Taking care of your mitts and pads

Keep those mitts and pads looking new and spanky longer by treating them with lurrve!

Everyone needs mitts and pads if they are going to enjoy the tremendous fun of kumite practice in the dojo. Don't risk losing yours or getting them mixed up in class: as soon as you get a new set of mitts and pads, be sure to write your name and region number onto them in permanent marker, which will not come off in the wash. I write Matb R16 on each of my pads and mitts. That way, whether I'm at a tournament, a grading or just a class, if I drop a mitt, people know who to give it back to.

As you know, your mitts and pads quickly become dirty and smelly if you don't regularly wash them. A lot of students ask whether or not it's safe to stick them in the washing machine. Although I take no responsibility if yours fall apart in the wash, I can tell you that I regularly wash mine in the whites cycle, to give them a really good bashing. However, I strongly suggest that you stay away from bleach or bleaching detergents, which can have an adverse affect on the foam rubber. I also suggest that you wash the family's mitts on their own, rather than mixing them with other laundry.

Do NOT tumble dry them under a hot (linen) cycle. In fact, I suggest that you wash them with enough time so that you can let them drip dry before your next class. Under no circumstances should you leave wet pads in the machine for a long period of time as they can take on a new shape by being crumpled in the drum.

Last but not least, if the instep pads in your leg pads, come out of the proper place and slide up inside the rest of the pad, the easiest solution is simply to hold the pad by the top of the shin protector pad, and shake it repeatedly until the foot pad returns to the proper place.