearer identifies mightily with his comrades in the martial art field as a brother within the arts no matter the style of choice and proudly wears his uniform or costume.

Author Bio: Randy Margeson has been involved in teh martial art business for over thirty years. During that time he has owned and operated a successful karate supply business. Martial Arts Supplies. He has long recognized the value a ninja costume has had in the art of ninjutsu.

Category: Sports
Keywords: ninja costumes, ninja costume, ninja uniform, martial arts uniform, karate uniform, karate costume