Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners have strong opinions about the Gi versus No Gi debate, and there are compelling arguments on both sides. `Training in the Gi offers collar and sleeve grips that make it easier to control your opponent, and No Gi training challenges students to train without those grips.
Both uniforms are valuable to your jiu jitsu training for different reasons. In a Gi, you can’t slip out of a bad position as you would in a rash guard, so you have to develop a strong defensive game. In No Gi you don’t have sleeves and collar grips, so it challenges you to develop a strong offensive game.
No Gi training is valuable for self-defense training and BJJ competition. Some students choose to test their mettle in BJJ tournaments, and No Gi training can help them achieve those goals. If you’re training in mixed martial arts, then No Gi training is vital.
However, most students have no desire to enter a tournament or step into an MMA cage. At SBG Bozeman, our students train jiu jitsu for various reasons, such as weight loss or self-defense, and we want to give them all the tools they need to achieve those goals.
If you’re training for self-defense, both uniforms are valuable for your training. Proponents of No Gi point out that training in a Gi makes you too dependent on sleeve and collar grips, and they argue that most people don’t walk around in heavy clothes, which is true in southern climates. But in Montana where it can snow in April, you’re more likely to encounter an attacker wearing a puffy jacket than you are an attacker in board shorts.
No matter your reason for training, trying something new can be intimidating for anyone. All students start their training in our beginner-friendly, BJJ Foundations program. Foundations will give you confidence in your training and make you fall in love with jiu jitsu. As your jiu jitsu training grows and you learn techniques, our world-class coaches will teach you how to apply your training to both Gi and No Gi uniforms.
At SBG Bozeman we want to give you as many opportunities as possible for success in your jiu jitsu training. Whether you train in Gi or No Gi, let our world-class jiu jitsu program help you reach your goals!
