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GI VS NO-GI BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

To GI or Not To GI?

What is the difference between Gi or No-Gi?

The Gi is a two piece (jacket and pants) garment worn in martial arts such as Judo,
Karate and Jiu-Jitsu. Judo and Jiu-jitsu Gis are more similar in that they are made
of thicker material for grappling combat training.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is praticed either with the uniform or without. In No-Gi training,
practioners wear grappling training shirts, which are called rashguards, and
shorts.
The biggest distinction of Gi and No-Gi training is the grip. The ability to grab
clothing or not changes what techniques, tactics and strategies one can use in
grappling combat.
In the combat sport of Jiu-jitsu, the rules are also different, depending on the
promotion. For example, we see in rules of No GI competitors are allowed to use
many variations of leg locks where in Gi, a number of those techniques are
considered illegal.

Which is better?

Here are the strength and weaknesses for both Gi and No Gi training.
For Gi you’ll develop a good sense of defense due to learning how to deal with an
opponent who grabs your clothing when attacking you. However, it comes at a
price. Practioners become over reliant on clothing grips. When you take those
holds away, we see the athletes struggle to perform any meaningful offense.
As for No Gi Jiu-Jitsu, It’s a bit of the opposite. Practioners do enjoy the luxury of
non Gi grips which makes performing defense maneuvers a bit easier but not by
much. Though in the same training enviorment, atheltes develop a better sense of
offense skills because they have to learn how to control the opponent without
clothing grips.
Both Gi and No Gi are excellent and fun ways to train Jiu-Jitsu. Here at Paxibellum Martial Arts, we specfically focus on No-Gi training due to it’s strength of building effect control and offense skills, which translate very well to different kind of self defense scenearios and to the combat sport of Mix Martial Arts. 

GI VS NO GI BJJ

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on forcing an opponent to the ground and acquiring a dominant position. This is done by utilizing a combination of chokeholds, joint locks, and strangles. Its nature is suited well for women and smaller individuals as it uses position and leverage as force multipliers. At Paxibellum, we offer a variety of BJJ classes, and we welcome individuals at all levels. Whether you’re trying out your very first class or you are a BJJ black belt, you can come and train with us to improve your techniques and bring more self-control to your life. Contact us to learn more about our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes or to sign up to try a free class at our New York City gym.

WHAT IS A GI ?

To put it simply, a Gi is a training uniform used by Japanese lineage martial arts such as Karate, Judo, and Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu Gi’s are cut to look more closely to that of a western suit than a Japanese Kimono. Gi training provides an education in how to grapple in combat when you and your opponent/training partner use different types of clothing grips for attacks.

This leads to the next question: is it better to practice with or without a Gi? This often comes down to preference and how you plan to use your BJJ training. For a more traditional approach, you can use a BJJ Gi when you are practicing. This can allow you to access some different techniques as you utilize the fabric of the uniform to perform various moves.

SHOULD YOU TRAIN BJJ WITH OR WITHOUT A GI?

This is a common question often asked by beginners or people who are just thinking about training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, we believe that the question itself is wrong. A better question would be to those that have trained both styles, which do you prefer? This is why here at Paxibeullm, we encourage all of our students to try both styles in order to learn which suits them best. If you have questions about either style or what to expect when training them, our team would be happy to walk you through and teach you the differences.

GI & NO-GI TRAINING DIFFERENCES

The biggest factor that makes training BJJ in Gi and No-Gi very different comes down to the variety of different grips you can employ. Being able to grab clothing (different parts of the jacket and pants) creates unique layers of different techniques, tactics, and strategies you can use. This simply doesn’t exist in No-gi BJJ due to the absence of the uniform.

However, the two styles do have a lot in common because, at the end of the day, it’s the same combat system with the same goals in mind. What differs is how one goes about reaching those goals can now change due to being able to grab clothing or not.

Additionally, when it comes to training the sport, No-Gi BJJ tends to be more difficult and faster-paced, as it doesn’t allow you to stall or grapple an opponent when rolling. This will force you to utilize more controlling positions and chokeholds when rolling with an opponent. The benefit here is that you can use your strength and speed to your advantage more so than when training with a Gi.

Training with a Gi is the traditional method of training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This method tends to be a bit slower-paced and more technical than No-Gi training. It allows you to use the Gi to your advantage since you can grab the cloth of the coat and pants to create control and leverage when trying to set up a submission.

In the end, it will be mostly up to your preference whether you choose to practice Gi or No-Gi BJJ, but here at Paxibellum we proudly offer classes in both styles!

ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING NO-GI BJJ

When it comes to self-defense combat skills, No-Gi BJJ teaches students how to grapple even if they don’t have clothing they can grab ahold of. In times of very warm weather, people switch to lighter clothing such as shirts and shorts. Because of this, practitioners are taught how to use grips such as wrist control, under and over hooks, collar ties, and more non-clothing controls in order to grapple an opponent to submission.

For competition/sport purposes, practitioners are taught certain techniques, strategies, and tactics that only exist in No-Gi competition due to rules of that style of Jiu-Jitsu.

If you are looking to develop a strong grappling offense that uses your strength and speed to your advantage: No-Gi BJJ may be what you are looking for. No-Gi will greatly increase your wrestling skills while teaching you how to use balance, hand positioning, and body mechanics to overcome your opponent.

Additionally, since No-Gi BJJ is typically faster-paced, your cardio will improve immensely when training this way. You will learn how to breathe properly in order to increase your endurance and push yourself to new limits when rolling.

In the end, No-Gi BJJ is a fun fast-paced way to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and here at Paxibeullum, we have some of the best instructors in the world to help you learn and improve!

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ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING TRADITIONAL GI BJJ

When it comes to self-defense combat skills, No-Gi BJJ teaches students how to grapple even if they don’t have clothing they can grab ahold of. In times of very warm weather, people switch to lighter clothing such as shirts and shorts. Because of this, practitioners are taught how to use grips such as wrist control, under and over hooks, collar ties, and more non-clothing controls in order to grapple an opponent to submission.

For competition/sport purposes, practitioners are taught certain techniques, strategies, and tactics that only exist in No-Gi competition due to rules of that style of Jiu-Jitsu.

For self-defense combat skills, Gi BJJ forces practitioners to learn how to grapple with clothing grips that create unique challenges and cool advantages in techniques to defeat an opponent. The approach of techniques, tactics, and strategies changes to a certain degree in order to accomplish the same goals of submitting an opponent.

Traditional Gi BJJ training tends to be much more technical than No-Gi. For this reason, some students love the methodical and almost mathematical approach to training BJJ. The training will be a bit slower which will give you time to map out your next move when rolling.

Additionally, Gi training tends to benefit women and smaller individuals to a greater extent. Since you are able to utilize the cloth of the Gi, you can create leverage and different angles of submission you may not be able to without one. You will also learn more sweeps, escapes, and different submissions you couldn’t execute without the Gi.

You will also develop strong hands as you will be constantly holding and pulling on the Gi. This will translate to upper and body strength as well since Gi training is slower and therefore requires more static pressure and holding.

If you are interested in training Traditional Gi BJJ,

at Paxibellum and find out just how much fun it can be!

A THIRD STYLE: COMBAT JIU-JITSU

What is Combat Jiu-Jitsu? This style of BJJ is a unique class that trains students on how to grapple with strikes. Students practice with either open palm strikes, which are not actually used in practice but just simulated by a training partner, or Mix Martial Arts (MMA) Gloves, for those that are interested in competing in MMA. Here at Paxibellum, we believe that this style and class is the closest to specific training for BJJ self-defense combat skills. If you are interested in competing in MMA, or are interested in UFC, this is the style of class you would want to train in.

Get Started At PAXIBELLUM

Here at Paxibellum, we feel that a beginner can’t go wrong with starting with either Gi or No-Gi BJJ. This is why we offer both styles of classes, so no matter your preference you can start training now. The most important thing is taking the leap and trying your first class. We promise that once you do you will be hooked!

Ready to try out BJJ for yourself? Whether you’ve tried it before or never explored martial arts, you will enjoy learning new styles with Paxibellum. Contact us today to learn how you can try a free BJJ class, discuss Gi vs No-Gi training, and sign up to join New York City’s premier martial arts gym. We look forward to adding you to our friendly and growing community! You can also explore our other available classes and options that will help you to advance your fitness journey.

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