Would you wear hakama if you were doing a bo staff form?

Question

I've always thought that you'd only really wear hakama when using a sword or doing aikido or something, but on my recent YouTube splurges, I've seen a few people wearing them whilst doing a bo staff from...

So basically, I'm assuming that you can do it, but what would people in the audience/your competition think about you if you wore them? e.g. would they think you were a prat...

I just need to know because I think they're like, the cutest/coolest things in the world, but I don't want to buy a pair if I'm never going to use them (I don't do sword...yet ^_^)

Also, I've read that girls traditionally wear white hakama? Is this a rule I should follow even if I'm not using a sword?

Answer 1

If your school has no rules against it, and the tournement allows it I don't see aproblem with it. Please understand thouth that these are traditionaly only to be worn by black belts in akido, (I am not sure about sword arts), so if you are not  black belt and wear it some might view it as disrespectful, which could hurt you scoring.

Most of the people on you tube that wear them are doing creative forms( personel note- Puke) and not a kata from any one style. If you are doing a form from the style you train unless it is normally worn I would say no. Traditional people tend to be sticklers, and with good reason.

Answer 2

let me ask you this:

are you doing martial arts or playing haloween?

it doesn't matter if you are wearing nothing but a barrel hanging from your shoulders supported with strapps so long as you are learning proper technique.

too many people are more interested in the pajama party rather than the substance.

unfortunately most kendo/iaido schools still hold onto the traditional costume party mentality (i see the use of a gi in grappling to replicate a jacket)- in iaido (a demonstrative art) I can see some place for it as the way you wear your sword and you are pretty much doing kata anyway, but in any art where you are really using to learn a weapon to fight with, you shouldn't be doing cosplay.

I'm more against "rigid" requirements here, if you WANT to wear it, go right ahead- but don't forget why you are training, to learn to use a staff against another person.  if its just "forms" its really just artistic and not really "martial" then.

PS: actually a barrel might give you some protection for sparring with the staff so that might not be a bad idea.

EDIT: i'll admit to degree its a matter of opinion, and my opinion is adamantly against the wearing of any uniform that is not extremely resemblant of street clothes- ie: t-shirt and pants.

Answer 3

I compete a lot in traditional bo forms nationally and I always wear a hakama. That's just the way I was taught by my instructor. I can care less what else everyone in the competition is wearing or what they think of me when I do it.

Main thing is to learn how to tie it. I hate it when I see a newb put on a hakama wrong.

Answer 4

It really depends on the dojo where you train. It is common in dojos where the focus is aikido or kenjutsu.

As a general rule black or navy blue hakama are the norm - male or female.

Answer 5

Hakama can be worn whenever you want. In terms of martial arts, most people only wear them for certain things. They are generally considered a more formal attire, but  not as much as they were 200 years ago.

As I understand it, women traditionally didn't wear hakama (except shrine maidens [miko] who typically wear red) until the Edo period, then they wore whichever they cared to wear (blue is common, especially for training -- women of samurai families were expected to master the naginata at the very least... Again, this is supposedly a tradition spawned in the Edo period).

In terms of competitions, talk to your instructor. I don't "compete" so I can't really tell you. I will occassionally wear them during training, especially during weapons work as a way to hide my foot movement, or if I'm just too lazy to launder my gi pants.

Answer 6

**** what eveyone thinks

Answer 7

Don't worry about what others are going to think. Do what makes you happy. If your school allows it and if the rules of the competition don't object to it, then by all means put it on. I have seen people wear Hakama in many styles, even traditional karate. Unless your school clearly states that you can't wear one, or if your school has a particular uniform that they want you to wear, then you should be able to wear whatever you want. I have not heard about girls wearing white hakama, I have seen boys and girls wear the same style hakama across the board. I have seen girls wear kimono instead of hakama, too. It shouldn't be too much of an issue unless you are in an uber traditional school.