Alone! And what of it? You came alone, and you shall pass alone into the mist.
(Kahlil Gibran)
Dress code
It is customary for martial arts classes to have a dress code and
ours is no exception:
Formal
Wearing formal attire for tai chi sets the training apart from your everyday
activities.
You are attending a martial arts class.
You are adhering to a code of conduct.
You are there to get on with the practice.
The uniform puts you in the mood.
You feel like getting on with the training. Down to business. Ready for
action.
A pair of jeans and a T-shirt would not produce the same effect.
Also, martial arts outfits have generous groin space.
If you wore jeans to train form, kicks and throwing, you may rupture
yourself or be restricted in terms of movement.
New starter
Appropriate attire:
flat shoes/training shoes
plain T-shirt
loose, comfortable trousers
Inappropriate
attire
Inappropriate attire for a new starter to wear:
karate/kung fu/judo/ju jitsu/taekwondo suit
muscle t-shirt
short trousers
low-cut top/exposed cleavage
bare midriff
patterns/stripes/zig zags/dots
Jewellery/rings and watches should be removed before
the class commences.
Flat rings are acceptable. Problem rings are the ones
that can catch clothing and skin.
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Graded class members
(i) Class T-shirt
Beginners are required to wear the class
T-shirt, kung fu
trousers and a sash displaying their grade.
(ii) Kung fu suit
Intermediate, experienced and advanced students are required to wear a
black cotton kung fu suit and a sash displaying their grade.
Health-only students wear a kung fu suit when they have been training for 18
months.
On your way to and from class
Do not wear your tai chi clothing in the street.
Drawing attention to yourself is not a good idea. It may not be the right
sort of attention.
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Clean clothes
Your training attire needs to be clean.
Sweat will make your tai chi clothing smell.
In martial classes it is considered the height of bad manners to smell bad
when partaking in partner work.
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School T-shirt
We have experimented with other companies and found that Your
Design T-shirts last better and are more suitable for partner work.
Access this webpage:
http://www.yourdesign.co.uk/pay/
The reference code
is: dynamicbalancingtaichi.co.uk and size
Amount: £12
Please allow 7-10 days for delivery.
Always check the product carefully upon receipt and ensure that the typing is
correct and that the picture is clear.
Kung fu trousers
All students must wear unadorned plain kung fu trousers - labels, embroidery or piping will not be permitted.
Colour? Black.
Fabric? Cotton. Not satin.
Open or closed leg? Whichever suits your taste.
Size 6 will fit most adults.
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Kung fu suit
(i) Wrap-over
When a student becomes an intermediate class member, they must wear a plain black
wrap-over kung fu
suit to public class.
Health-only students wear a kung fu suit when they have been training
for 18 months.
The kung fu suit acknowledges where the art came from and pays homage to
that culture.
It also signifies that the student is learning kung fu.
(ii) Formal jacket
Senior class members who help out in the beginners class wear a different
kung fu jacket.
The jacket has frog-buttons and Mandarin collar and is called a 'changshan'
(long shirt).
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Tradition?
Although we ask our senior students to wear a
changshan, we recognise that this is not
really 'traditional'
Chinese
clothing (hanfu).
The history and significance of Chinese
attire is discussed in more detail in the
class database.
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Page created 25 August 1998