In most martial arts, wearing a gi is standard for practice and competitions. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), however, has two forms – namely gi BJJ and no-gi BJJ – both of which are important to master if you want to be a well-rounded fighter.

Both forms require their own unique sets of clothing. Thanks to reputable and high-quality brands such as Tatami BJJ gear of all kinds are readily available.

Gi BJJ

Gi BJJ obviously requires one to wear a traditional gi. Owing to the nature of BJJ and its focus on grappling, gi BJJ features a variety of different grips and maneuvres that take advantage of the clothing. The collar/sleeve grip is one of the most commonly used.

These clothing grips can give you a significant advantage in a fight, enabling you to have much more control over your opponent. Because of this greater degree of control, gi BJJ can be extremely useful when you’re up against a larger opponent.

Gi BJJ tends to be a bit more slow-paced owing to the weight of the clothing and the complexity involved in manipulating it to your advantage. The advantage of the slower pace is that it provides a nice opportunity for fighters to think about their next move.

No-Gi BJJ

No-gi BJJ requires more body strength and control. It is a lot tougher for a smaller opponent to overcome a larger opponent using this form, although it’s quite possible using the right techniques.

When sparring using this form of BJJ, a tight-fitting t-shirt or rashguard and a pair of shorts are typically all that one wears. This kind of clothing provides almost no grapple points for either opponent, meaning that control over the actual body of the opponent is the only way to win.

Wrestling-based grapples around the neck, and other joints are required, which necessitates a totally different approach. It’s also much easier for an opponent to slip out of a grip – especially when everyone’s sweaty.

Some claim that the no-gi form is more dependable than the gi form for real-world scenarios. The argument is that if you encounter a real-world situation in which your BJJ skills are required for self-defence, it is highly unlikely that your opponent will conveniently be wearing a gi for you to grapple with. Moreover, no-gi is more intense and fast-paced. It is thus closer to what you’d encounter in a real-world “street fight”.

Whatever form you choose, Tatami’s BJJ gear caters for it all. For more information, visit Gi Reviews now!