Beginners will need a Shinai and loose fitting clothes for the first month or two. Before the first test students are encouraged purchase an appropriate uniform either through the instructor or through a recommended seller online. This is due to the wide range of quality and the importance of having gear that is both appropriate and of regulation quality and specifications.
Below is the Shinai and the parts labeled in Japanese terms.
Listed below is the Korean Terms
It is important to correctly hold the sword , below is a diagram of how the hands should be placed.
The uniform is two parts, the top Keikogi (jap) or jer-go-ri(kor), and the bottom called hakama (jap), haji/baji(kor). Both top and bottom are dark blue traditionally, though people do sometimes wear the white top and black bottoms which are traditionally associated with Iaido and/or Aikido. below is a size chart from online vendor E-bogu
The Armor worn is called Bogu (jap) or Hogu (Kor) and is made up of the helmet which is called Men(jap) or Ho Myung (Kor), Chest/Rib protector called Do(jap) Gup(Kor), Gloves called Kote (pronounces Koh-tay) or Ho Waun(Kor) and the leg/waist protector called Tare (tar-ray) or Gup Sawn(Kor)
For lower rank students the correct scoring parts of the body are the head, wrist and rib area. For advanced students the throat becomes an eligible target as well
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