The Complete Handbook of Martial Arts Shorts
Selection, Fit, Care, and Business Essentials for Professionals and Practitioners
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
An objective, practical handbook for buying, maintaining, and selling martial arts shorts. No hype, just what works.
About this book
Martial arts shorts are not generic athletic wear. They are engineered for specific grappling and striking demands: high-friction fabrics that resist tearing, seams placed away from pressure points, waistbands that stay put without restricting movement, and in competition, strict color and logo rules. This handbook gives you the exact specifications to look for and the questions to ask, whether you are a coach stocking a team, a retailer building an inventory, or a competitor wanting a reliable pair for daily training.
The book covers the full lifecycle: explaining the difference between board shorts, vale tudo shorts, grappling shorts, and compression-fit models; how to assess fabric weight, gussets, and reinforced stitching; how to size for a consistent fit across brands; and how to wash, dry, and repair shorts so they last for years. It also covers the business side: how to source from manufacturers, private label your own brand, sell at tournaments, and handle common retail problems like inconsistent sizing from bulk orders.
With chapters on troubleshooting (e.g., fraying seams, fabric pilling, waistband roll) and a practical FAQ and glossary, this is the only reference you need to make confident decisions about martial arts shorts. It is written for professionals and serious enthusiasts who want durable, compliant, and comfortable gear, and who want to avoid wasting money on products that look good online but fail on the mat.
Reader Reviews
Stephanie Adams
★★★★★I bought this because I run the pro shop at a BJJ gym and I'm tired of guessing which shorts to stock. Chapter one alone justified the price - the breakdown of why a gusset matters more than a brand logo was eye-opening. However, the book is clearly written by someone who trains a lot, and it assumes you already know basic training vocabulary. It was fine for me, but a total beginner might get lost.
Jacob Brown
★★★★★The book is comprehensive and clearly well-researched, and I did learn a lot about seam construction and fabric weight. But I felt the business chapter was a bit thin - I was hoping for more specific pricing benchmarks and actual supplier negotiation tactics. The maintenance part was solid, though. It's a good reference, just not the last word on the commercial side.
Karen Williams
★★★★★This is the first time I've read a guide that actually explains the difference between a 4-way stretch fabric and a 2-way one without sounding like a sales pitch. The chapter on choosing the right shorts for different grappling styles is practical and directly applicable. I docked one star because the glossary, while useful, is missing a few terms I see regularly on spec sheets, like 'abrasion-resistant coating.' Still, a very worthwhile purchase.
Michael Clark
★★★★★As a Muay Thai coach who used to tell students to 'just get any board shorts,' I appreciate the clarity here. The comparison of cut types and how they affect kicking range was immediately useful, and I've already changed what I recommend to my fighters. The section on competition compliance was also thorough. It's a bit dry in places, but that's exactly what I wanted - no fluff, just facts.
Mark Harris
★★★★★The troubleshooting chapter is worth the price alone. My usual issue is seams blowing out at the inner thigh, and the book didn't just explain why that happens (fabric shear against the mat), it showed how to spot a well-constructed pair before buying. The only minor gripe is the photos are in black and white, which makes it hard to see some of the stitching details they're highlighting.
Mark Taylor
★★★★★I'm a retail buyer for a small chain of martial arts stores, and this handbook has already paid for itself. The chapter on vetting suppliers and private labeling gave me a clear framework to negotiate better margins, and the grading scale for fabric quality is something I'm now using to evaluate every brand we carry. It's the only reference I've seen that treats the product as serious gear rather than just clothing. Highly recommend it to anyone in the business.