"Folding Your Uniform"
My Sensei was quite traditional and very particular about how things should be done and passed on in martial arts. One of the first things I learned on my very first day of training was how to fold my uniform, typically called a "keikogi" (稽古着) or "dōgi" (道着) in Japanese.
Keikogi means "practice clothes," while dōgi means "clothes of the way" — dō meaning "way," as used in BuDŌ, JuDŌ, and AikiDŌ.
Here in the US, I’ve heard most people call it a "gi," which is understood, but it's not the correct term in Japan. It might even get you a few strange looks from a Japanese person.
I recall a similar importance placed on folding the "dobok" (도복), meaning "way clothes" in Korean (similar to dōgi), by a senior teacher during my first Tae Kwon Do seminar when I was 13 years old.
Sensei often reminded me that everything we do needs to be done deliberately and mindfully.
“When you begin your training, it starts with the simple things,” he explained, telling me that every little thing matters:
- How you fold your uniform
- How you carry it to the dojo (and back)
- How you enter and leave the dojo
- How you wear the uniform and tie the obi (belt)
“It’s all part of your training,” he’d say.
He taught me how to fold the uniform in a few different ways, and I’ve included a video I made for some of my students a few years back on the most common way to fold it:
The obvious benefit of folding the uniform is that it keeps it tidy and helps minimize wrinkles, especially on a heavyweight uniform. But it’s also about respecting your training gear. A well-folded uniform shows that you care and respect your practice.
Sensei would say that, “The keikogi isn’t just clothes for training. It also represents you and your journey in budō (martial arts). Folding your training gear before class is a way to prepare your mind for training before you leave the house and step on the tatami. And folding the uniform after training is a time when you can reflect on what you’ve learned during your practice.”
Culturally, mindfulness is a big aspect of everything you do in Japan, and even more so in their martial traditions. It’s not just about physical training; it’s about cultivating a mindset of respect, patience, perseverance, and attention to detail.
Folding your uniform becomes not only a chore but a ritual—a reminder before class that “you are ready to train,” and also a kind of meditation after training to quietly reflect on your day.
In my traditional Japanese martial arts training, things got more complex.
For instance, in Japanese Jujutsu and Jōjutsu (the art of the short staff), we usually wore the jacket of the uniform (called uwagi - 上着) and a hakama (袴)—the black or blue flowing pants often seen in Aikidō.
My teachers in these arts required us to wear the uwagi along with a hakama. However, some practitioners would wear the pants that come with the uniform, typically referred to as zubon (ズボン, meaning "pants") or shitabaki (下穿き, meaning "underpants"), or even just regular athletic shorts.
While the hakama is common in traditional Japanese martial arts, it is usually reserved for formal events if you're not actively practicing traditional Japanese cultural arts.
The folding of Hakama takes practice. And there are additional lessons taught, for instance in regards to the meaning of the pleats which deals with the 7 virtues of Bushido, the "Five Guiding Principles of Japan" and the the Five Confucian ideals, that were even spoke about by the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, which is outside the scope of this essay.
In many traditional arts, being asked to fold your teacher’s hakama is considered an honor and a sign that your teacher places a great deal of trust in you.
The Art Behind the Fold
Folding a karate uniform can seem like a bothersome routine, but it holds more meaning than just keeping things neat.
It’s an extension of your training and speaks to the idea that your training knows no end—it permeates other aspects of your life beyond the physical part of practice.
Every fold represents an aspect of your training and is a lesson: in patience, in care, and in self-discipline.
In the end, this is what martial arts is about—perfecting what may seem like small, trivial skills, which ultimately help you grow as a martial artist and as a person off the mat.