Nothing, at first, except a bottle of water and loose fitting sports clothing. Training is performed barefoot, so you will not need any specialist footwear, but we do allow specialised martial arts shoes.
Once you achieve your yellow belt (8th kup) the amount of sparring in core classes increases, so we recommend everyone above yellow belt to have their own shin and groin guards, and gum shield.
If you wish to grade or take part in a competition, you will need a dobok (the white uniforms you see us wearing). These cost about £15 – £50 depending on the type and size you buy, and are a good investment. (Note for budding ninjas: students are required to wear white doboks – please bear this in mind if you choose to order yours independently.)
Sparring training also requires that you wear a hogu (chest protector), head guard, gloves, foot protectors. The club has a supply of these that we lend to beginners, however if you are serious about sparring, we strongly suggest you buy your own – they will almost certainly fit you better and be cleaner than the club’s supply. You will also need your own mouth guard.
Can I order equipment through the club?
Yes. Sometimes CUTKD makes bulk orders for club equipment, and when we do so, students may wish to order additional items for themselves. There are two main reasons to do so: we’re slightly cheaper, since we can obtain items in bulk, and with us you’re guaranteed to get equipment that comes up to World Taekwondo standards.
Our competitions are mostly organised through a body called World Taekwondo (WT). WT lays down the law about what equipment is required for competition. If you turn up for a WT sanctioned competition with incorrect equipment, you won’t be allowed to compete. All the equipment on this page is WT-approved, unless otherwise stated.
However, you are more likely to find that you need equipment at a time in the year which does not coincide with a CUTKD order. If this is the case, it is usually easier and quicker (since there are no middle-men) to order kit for yourself. Recommended online-retailers for martial arts are Playwell, Samdo (for Adidas kit) and luvtkd. If you need any guidance on kit which is appropriate for WT, speak to any of the committee members at training.