Thinking About MMA Protective Gears
At certain times, a group is related to MMA Protective Gears, their patterns, judgments, and various uses. In fact, in plainly several decades, we have moved from not worrying about them to struggling with a variety never noticed previously.
What if “official” MMA Protective Gears; What if more or less “traditional” MMA Protective Gears (I’m going to skip what is meant by Traditional MMA Protective Gears deliberately) What if MMA Protective Gears for Kirougui or Poomsae competition What if MMA Protective Gears in white, yellow, black, blue or red colors What if MMA Protective Gears “pajamas” with the latest generation fabrics, closer to Astronautics than to Martial Art without forgetting, of course, the wide range of “independent” MMA Protective Gears from schools linked to a particular Association or Kwan that represent an identity sign of belonging.
Symbolic Connotations
And if we did not have enough, as if it were a religious mantra, on many occasions -sometimes even within heated debates, the “deep” (for some) philosophical and symbolic connotations that these garments enclose are affected. Between sewing and sewing, related to mystical concepts such as the idea of purity or the origin of the Universe and the position of Man in the circle of creation, of the interpretation of Yin and Yang and, any day of these, also with travel astral and interspatial, granting unparalleled powers to their bearers. For representing being purer, higher, or I do not know more about everything.
Profound Respect for Tradition
But jokes aside, because it is always good to laugh at yourself, and saving my most profound respect for traditions, as well as the different changes suffered in the uses of the MMA Protective Gears as an official clothing of the versions of Taekwondo that we practice, with so many crowds of likes and dislikes, many have already forgotten the ultimate purpose of the actual use of this exceptional Martial garment and that, for me, represents its true primal essence.
And it is its fundamental role as a sign of the DIGNITY of the practitioner and, in turn, the MAIN work tool of every self-respecting Taekwondo or Martial Artist.
Korean karate
I explain. Already during the early days of “Korean karate,” -and indeed as a vestige of practices before the implementation of the color system in belts inherited from Judo and Karate and far from the current commercialism derived from them, or simply due to impoverishment of Japan and Korea there were only white or black belts and the greater or lesser seniority and supposed skill of the practitioners were associated depending on how dirty and degraded the MMA Protective Gears was worn since This was the clear proof that the student had more than passed the harsh training imposed by his Master.
I still remember today, as if it were yesterday, the mesmerizing and shocking words about it, from one of my first Korean Masters and member, the 9th Dan Grand Master, when later, After training in his small gym in Barcelona, He would tell me in a slow voice how, when he began teaching in his native Korea, the students formed the ranks, not Not because of the color of their belt, but because of the yellowishness of their MMA Protective Gears, a sign that they had worked harder than the rest and had been attending classes longer.
Actual Training
That, after several hours of practice, the actual training did not begin until you had vomited at least once. And only after at least four years of hard work, your Master decided that you were ready to receive the Black Belt and directly changed the White for the Black as a symbol of overcoming all the adversities experienced during all that time.
And in my dreamy mind full of epic feats from Martial Arts movies. Of a recently turned 18-year-old boy who ventured into this Taekwondo in the mid-90s, I imagined those training almost as strict military instructions watered down of rivers of sweat, blood, and vomit, where weakness was not an option and men put their strength to the limit until the absolute exhaustion putting their own lives at risk. So keeping those MMA Protective Gears bordered on veneration for all the suffering and perseverance they represented behind his back. Hence, being a sign of Dignity.
Technical Fabrics
Likewise, we must also remember that ancient MMA Rash Guards were garments derived from Japanese Judoguis and Karateguis, so it is not difficult to imagine that they were clothing made with 100% cotton much more robust and much heavier than that of the current suits, as they had to be resistant to the harsh and strict training of which we have spoken.
And this itself gave them a much greater relevance than that of the simple usability. Of today’s MMA Protective Gears, where designs and a mixture of technical fabrics predominate. Designed to gain convenience and comfort for modern practitioners. Focused more on helping sports competition by feeling like a second skin. Rather than attending to the “purification” of the body.
Different Styles
From my point of view, leaving aside both the Taoist and Buddhist philosophical connotations. And the different styles associated with the modalities of sports practice. The importance of the use of the Dobok has to reside precisely. In its intrinsic capacity to be an excellent tool. I work for the comprehensive training of a true Martial Artist.
And I do not mean by this that we have to return to those pieces of training that border on masochism. And that our ancestors suffered, but, first of all. It is a garment that will accompany us for a long time on our path of introspection, improvement. And personal learning. So it cannot be just any MMA Protective Gears garment to use as if it were a sock. And secondly, a good Dobok must maintain the correct degree of balance between maneuverability and discomfort. It supposes an assumable burden for the practitioner and helps him be constantly attentive. And alert to his limitations and focused on his rules improving techniques. Thus becoming our best ally for training and real life.
