Updos for Martial Arts class

[mtstorm]

Any suggestions for updos for martial arts classes? I started taking classes 6 weeks ago and what I have tried is not working. Plus, I am starting to get worried about damage developing from the ground work we are doing. Currently I have tried the lazy wrap bun, braided lazy wrap bun, infinity bun, braided infinity bun, figure-8 bun, braided figure-8 bun, and the cinnabun. I need something quick and easy. I have been trying to figure out if I could incorporate a bandana to help protect my hair but so far have not. A regular braid won't work since my hair is TBL and it will get in the way all the time.
Ideas? Thanks!

[LovelyL]

One idea for avoiding damage during ground work would be to maybe get something like a silk sleep cap, but just for the bun. Not sure if that exists to be purchased, but I imagine that would just be a circle of slippery fabric and an elastic through a seam on the outer edge.

as for styles that hold, not sure, sorry

[GoddesJourney]

Make a regular braid at the nape and tuck it under the strap of your sports bra in that groove above your collar bone. Make sure the tail goes under your gi collar. Especially if you have a heavy or ultra heavyweight gi, this will stay really well. 13+ years of martial arts, both standing and on the ground, this is the only thing that ever consistently worked well. Buns are a terrible idea for anything on the ground. The only other thing that I could imagine ever working would be some kind of top knot.

I used to train with a little girl (she not little anymore) with classic length hair. She always used just a regular braid at the nape. There was another girl with hip length hair and she was pretty tall, so that was a long braid. It worked for her, too.

[silverjen]

My rule of thumb was don't wear anything on your head that you wouldn't want to step on barefoot, or fall on. Basically, anything other than scrunchies or elastics are out.

My teacher's teacher has gorgeous waist-length hair (she is in fact kind of famous for it). For training she wears an english braid that starts from the crown of her head, using a scrunchy on the point of origin and on the end. It seems to work really well for her.

[torrilin]

I'd try something in the hypno/nautilus/Artemis area, since those are easier to make flat, especially with ii hair. Then pin the hell out of it so it is nice and secure, and there are no pointy bits or places where your opponent can grab. Since the bun will be relatively flat, you can wear a head scarf if you want. Again, make sure it fits closely. A tucked French braid or some kind of crown braid might also work.

There's a reason most soldiers wear buzz cuts sadly.

[Altocumulus]

I wear an English braid, but I did find that it got in the way when my hair was TB length. Now I keep it waist-ish, and it stays out of the way. If I still had TB or longer hair, I'd try folding the braid in half and securing it at the nape with a scrunchie or a hosiery elastic.

[Arya]

Two french braids on either side of the head. This keeps them out of the way for most rolls and out of your face without requiring pointy pins. If it's still in the way, you can tuck em in your sports bra under your gi. Anything else is asking for pain.

[mtstorm]

Thanks Everyone! I will start giving these a try and see what works the best for me. :)

[arc691]

I usually keep my hair piled on top of my head with two clips, but sometimes I braid it and leave it inside my gi or else tucked in my belt, which is great for doing forms. If you want an updo, I suggest doing the Victorian braided updo~ this works terrific for me, in fact the first time I did it I wished I'd been doing that all along.
Instructions are on the Dressy Tresses website; or I'll give it a try below:

Put your hair in a ponytail, either low or in the middle of the back of your head. Then English braid your hair and tie the end with an elastic ponytail holder. Now loop the braid back up underneath and pull the ponytail holder end up through the top of your ponytail. You don't want the loop to be longer than the nape of your neck or collar bone. Make another loop, and another if your hair is long enough. I usually do three. Then fasten all the loops together with an octopus clip or something similar. The clip is holding all the braid loops in place and is anchored to the ponytail, which keeps your look in place and takes all the weight of your hair.

I hope this makes sense! Maybe I can post pictures sometime! :p

[daemonwildcat]

I typically do the flattest cinnamon bun I can manage with with either the cheap plastic claw clips that will snap rather than dig in if I get stepped on/slammed, or bobby pins. If I have time I definitely try to braid it first so in the event that it comes down, it won't hinder me like lose hair will.
In my system, wearing a bandana/hat is a sign of disrespect to the teacher (unless, of course, it's for religious reasons) so do ask before you try that.

One day I was running late and forgot I had sticks in my hair so my Sifu just used me as a lesson in using what you've got and showed how I can be quite effective in using them as weapons, especially after I showed him that with several styles I have one stick that anchors the style, and a second that adds support, but is pretty decorative so I can pull one out with out letting my hair lose and hindering myself. :D

[sparkle'n'bling]

What about a vortex bun? Very flat to the head, comfortable to lie on, and holds like glue.

[Arya]

anything with clips/sticks/pins/bumps is murder for groundwork. I did judo for 8 years, and found if I tried to put clips in my hair I would smash them between the mats and my head, breaking the clips and hurting my head. Updos get in the way if you're attempting to do hold downs, or trying to get out of choke holds. Fancy clips and updos and fancy stuff are honestly just not good for Jiu Jitsu/ BJJ/Judo/Aikido but they're not so bad for more stand up sports like karate/TKD/Muay Thai.

[verene]

Glad to have stumbled across this thread as I start my first martial arts class (aikido) tomorrow and need to figure out how to keep my hair out of the way. I'm thinking Elling-woman bun, fully looped. Any thoughts?

[Themyst]

Have you tried hair taping? It would keep your hair up and secure whilst only using a ribbon.

[katgib]

I do judo and a lot of the girls at my dojo rock straight ponytails because they know their hair is going to get in the way no matter what they do. I agree with Arya though, ground work is going to destroy any hardware keeping your hair in place so that's out. There's pretty much no way to keep your hair in one place though if you're doing ground work. If it isn't the mat tearing up your hair, it's the person you're working with or the gi you're wearing. Occupational hazard.

If you're doing aikido (which I did for four years), you won't have very many problems. You're going to be doing a LOT of rolling, so your hair will be whipping around a lot, but no real threat of damage. But keep it simple, nothing heavy, so you don't have to keep fixing it.

[chargersfan]

When working out, I can't do buns and a single braid always gets matted or in the way. I usually do 3 separate braids, braided into one braid held w/ a scrunchie. It takes away quite a bit of the length, keeps it from getting as tangled, and it doesn't fall out or get in the way.

[calicokatt]

If you go to a tack store (for horse equipment) You can get a braid bag, designed to braid a horses tail into. If you get the kind that has three tubes, you can braid your hair inside of the tubes, then tuck as suggested into the brastrap, and there will be no rubbing or pulling, even if it comes loose, the hair will still be protected, since each of the three strands of the braid will be inside a separate tube of the bag.

[Arya]

The more I think about it (went to class today, actually) the more it depends on the specific type of martial arts you're doing.

groundwork with lots of headlocks and hold downs are just murder on your hair. You're constantly rubbing your head along the mat (tearing out) or your gi or their gi (friction damage). It also depends on the mats. If you have the Japanese style grey/green rubber coated tatami, that is the nicest surface, but the WORST for hair. THe bouncy foam jigsaw pieces won't tear it out as much. However, if you're just doing some groundwork sessions, or ones with more rolls that don't involve your head being rubbed all over the other person and the ground (aikido) you should be alright with styles that aren't quite as smooth. But if you wear anything that messes up the line of your rolls (which buns will) it's not worth the discomfort and messed up skills.

edit: verene, I'm thinking that bun will really mess up your rolls in aikido. You need a smooth line from shoulder/ the back of your neck to your bum, and a bun or bunch at the back of your neck will p*** you off, more than likely.

[KLin]

I have been in mixed martial arts for 7 months. Do not know how to contain my hair nicely. I do not like ponytails, but that is what most do at my dojo.
I have tried to tuck my braid in my gi, but not the sport bra first. So that will be my next try tomorrow night. I usually do a french braid, but as my hair is getting longer it is getting in the way.
I ware headgear for sparing, and have not found an up do that I can get my headgear on and off with.
I want to be more careful with my hair.

[Sundial]

I was in Aikido for 9 years and Judo for 1. My Senseis never allow us to have hairtoys in our hair (they cited safety as reason) so we were only allowed hairtoys.

Most of the girls put their hair up in ponytails, braids (single or double). But I was just thinking after going through all the posts in this thread, how about doing a low/loose braid and keeping it contained in a hairglove http://www.hairglove.com before tucking it underneath the gi? You probably will not even need to tuck it into your sports bra to keep it secure if the braid is long enough. This way, it doesn't hinder rolls nor get in the way of matwork and it reduces friction against sports bras or gis since it is already tightly contained in a hairglove.

[Jemoiselle]

Make a regular braid at the nape and tuck it under the strap of your sports bra in that groove above your collar bone. Make sure the tail goes under your gi collar. Especially if you have a heavy or ultra heavyweight gi, this will stay really well...

I second this, only I am not a buff diva like ya'll, I did this for 3 years of dance classes and it was the only consistently comfy thing that worked for floor work and spins, quick movements over time. Even my ficcare went flying off a few times before I gave up and used this technique lol.

[GoddesJourney]

I second this, only I am not a buff diva like ya'll, I did this for 3 years of dance classes and it was the only consistently comfy thing that worked for floor work and spins, quick movements over time. Even my ficcare went flying off a few times before I gave up and used this technique lol.

Well, the cool thing about having a stiff gi for ground work is that your braid (especially if tucked through your sports bra) will put itself in a convenient place. I always tucked mine through the left side, turning my head all the way to the left as I did it so I would know there was enough slack to not restrict my head. Anytime my braid tail was long enough, it would just naturally curve itself around the outside of my left breast and not come out of my gi unless it was a really viscious ground session. Also, it kept it from getting trapped under me if I was trying to scoot away while on my back (that's a really easy way to get caught in a high mount or an S mount). Laying on your own hair sucks when trying to get away.

Anyway, most of the time I didn't even notice my hair, which is exactly what I want when working out. I want a good sports bra and a well-tucked braid so I can focus on the actual sport.

If you're really worried about friction, get a rash guard. Tuck your braid under the bra strap and let it hang down next to your skin under the rash guard. They're tight, so it should stay put. I use under armour shirts under my gi for training anyway. They're expensive but they last years if you don't put them in the dryer. (Buy the men's ones because the women's cuts are too short to stay tucked in...big surprise.)

I originally started doing this when I had a very harsh, abrasive canvas gi because it would rub off the skin on my back and shoulders and the skin on my neck and biceps would tend to get twisted up in my gi when someone would grab sleeves or do collar chokes. That causes would looks like hickeys and road rash. I looked like I had a car accident and got mugged... It also keeps you from showing any unnecessary skin for those of you who are "modest" when your gi inevitably comes apart in the middle of the round. Give it a try.

[MandyBeth]

Braids or tails only. You can use vet wrap to end, or tuck ends under or double up. NO metal or plastic, they will fall out, dig in or break.

[Lemur_Catta]

I usually wear a single braid when training. I tried hair taping, and it was very effective but also time consuming so I didn't do it again. I also tried a cinnamon bun held with pins and covered with a net, but it was uncomfortable both on the ground and when wearing my helmet.
Sometimes I wear two braids, but it's uncomfortable because they always fall in my face when I turn quickly.
So far, the best style for me is a braid, since my hair is waist it doesn't bother me a lot.

[DuckyDot]

How about a tucked braid? That could work (I imagine - I don't do martial arts :) )

[Qlarity]

The best thing I've come up with for Aikido is:

Two french braids wrapped up into buns, secured with both elastics and white scrunchies.

You are doing it right if you look a bit like Princess Leia - although mine sit behind my ears instead of over them.

It has a High Dork Factor but it is out of the way for rolls and doesn't whip my partner in the face like a loose braid can.

[MandyBeth]

Tucked braid has pins, which is a no-go for ground work at very least. My dojo - elastics or hair tape/vet wrap only, no ifs, ands or buts. To protect the ends, take the ends up and lay next to the braid, wrap with the vet wrap. Oh, I train no-gi.

[AnqeIicDemise]

Glad to have stumbled across this thread as I start my first martial arts class (aikido) tomorrow and need to figure out how to keep my hair out of the way. I'm thinking Elling-woman bun, fully looped. Any thoughts?

I shall hide this thread from the DH. He's bummed he can't find a good Aikido class for miles and miles.

You'll have a blast, though. I know I like some of the basic forms and know I'd love to take classes for it too.

On the other hand, as far suggestions go, I'd suggest heidi braids. They hold like a rock with the right pins. In my case, I have to use the big, two inch, steel bobby pins that come in a case. I haven't found any other pin that can hold the weight of my hair yet (I keep forgetting to buy Amish pins, dang!)

Though, the previous poster did remind me of how rough and tumble Aikido can be.

Forget the pins, tape the braid! :D