Doboks
Once you or your child are ready for your first grading, you will need one of our training suits – known by their Korean name ‘dobok’.
These suits are sized based on the students’ height – the smallest size starts at ’00’ then ‘0’ then sizes 1 – 6 (bigger is available for the occasional very tall student!). Smaller sizes (00 – 3) currently cost £36, larger are £38.
You may also see students training in one of our club or ‘team’ suits – (please note these cannot be worn to gradings – you need a white dobok for this still). These suits are specially made for us on a minimum order run – we run a waiting list, if you want one, ask to add your name to the list. They normally take 2 – 3 months to arrive once an order is placed. Each club suit costs £40. Black belt doboks also cost £40 (once you gain your black belt you will need a black belt suit – the coloured belt dobok is no longer appropriate!).
You will also see students wearing one of our ‘club hoodies’, again, these are made to order in batches. If you would like one, let us know and we will add you to the waiting list!
Sparring Equipment
Sparring is an important and integral part of Taekwondo; it forms the backbone of competitions and is part of the grading syllabus from 5th kup (green belt with blue stripe) upwards. However, we encourage everyone to get the kit as soon as they can – you can even compete at local and national competitions in sparring as a yellow tag!
At its core, Taekwondo is a self-defence system. Our sparring is a proven safe way for students to get used to having someone trying to hit them; it is a necessary part of the self-defence development. Also it is just plain fun; it balances out the often very dry and mentally hard work of the patterns and linework.
By yellow belt the students really need the full sparring kit. The purpose of the kit is to keep both parties safe; both the student and their sparring partner. Getting the kit later rather than sooner can lead to students being unable to grade because their sparring is not good enough – as with any new skill, learning how to free spar takes time!
We supply the kit to you directly. It is International Taekwondo Council (ITC) branded and approved by the overall insurers and is the only brand acceptable in class, in gradings and competitions.
The kit consists of a head guard (£35) gloves (£32) shin guards (£22) feet (£32) and groin guard for males (£22) we also provide gum shields for £3 (these are not suitable for children with braces, you should speak to your child’s orthodontist). In total the cost of a full set of male kit is £146, a female set is £124. You can source it 2nd hand but it needs to say ITC on it. *Prices correct as of May 2022.
To place an order please just let us know what you need – in person, via text or email is fine. Please note that you only pay for it once you have received it – we will give you an invoice with the kit. Please note that a student can only take part in sparring once they have a FULL set of kit – anything missing or broken means no sparring.
The kit is available in sizes XS, S, M, L, XL. There are options for XXS but these need to be ordered in and may take some time to arrive. We will assess them for sizing when you place your order; we will then try the kit on you/your child to ensure the correct sizing before sending it home!
Please periodically check the kit for fit and to see that it is in good condition with no rips or tears. It’s also a good idea to give it a regular wipe with a damp cloth (gum shields should be rinsed and dried after every use!). Please note that kit will be checked at competitions and if not in good condition the wearer will be disqualified.
Parents, it would be very helpful if you would encourage your child to practice putting the kit on and off at home – we don’t have much time in class, and we certainly can’t help each child with putting their kit on and off! The quicker they can do it, the more time they get to train.
Please click here to download a copy of our fact sheet on how to look after your sparring kit.
