UMASS TKD Home

Taekwondo Gear, and how we order it

FAQ's:

• What is required before I can come to practice?: Basic Gear
• What is required for contact sparring?: Advanced Gear
• How much does all of this cost?
• What gear can I order through the team?
• How do I place an order?

What is required before I can come to practice?: Basic Gear

The practice of Taekwondo requires only comfortable athletic clothing, and a willing mind! Do not ever let a lack of gear prevent you from coming to class. A dobok (uniform) is required only for belt tests, competition, and other formal occasions. If you are planning to train in Taekwondo, it is good to pick up a uniform or two because a class in which most of the students are in uniform is more traditional and more aesthetically appealing.

Recommended BUT NOT REQUIRED for all classes: (click image to see more info on the AWMA website)

A dobok (uniform)

An appropriate belt (a white belt is included with every new uniform)

What is required for contact sparring?: Advanced Gear

White belts will be confined to non-contact sparring. As you progress in Taekwondo, you will want to be able to participate in contact sparring, and you will want to purchase safety equipment which will allow you to receive kicks and punches without injury. The following are all required in order to compete in sparring at any sanctioned competition. Those who plan to train with the team more than casually should purchase these items whether or not they plan to compete.

Recommended for Contact Sparring, REQUIRED for sparring competition: (click on an item to see more information on the AWMA website)

Helmet	Hogu (chest protector)	Mouthguard
Leg protection with instep guards	A cup is only required for men, but many women choose protection as well.	Arm guards

How much does all of this cost?

The exact cost depends on how much we order at once. We get a larger wholesale discount for larger orders.

Basic Gear: A new standard uniform with white belt costs between $12 and $15 (at this price you can buy two!). If you want a uniform of exceptional quality, the ADICHAMP uniform is used by most professional Taekwondoists, and costs around $39.

Sparring Gear: A complete sparring package consisting of top-of-the-line Adidas equipment (which we recommend, as it is built better than other brands) costs around $120. This package contains everything that you will need for sparring class, or sparring competition. The cheaper option (not recommended, the quality of the gear is not as high) costs around $63. Men: If you decide to buy the cheaper gear, I strongly recommend that you still get the Adidas cup.

What gear can I order through the team?

All the gear that you could conceivably need for any kind of martial arts training is available from the awma catalog. Please do look through the catalog, but remember that this is the RETAIL catalog, and does not reflect the prices that we pay. Wholesale price is anywhere from 30% to 70% lower than retail price depending on the item and the size of the total team order.

How do I place an order?

We place orders once a month or so. You can give me an order at any time, and I will hold onto your order and place on an announced day along with many other orders (the price is lower this way, in an emergency I can place your order right away, but it will cost more).

1. Look at the awma catalog and decide what to buy (important: the prices that you see online are RETAIL, we pay WHOLESALE). We can order any item that you find in this catalog.
2. Before or after class, try on other people's gear to make sure that you know what size to order. Once you have decided on the sizes for your items, go back to the awma catalog and write down the item description and item number.
3. Send an email with subject "Gear Order" to me: tshb@acm.org
   Your email should contain the following: (cut and paste this into your email, and then enter the info for the gear that you want)
   
   Name:
   BRAND ITEM_NAME SIZE ITEM_NUMBER
   Adidas, Example item, 4, 8807
   [...]
   
4. Huh? Check out an example order:
   
   Name: Tom Heydt-Benjamin
   BRAND ITEM_NAME SIZE ITEM_NUMBER
   Adidas, Arm Protector, L, 88042
   Adidas, Groin Prot Male, L, 88032
   Adidas, Chest Prot SOLID, 4, 8807
   ProForce, TKD Uniform 7-oz, 5, 2325
5. On the scheduled day, I will compile all of the orders that I receive, I will place the order, and then I will email you telling you exactly how much your order will cost (I won't know in advance, because the exact cost depends on the size of our order).
6. You must bring payment in order to pick up your gear on the day that it arrives. Learn how to pay us money here.
7. Questions? Email me.
   
   
   

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Last Modified October 28, 2006 9:33 AM , Site Hits: