How to Close Karate Pants

The traditional uniform worn by martial artists is called a gi. The basic gi is a jacket with overlapping flaps, a loose-fitting pair of pants, and a belt that not only holds the jacket closed, but also indicates the rank of the karateka (karate student). Putting on a pair of karate gi pants may seem simple, but pulling the drawstring to a point where it is tight enough to hold up the pants but loose enough to allow comfortable movement and breathing is a technique in itself.

Instructions

    • 1

      Adjust the drawstring so that it is even on both sides. The drawstring on gi pants goes through the pant ribbing twice, so that it wraps a full circle around the body. It is inserted at the side of the pant, goes around the front, passes through an opening on the other side and goes around the back until the end pops out the same opening from where it began. To even up the ends, pull on the exposed part of the string at the opposite of the pant to gain some slack and then pull the string's end. Go back and forth on both sides until they are even.

    • 2

      Make the drawstring taut. The ends come out from the sides, right over the hips, not from the front, like on sweatpants. Pull the ends straight out until the top of the pant feels comfortable around your waist. Pull both ends simultaneously to keep them even.

    • 3

      Tie the drawstring through the pant loop. The loop is in the front of the pant, just below the center of the drawstring ribbing. Insert the ends of the drawstring into the loop and then tie them together. Karate involves considerable movement, so double knots are recommended.