Tae Kwon Do Dobok?

[Toni Citara]

I overheard a conversation the other day regarding the uniform that is worn in Taekwondo, and the person said that the dobok was actually designed for women because the Japanese designed Gi used in karate made female practitioners uncomfortable so the Dobok was designed for women. Funny thing is the Dobok is worn by males and females in tae kwon do.

Has anybody else heard this story of the Dobok?

[Emma Beth]

This could be some useful information.

Dobok (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dobok)

I found this wikipedia page quite informative.

[Jenni Yumiko]

Maybe if Tae Kwon Do was Japanese.
I practiced akido since my youth.

[Angela Campbell]

Tae Kwon Do is Korean. The instructor I had said the uniform is designed for mobility while practicing the art. I wore one for years. The girls had to wear a t shirt under it because it is very revealing.

[Annette Todd]

Dobok is a Korean word. Gi is not. During the Japanese occupation of Korea it was illegal for the Korean people to practice martial arts. So the uniform evolved from clothing the people wore as work clothes. Tae kwon do was originally Tae kyeon (unsure of spelling, sorry) and later became tkd as the art was refined and Korea was liberated and the art became a national martial art.

[Davena Doll]

So....when I take my Tae Kwon Do classes I'm crossdressing? Oooo goody. I'm down with that.

[missmars]

Tae kwon do is korean.

[Krististeph]

The DNA of koreans and Japanese is almost as muddled as europeans and africans-- but don't dare tell them that. give them a few more years to adapt to the idea that no one os truly special because of their heritage. i've never seen as much racism as i have in studying with different martial arts. chinese, japanese, Korean (only a little, but enough to not reject the null hypothesis).. to bad. Or should I say too good. If east asia could get along they might have kicked our butts or at least been a tougher economic combatant than they have been so far.

Personally, I love the idea of an aikido hakima, but i quit at blue belt- i was too young and full of piss and vinegar. hell of a concept though, and i still use the idea of centers of mass movements when sparring in other martial arts. tends to piss people off, can't say that it helps me win or anything, but it can be quite disruptive to those not used to the idea. The aikido hakima seems great as a tool to work with, and for hiding footwork, but what if you are without it? (hence the meaning of karate- empty hand). One might do better with the eight hand change footwork of pa gua- skills hidden to look like normal walking.

Aikido is probably one of the better arts at teaching the base- the lower body balance. now if i could only combine with with teh arms of Wing Chn, and the grips and throws of Shiuchiao... sure- that's superman (supercrodre)! :-)

Please understand, I am no martial arts adept, 98% of you could kick my ass, i just love playing and moving and stretching (not as much as i should) and cheering (the wife took first as a yellow belt in a white-brown grouping in her first competition years ago)

(by the way to those who decry the use of "the wife" rather than "my wife"- 1st: it's less possessive, you backwater hick... 2nd, it's less self-congratulating, perhaps a throwback to our self effacing british heratage...)

I've never gone to a martial arts class with any telltale of cd showing- painted toes, etc. but if my life settles out in the next few years and i revert to my old pastimes, I just might risk it- with an old sifu i know- a rather untraditional guy who is interestingly perhaps the most capable of people i know who can actually demonstrate real martial arts 'tricks' such as breaking boards with fingers, etc. a real nice guy both inside and outside the school. Actually ran into him at victoria's secret once. he was buying for his wife, he had to have a friend go with him. he's smart enough to have pegged me as a CD, he probably picked up on the dynamic from my wife and I when she was going to his school, and i helped build some stuff for him (wooden dummies/men, etc).

If I do it, it'll probably end up as perhaps the guiness book of world record's most anticlimactic event. here in the midwest suburbs, we are not impressed by much, and certainly do not deign to react to others as long as they do not try to stand out too much.

In some ways, illinois is the best state in the union for CDs.

ciao, bellas!

kristi