Uniforms and Belt Levels at the Clubhouse

I want to train at Withrow Clubhouse... But do I need I uniform?

The quick answer is- NO.

A traditional martial arts training uniform is called a GI. It is completely optional for students if they would like to wear one or not. The Urban Karate Program which I am teaching at the Clubhouse requires no additional training equipment. Just wear comfortable clothing.

For those students who have previous experience in karate, if you would like to wear a Gi, go right ahead. The training uniform sometimes helps younger students focus and separate the Karate time from other activities. For those older students it is a matter of personal preference.

If you'd like to purchase a Gi, I would suggest a heavier weight uniform due to the wear and tear that training puts on the clothing. The lighter uniforms sometimes don't last as long. The Gi can be of any colour, however most manufacturers usually produce only white for kids sizes. Judo, Ju-jitsu, or heavy Karate Gi's can be used.

If you like, Gi's can be purchased through the class instructor. The uniforms cost $60.00, for the kids sizes. I provide a sign up sheet if you are interested, or you can speak/email me directly to order. It usually takes our supplier only a couple days to ship them over to us, so I often have them ready for the next class. All uniforms come with a White Belt included in the cost.

Belt Levels for Kids

All the students at the Clubhouse will be working to complete our Urban Karate programs, and will receive a certificate upon achieving those levels. For the students who are continuing with the program for multiple sessions, Belt levels are also awarded. The belts themselves are only awarded to those students who have and train in a Gi. Certificates of level and rank are awarded to all students regardless of having a Gi or not. Once the student has the rank, the appropriate belt colour may be worn with their Gi.

The Belt levels above are for the kids classes only. These are the main colours of each rank. In our programs we also work on a stripe system, as it usually takes a long time to progress from one colour to the next, and even more so when we are only training one hour a week.

Each belt has 4 levels to it. The first is the Belt without stripe, followed by stripes 1-3. The stripes serve to let the students know where they stand in relation to the next colour level. The key to progress is to train to learn and keep trying your best. When you reach the level of skill to which the belt colour refers, it will be awarded to you.

All stripe and belt testings are performed in class, and there is no additional charges for the certificates. Once the level is awarded, if the student would like to purchase the belt for their uniform, the cost is $10.00 for each belt.