What To Wear

I train in no-gi submission grappling and have worked long and hard to find clothing that is comfortable and functional so that I won't have to spend all class readjusting, and won't have to worry about accidentally flashing anybody. Here's what I've found that works particularly well.

TOP:
Rash guards are a must. They are spandex, will stay on and do not rip or roll over your head when you are rolling. I've seen Billabong, Quicksilver, Nikegoddess, Champion, etc. and have heard great things about Mizuno and Atama. I like Under Armour rash guards with the short sleeves and V-neck. My personal preference is a super-tight rash guard that I know will stay on with a looser t-shirt over it.

The jury is still out on which sports bras (or regular bras) work best; in my opinion ALL the options are lacking. Some ladies have had luck with Enell but they are not cheap.

I have never worn a chest protector but some women who are training and also breastfeeding, etc. find them necessary. Since I really have never used them I have no recommendations but there is a thread on a Muay Thai site on this issue: http://message.axkickboxing.com/index.phtml?action=dispthread&topic=14247&junk=1120075620.23196

BOTTOM:
Shorts: Board shorts are great, but it's hard to find one with a female cut. Alpha Female shorts are cool because they have a nice stretch fabric, legs ide enough to kick, a draw cord on the inside and they are extremely durable. However the crotch is a bit high. You can get them for about $50 at http://www.fightergirls.com/store.asp?CID=5. That site also sells rash guards, sports bras, DVDs and more.

Since I only own two pairs of board shorts and don't do laundry every single day, I keep other shorts around too...tight biker-style shorts to wear under regular baggy shorts. I bought some Aspire sports shorts that have a polyester/spandex underlayer thinking that would be helpful for not accidentally flashing everyone but was disappointed in the results. Sometimes I'll wear tight long pants underneath whatever shorts I'm sporting, depending on the weather.

Underwear: My personal preference for training are low-cut boy shorts. No more wedgies or pantylines. If possible I try to wear the same color underwear as the shorts I'm wearing so I can be sneaky and stealth about my underwear hanging out.

Other:
Hair: Again the jury is out on the best approach. I usually put mine in a ponytail because it's too short and curly to do much else with. When it was longer I would put it in a ponytail and then twist it up and tie it again. Braiding, twisting, pigtails, braided pigtails, etc. Just try different things and see what works. I still end up with clumps of hair on the mat so am always open to suggestions myself.

Headgear, mouthguards, etc.: Your coach may have good suggestions on this. I've had good luck with Shockdoctor mouth guards because I can breath with them in and they do not make me gag. I wear wrestling headgear at times to avoid cauliflower ear.

Gis: CatFight Gear sells customized gis that are colorful, functional and beautiful. CatFight Gear also sells t-shirt and they are working on a new design for board shorts. The company is committed to selling training gear that is functional, durable and stylish. They also have some really nice t-shirts; check it out.

I only train with the gi on rare occasions, but when I do I always wear board shorts under gi pants for when they eventually come off and a rash guard and t-shirt under the top for when it gets pulled each and every way.

One final word:
I have literally spent hundreds of dollars trying to find clothes that are comfortable, fit well and don't inhibit movement but I'd be lying if I said making sure it actually stays on isn't a huge part of it. When women go to class wearing multiple sports bras or a sports bra tank under a rash guard under a t-shirt ("just in case") I think that makes a pretty good case for their reason for training, and it makes inappropriate comments and behavior from coaches and training partners even more unnecessary. Which, incidentally, is what my next post will be about.