to Gi or not to Gi?

[JJ13]

sorry for the lame topic title :o

i know the basic differences lol,

just wondering how much they actually differ?
what are the main differences?
is there still a belt system in no Gi BJJ?
what is it like to compete in a Gi only comp when you have trained with no Gi?
which should i choose?

thanks for taking the time to look through

[markjitsu]

sorry for the lame topic title :o

i know the basic differences lol,

1just wondering how much they actually differ?
2what are the main differences?
3is there still a belt system in no Gi BJJ?
4what is it like to compete in a Gi only comp when you have trained with no Gi?
5which should i choose?

thanks for taking the time to look through

1 - they are completely different
2 - gi is all grips, no gi has little or no grips
3 - some people make one up - very few
4 - you'll get crushed, unless you're amazing
5 - both

[JJ13]

would you say its a smaller transition to move from Gi to no Gi if needed but the learning curve would be harsher if you trained with no Gi the majority of the time?

[Rob T]

sorry for the lame topic title :o

i know the basic differences lol,

just wondering how much they actually differ?
what are the main differences?
is there still a belt system in no Gi BJJ?
what is it like to compete in a Gi only comp when you have trained with no Gi?
which should i choose?

thanks for taking the time to look through

I almost totally disagree with the above answers. I think...

1. They don't really differ much at all. When I went to the Marcelo Garcia seminar in Brighton he said his gi and nogi games are basically exactly the same. All the fundamentals are the same; hip movement, hip pressure, staying tight etc. The gi just adds some extra open guard and choke options.

2. Main differences are as I mentioned, the gi adds in open guards where you can easily control your opponent from range and you can use the gi to choke. Training in the gi is better imo as it slows things down and allows you to work more techniques without losing position in a scramble so much.

3. Some nogi systems have rank. Eddie Bravo ranks as per BJJ grades but under different criteria. Luta Livre has a system with the same criteria but different grades (i.e. belt colours). Other systems have no rank or might just have levels like "instructor" (Erik Paulson's CSW).

4. Depends how much nogi you've done and what level gi guys you fight. One guy from Gracie Barra Swansea did a gi comp and won it after only training nogi.

5. Do both. I would recommend training mainly gi at first and maybe one nogi session per week.

[hurricane]

both are great fun with slightly different challenges.grips etc
i've noticed a great improvement in my game since i started wearing the gi more.

i love doing both

[JJ13]

cheers for the replys guys,

i think i will start off with noGi, until i can get my self a Gi sorted(where is the best place to get one?), i pretty much certain that i will leave my traditional JJ school and head over to the wolfslair for there public lessons starting tomorrow

[markjitsu]

would you say its a smaller transition to move from Gi to no Gi if needed but the learning curve would be harsher if you trained with no Gi the majority of the time?

i think if you're intending to do both (which i would recommend), you should train more gi than no-gi.
there are a tonne more techniques with the gi, and a tonne more obstacles you will have to learn to deal with than no-gi.
better to learn the harder way from the beginning imo, you'll be glad you did in the long run.

[TWISTER101]

NO-GI FTW....
GI is just not me...

[JJ13]

i think if you're intending to do both (which i would recommend), you should train more gi than no-gi.
there are a tonne more techniques with the gi, and a tonne more obstacles you will have to learn to deal with than no-gi.
better to learn the harder way from the beginning imo, you'll be glad you did in the long run.

thats what im going to do, but as i dont have a Gi i will attend noGi sessions (starting tomorrow) until i can sort a Gi out, then i will focus more BJJ with Gi

anybody have any idea of what lays ahead of me for my first session?, i just hyped to start learning, and cant wait

also where can i buy a Gi?

[markjitsu]

1. They don't really differ much at all. When I went to the Marcelo Garcia seminar in Brighton he said his gi and nogi games are basically exactly the same. All the fundamentals are the same; hip movement, hip pressure, staying tight etc. The gi just adds some extra open guard and choke options.
that's easy for him to say, as he's totally amazing at both.


4. Depends how much nogi you've done and what level gi guys you fight. One guy from Gracie Barra Swansea did a gi comp and won it after only training nogi.

5. .
well that would be the amazing guy i was referring to, either that or everyone else must've been crap surely?

[markjitsu]

thats what im going to do, but as i dont have a Gi i will attend noGi sessions (starting tomorrow) until i can sort a Gi out, then i will focus more BJJ with Gi

anybody have any idea of what lays ahead of me for my first session?, i just hyped to start learning, and cant wait

also where can i buy a Gi?

the club you're going to may sell gi's mate - otherwise, you could get one online at mmafightwear.net or mmauniverse.com
there are loads of places and they usually range from about 50 to 200 quid.
blackeagle do good in-expensive gi's too...
make sure you get a bjj or judo gi, other wise the sleeves might fall off;)

[Iconoclast]

What is your endgame?

If it's MMA then no gi would probably be the better option.

If it's self defence there's an argument for saying that with the gi would be best as it replicates fighting with clothing.

[JJ13]

the club you're going to may sell gi's mate - otherwise, you could get one online at mmafightwear.net or mmauniverse.com
there are loads of places and they usually range from about 50 to 200 quid.
blackeagle do good in-expensive gi's too...
make sure you get a bjj or judo gi, other wise the sleeves might fall off;)

cheers mark.


What is your endgame?

If it's MMA then no gi would probably be the better option.

If it's self defence there's an argument for saying that with the gi would be best as it replicates fighting with clothing.

My goal is to learn BJJ so i can compete in competitions like the one in hereford in september, thats all i want to do right now is learn and compete, maybe in a year or so i might do MMA, but for now its just BJJ and competitions

[markjitsu]

the above post perfectly illustrates exactly what i was trying to say all along - i wish i could be so articulate...sigh

[JJ13]

lol im confused :S

[Rob T]

that's easy for him to say, as he's totally amazing at both.

I would assume it's still true though, and he did seem to use wrist control while rolling in the gi (rather than sleeve grips).



well that would be the amazing guy i was referring to, either that or everyone else must've been crap surely?

Well, it was a white belt comp. He'd been training about 2 years of only nogi.

I certainly think people would have a hard time at higher belts if they've only ever done nogi.

[Jogs D]

cheers for the replys guys,

i think i will start off with noGi, until i can get my self a Gi sorted(where is the best place to get one?), i pretty much certain that i will leave my traditional JJ school and head over to the wolfslair for there public lessons starting tomorrow

If you're gonna train at the Wolfy then you've got the best of both worlds.....
I know that on the nights they do BJJ, they do MMA straight after, so why not do both the BJJ and MMA and be good at Gi/No-Gi/MMA all in one go??? :)

[JJ13]

If you're gonna train at the Wolfy then you've got the best of both worlds.....
I know that on the nights they do BJJ, they do MMA straight after, so why not do both the BJJ and MMA and be good at Gi/No-Gi/MMA all in one go??? :)

i just want to focus on the one discipline at the the min, im quite an impatiant bugger so maybe training in MMA will come sooner lol

[Leigh]

Its a matter of preference. If you have the opportunity to do both, do both. If you have to choose, go with no-gi as it works both with and without a gi. Gi work does not translate back so well and has less applications in other sports (well, MMA)

As for gi being better because it makes you more technical, again that is preference. No gi will speed up your reactions and improve your control, so it depends which areas you want to improve. Gi will make you think a bit more and will improve your escapes

A bit off topic but I would say there is a bigger difference between classes that include takedowns and those that don't, than between gi and no-gi classes

[JJ13]

i just spoke to the gym and im deffo going down tonight, will talk it through with the coaches once im there, like i said my main motivation for starting BJJ is to compete in competitions, but the belt system also appeals to me with the Gi

[wagon]

i just spoke to the gym and im deffo going down tonight, will talk it through with the coaches once im there, like i said my main motivation for starting BJJ is to compete in competitions, but the belt system also appeals to me with the Gi

speak to Lesnar (on here) he trains at the wolfslair. He can probably recommend a good Gi supplier too :D :D

[IranianWarMachine]

gi gives better pure techniques but bad habits i.e. grabbing sleves and collars, but it depends in a street fight gi stuff is possibly better than no gi as one could apply some sweet little cross chokes:D

[gusuk]

cheers for the replys guys,

i think i will start off with noGi, until i can get my self a Gi sorted(where is the best place to get one?), i pretty much certain that i will leave my traditional JJ school and head over to the wolfslair for there public lessons starting tomorrow


You can get one from www.grabandpull.co.uk

Train both, however at the beginning you will be better off doing 75% GI and 25% NOGI imo.

GUs