a EDC knife would be the ideal realistic, seriously a lot of the enthusiast martial artist I know eventually started learning Kali/Silat.... while arguing gi or no gi, comon when do you get into a fight and able to choose your outfit, unless you are competing in a tournament, which is also speaked by the rules unrealistically.
To be ultra realistic we should train in jeans, T-shirt and a hoodie. However people would soon get pretty pissed off at having to buy new clothes after they get torn every session. If only there was something robust we could wear that wouldn't rip all the time......
Here In Hawaii, all summer round. Yeah I totally agree with you. Even in November to December here, hardly any people wear coat. If i can really think about it, the only time i wear coat is at the movies. People here wear tank top and surf short(talking about guys). I mean occasionally we wear jeans/shorts. But we usually wear light clothing. I totally agree with you.
Different people train BJJ, or any martial arts for that matter, for different reasons so there is no right way or wrong way. Sometimes that gi is simply an expression or symbol of club unity and people are honored to wear that uniform to represent their club whether it's at tournament or bragging to their friends who see the gi hanging in the closet. It's like backing your favorite sport team. Or it could be just a question of honoring tradition and culture of that's the way it has been from when Maeda taught it to the first Brazilians and onward. Like Bostonians wearing green on St Patrick's day. Some people train for specific tournament styles that may require a gi. Others might compete in MMA or only submission wrestling which doesn't require it. Again, it's a personal preference. Some people train for self-defence and believe the gi represents a jacket, while others believe it's best to train to defend against anyone regardless of what they are wearing. Arguing for or against the gi or no-gi is pointless because it's really an individual preference and ESPECIALLY your personal training objectives. Perhaps those who argue vehemently either way are looking for validation in the style they practice but it's not going to happen because it's like trying to argue your favorite flavor of ice cream -- it's only right for you. Many people cite the split in BJJ styles - self defence or sport, gi or no-gi - as a negative thing but actually it gives people more choices.
We've done training sessions (mostly as a joke) in suits, jeans and all sorts of other clothing. And while it was a joke, one thing you learn is that if you have clothing on. Even a T shirt. . . it becomes a potential weapon to be used.
@@conor-_C hes 100% correct id rather be working on my grappling then be covered in scrapes, cuts and rashs that can easily get infected from a sidewalk cement
From a self-defense point of view: The Gi resembles the clothes that people wore in Japan back in the day. I suppose that's why they used the gi... to be ready to fight someone wearing those types of clothes. Nowadays: Gi and Gi Pants= someone wearing a jacket, also many people wear pants/jeans NoGi= someone wearing shorts and a t-shirt or no shirt at all My point is.... be ready for any opponent practice both!
Quick story: my old MMA coach was also a part time bouncer. He would do the door at a fancy wine bar. One night, some guy was really drunk and wanted in and my coach turned him away. Drunkard gets pissed and scuffles with my coach. At some point, the drunkard grabs my coaches waist coat and in the melee manages to pull it over his head. Luckily my coach was able to punch him near his groin which made the guy let go. My coach said it was scary because he couldn't get the guy to break his grip and he was effectively blinded. He said he wish he'd known how to break someone's grip on his waist coat. Don't underestimate training with the gi. Might save your life someday.
All you have to do is what I do. I always carry 2 Gis with me in the case that a fight breaks out. They say, let's take this outside so I say hold on one sec. Pull the gi out and tell them to put it on first. This way it's just like class. Problem solved
I agree with what you said, but one of the main arguments for practicing without gi is that you can still apply no gi techniques to someone wearing a coat or a thick shirt (minus the friction), but if you only train gi and rely on gi grips, you can get a little confused if the agressor is in shorts and t-shirt. Another argument not mentioned here is that training in gi involves a lot more possibilities (grips, controls, submissions, etc.) and therefore a lot more work to learn about those possibilities, even though we might never use them in the end. Great channel though Chewy.
Remember that even if you decide not to use grips in a real fight, your opponent may and usually choose to grip your clothes. This will cause a lot of trouble unless you have trained in Gi and know how to break these grips. To check that we have done an experiment at our gym. Recently we had a visiting dude, who was quite experienced, but done no gi only. He agreed to perform an experiment by wearing a gi and sparring against a white belt guy, who wasn't wearing a gi. He got completely locked up by a white belt and could do nothing because he had no idea how to deal with the grips. Training with and without a gi are two facets of the same game and both teach different things. Gi teaches dealing with the grips and improves defense as all escapes have to be done taking into account all the additional friction (you can't rely on sweaty and slippery body for successful escape). Also allows for more types of chokes. No gi teaches attacking with no grips available and generally improves the speed. Simply do both !!!
Learning to break Gi grips does not take long, you hardly need to train for months to become proficient. Unless your attacker is also skilled in gi BJJ...
LOL! And avoid accidents of turning your white gi pink like judo legend, Gene LeBell. Triva on Gene LeBell (from wikipedia): "[His] pink colored judogi became a trademark of LeBell and was a result of a laundry mixup while preparing for a competition in Japan. A pair of red shorts were mixed into the laundry that contained his Gi and turned the uniform a shade of pink. He was set to compete the following day, and being a Saturday evening when he received the now colored uniform, he had to compete in the pink uniform."
I did Judo for a minute years ago. The old judo sensi had used a cross collar choke on a young guy at a bar who had slapped a woman at the bar. The guy wasn't wearing a Gi, he had on a hoodie.
I wouldn't say that a gi is not realistic or that no-gi is, but I would say that no-gi is more versatile as you are not depending on clothing grips. This make you more prepared to handle someone no matter how they're dressed.
I train in GI, but I understand NOGI is obviously more applicable to a street fight. Not because people walk around in "spandex", but you may not always have the grips of a jacket or loose pants in a street fight, and the grips in NOGI can be used in any situation.
For the most part i agree with you, but even if you opponent doesmt have anything to grip onto, you might be wearing a thick coat/hoodie/jacket and thick pants then you will susceptible to having your cloths grabbed and used against you, as would happen while wearing a gi. Of course offensively no gi grips can be applied in any situation so best to be prepared for anything
No gi submissive grappling with techniques of BJJ, Collegiate wrestling, Judo, Sambo, Catch wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling etc. is the future. Basically Mixed Matial Grappling Arts. No gi is more realistic because you don't have to rely on someone attacking you while wearing a jacket, only body leverage which is applicable whether someone is naked, wearing a jacket or anywhere in between. The gi is outdated, I wish there were no gi Judo classes I would sign up in an instant.
Exactly this. I think this is the reason I get annoyed with the gi. I think since the gi is established and has a belt progression system it's just a better business model. I mean maybe some day there will be a 10th planet in every city but until then it's slim pickens on no gi schools.
most accademies do some kind of no-gi though, like 1-2 per week, though yes, they do focus on gi, which i don't mind. Imo gi = more options = more fun (also less focus on athleticism and more on skill and knowledge).
Training in rash guards was originally meant for MMA, that’s the whole reason Eddie bravo invented 10th planet. I think training in a Gi is good for street fights since it would replicate a jacket or a coat.
Yea but I wouldn't train BJJ to just be able to beat someone untrained on the street if that's motivation than cool. Things like this are why BJJ doesn't reach mainstream i knew a dude who didn't have hands and couldn't train in the Gi but could actually wrap dudes up and sweep them NoGi.
He's so right, I fought a lad about 50lbs heavier than me and if it wasn't for his coat collar I wouldn't have taken him down. Thanks to training in the gi
I think another version of this argument could be that some people's games rely on the various grips. While no gi relys more on natural handles that would be there more often, like behind the elbow etc. Trying to say that argument is that spandex is more realistic is disingenuous, no one is saying that spandex is more relevant. However alot of people are saying that if someone's game relys on the sleeve, collar or pants grips, then that could be a big problem if the person is wearing shorts and perhaps takes his shirt off to fight (which does happen alot). having a game that doesn't need the gi is in alot of situations going to be alot more applicable...
I believe what he's arguing is that the average person won't be wearing a singlet but assuming he's an average person, he'll have 2 arms, 2 legs and one head to work with as natural handles. If he's missing a piece he's not much of a hand to hand combat threat to begin with (heaven forbid he's missing his head).
Yes precisely... however I saw an argument in the below threads worth mentioning, someone stated that just because you don't use the grips, doesn't mean they won't be used on you in a real situation and thus preparing for them is still relevant. To me this is the strongest argument I have heard. in terms of using the gi as a weapon for chokes sweeps etc. that is great as long as the person ur engaging with has the appropriate clothing on at the time of the engagement. it's best to train both gi and no gi, however if I had to pick 1 thing to train, it's def no gi... Firas Zahabi calls it universal jiujutsu and it to him represents techniques that work with or without the gi... I see alot of games especially in the ibjjf competitors that are all about the grips (watch the breakdown of Roger Gracie vs Buchecha for an example) while I think it is badass and these guys are amazing, I prefer to train jiujutsu that directly translates to other things like mma etc. Cheers!
If you’re new to bjj, you should train gi first. It’s a slower pace so you can get your technique better and helps your grip strength. If you don’t like it overtime it’s much easier to transition to nogi than the other way around
When rolling in the gi, try switching from using grips, to grabbing the various body handles. No reason to limit your training because of your clothing.
Wll you cannot be sure that your opponent is going to wear a jacket to your liking, but you can be relatively sure he will have two arms, two legs and a neck. If he has less all the better?
Chewie, I have had a fracture on my ribs that have forced me to take time of bjj for almost 4 months, now I´m terrified to go back to training and fracture it again. Any tips on how I could get back in a safe way and I would love to see you do a video about your gym workouts to build streanght and avoid injuries. Thank you for a great channel!
kalesia A I was in the same boat I was out about two months I just went to my coach and told him I wanted to learn but not get hurt so we decided no more rolling with white belts they always go too hard
kalesia A i have a few if you wish. Had the same issue, so i didnt roll for the first month when i got back, i just did drills and to be honest it really stepped my game up. When i started rolling i gave up a lot of position because i didnt want to be taken down hard after the injury, so i started by just sitting down and working my guard and leglocks. Also situational sparring was great, like starting from deep half guard or from the back. Get well soon!
I wear athletic shorts and a tshirt basically everyday and basically every time I roll no gi. I live in Texas so maybe it's more common due to the heat. With that being said I train in gi as well just to see a different side to the game.
William Wright I also live in Texas, and I wear a coat about one day out of the year. In fact, if you're wearing a hoodie and it's not December or January, I'm probably going to find you slightly suspicious and try to stay away from you anyway, LOL.
You'll be pretty well prepared if you go anywhere north of where you are then. Where I live, it's cold 9 months out of the year and drops 40 degrees between day and night in the summer (usually doesn't exceed 100 degrees), so we wear hoodies and coats year round up here. I like both for the sport and think that both are equally applicable for self-defense. :)
No gi training for street should be in shorts and t shirt (i live in FL). Winter months maybe convert to gi as jackets and sweaters are more common, but ripping jackets and sweaters every class is expensive.
A part of me wishes there were modernized gis, made from the same material as regular gis but resembling normal clothing more closely. I'm also annoyed by the belt getting untied all the time etc., a litle bit of innovation wouldn't hurt I think.
Im a white belt noob bit wearing a gi puts me in a good mindset for the task or class at hand kind of like a buisness man going to a conference..i love the gi
I have a homemade wrestling mat in my garage, and my roommate & I roll pretty often. It's a lot of fun. I'm training him in self defense so I focus more on real world scenarios and sometimes we train no gi, but most times we are doing ground fighting we are in Gi. I've told him not to grab fabric as tempting as it is. When we go to dojo and play Jitsu it's fine in class, but when we are training self defense we grab the body not fabric. We wear the gi honestly so we don't wear our normal clothes out, we don't get rash, don't sweat on each other, and don't grind our elbows and knees off. They are very practical even if you focus on not grabbing fabric, and offer more protection than rash guards. Plus they look cool, and we all know that is what it's truly all about.
No gi does not represent spandex Chewie. The point of no gi is that all your grips should focus on the limbs and body of a person. Everyone you fight may not have a fabric but they have limbs and body that you can grab on.
This is the most concise answer to this recent discussion I think I have ever heard. At me academy we will do "street clothes" day and you would be surprised how many things translate from the Gi. I assure you that I can loop choke or play spider in a dude wearing a flannel or buton up shirt.
Been in Martial Arts 31 years now and sometimes I train in street clothes because you do need that experience... but for me the gi is a mindset ... when you go out you dress up to feel good... I wear the gi to prepare to roll and tao remind me that it is a training roll... the formality reminds me to embody the right things for those that learn from me and keeps me in touch with my beginnings in the presence of those I learn from (which can be anyone either way at any moment if your doing things right btw) it also provides a training aid... helping those who are learning (i.e. hey grab here) and creating a new challenge for those who already know (okay this is now easy; get creative and stop it anyway)
I started training BJJ after being introduced to it from MMA, so naturally I wasn't a fan of the gi. In the meantime I kinda came around on that and now I prefer the gi, though that might be just a habit thing because we only do no-gi once a week. It may also be because it's less physically demanding if you can use grips to slow things down, otherwise you need to be faster and more explosive to pull things off.
From my experience, it seems that the gi is better for learning defense and no-gi for learning offense. This is not always the case, but most of the time it is. In general, when you're playing offense you're trying to control someone. For example, you could be trying to submit them (with an arm bar, triangle, kimura, choke, etc.), or you could be trying to obtain or hold a position. Both of these require you to control the movement of your opponent. But when you're in a defensive position, generally the goal is more so to stop your opponent from controlling you. This usually requires you to create space and release the hold, whether it be a submission or a position, that your opponent has on you. Therefore, since you have sleeves, a collar, a belt, and long pants to hold onto during Gi training, you're less likely to be better at offense, but more likely to be better at defense, then the guy who trains without a Gi. Therefore, I do think that no-gi is more practical for the average self-defense situation, and here's why: Most people that are going to attack you on the street will not have much experience in the world of the BJJ. And since they do not have much experience in the world of the BJJ, if you are forced to get into a physical confrontation with them you are likely to only be in defense mode for a split second. Very soon after they begin to attack your instinct will be to go on offense in order to neutralize the threat. And since you'll be on offense, you won't necessarily be all that concerned about needing to stop them from controlling you, but rather you will be concerned about controlling them so that you can finish the fight in whatever manner you see fit. If you are used to training in a Gi (in which case you have cloth to grab onto and more friction to grip your opponent), but they're wearing shorts and a T-shirt your moves are going to be less effective. But if you train in no-Gi, your moves will be just as effective as they were in the gym where everyone was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Now, if the perp is wearing long sleeve's and long pants, then training in no gi may not help more than training in Gi, but it definitely doesn't hurt. After all, if you're used to controlling guys with far less friction. Of course, none of this really matters all that much because if you've got two years of intense training and the other guys got none he's in for a hell of a night no matter what outfit you train in, lol.
Matthew Schmidt Totally agree. However as I described in my other comment under this video the experiment we did at our gym, no gi only guys tend to get locked up badly when being grabbed by the clothes. So I would suggest to train in both gi and no gi to get all the bases covered.
As a surgeon, I get to work in "pajamas." I did have a conformation one time at the hospital. Scrubs were a very good loose clothing for that :-) Thanks, I enjoy your channel.
Train for your intentions. Want to do gi sport comps train in a gi, want to do no gi comps train in spatz, want to train for strikes etc. If you train for sport it will help you if a street fight. But if you are fighting in the street you need to train for fighting in the street.
I mainly trained in Filipino martial arts, and wrestled in highschool. I plan on taking up bjj and kickboxing, coming up soon in my early 40's I'm open minded to learn with a gi
Also, many people (myself included) train no-gi in VERY unrealistic ways. If you train no gi for self defense and you are mainly doing sport techniques then something is missing. If you are not includung strikes, something is missing. If you don't train on grass and occasionally in a parking lot then something is missing. All of these ideas need to be thought about if training for self defense. You WILL adjust your techniques when these ideas are put to practice.
I train in the GI and when a new person comes in without a GI and wants to roll, I have to think longer because I catch myself going for grips that aren't there. I think that's why it's important to train both. GI is definitely worthwhile though. You'd be surprised at how much easier it is to submit someone when you know how to choke them with their shirt.
After doing BJJ for twenty five years I can appreciate both. There are definitely some valuable self-defense skills that can be gleaned from Gi training. That said, I mostly hit the mat in my spandex nowadays simply because I enjoy it more.
I said this on the last video as well (about the gi) but i think i'll mention it again. I understand what the beef people have with the gi is, but i think it's unnecessary. It is true that if you train to only grab the body of someone then your techniques will work everywhere, rather than in a specific clothing setting. But, training woth the gi isn't unrealistic. Especially if you're training for self defense, learning how to grapple with and manipulate the gi is very helpful. Of course you're unlikely to be attacked by someone in a gi, and if you are they probably took three weeks of karate classes and is no threat to you. But there is a sort of western equivilant to the kimono, that being the jacket. Any technique (this doesn't even always mean choke or throw, it also means just grappling in general) can be performed on someone with a jacket. Furthermore they can even be used against people with just shirts. Just because in no gi grappling you can't grab the shirt doesn't mean irl you can't, and knowing how to control someone using their clothing is incredibly helpful. Even if you're just clinching, if you understand how to control someone's arms and shoulders just by grabbing certain areas of their clothing you have a much bigger advantage than if you just know moh wait i'm not allowed to grab the shirt, better rest my arm on his shoulder'. That's effectively the short version of why i think the go gets too much hate. It's like saying 'we shouldn't learn physics! Because in real life the numbers aren't that accurate and this happens and this won't happen', people look at moves and they save it like a picture and if you can't replicate that exact picture then they asume the technique doesn't work. An Okuri Eri Jime (lapel strangle) still works on someone in a t shirt, just because they're not wearing a gi doesn't mean the techniques don't work it just keans they need to be adapted. I hate the term 'gi specific' because it's like having a master key, fitting it to one door and saying 'this key only works on this door, i'm not even gonna try it on the other doors, i'm just gonna throw it away'. Or, even if you disagree with the statement that 'gi specific' techniques work on t shirts as well it's then like having a key to a great room but throwing it away because the likelihood that you'll get to use it on that room is slightly less than 70%
my coach teaches us that both are good. one thing he did point out is that the dealing with the friction between the gi and the mat makes yoo much faster in a no gi situation. that friction makes you stronger and faster.
Coach James clingerman got me to change my position on this almost immediately by noting how much harder it is to roll in a gi versus no gi. In gi I could submit people all day and wearing a Gi causes me to have to think a lot more. Everything that you can do and no gi, you can do in gi, but the opposite is not a true statement. Also, everyone wears clothes. You could use someone's t-shirt to do a lapel choke.
While I prefer no-gi, the gi is more realistic in the sense it imitates "regular" clothes better having a stiff collar, actual "pants", vs just spandex. But both is great. I totally understand and appreciate the point of this video of "why does it matter what you train?".
You are also learning to defend your own clothing from being used against you. Even if the opponent takes off their shirt before a fight you might have yours on. Gi training helps you break grips or use wrist locks to defend.
He's right. Personally, I don't think bjj is ultimately super cut out for self-defense, no matter gi or no gi. It certainly helps you a lot in fight, I believe. That's very true considering there could be a huge difference in knowledge of grappling with your opponent. And yes, many times the fights are on the ground. Yet,when will you ever fight a guy one on one in open space with relatively soft ground surface? And we bjj players are not used to defend against strikes also. What if the opponent has weapons? What if many guys gang up on you? What about all-out war? What if it happens on cemented ground? Or rooftops? Nevertheless, you probably wouldn't feel like losing against some typical guys who are not into martial arts. That's probably enough. No-gi more practical? Maybe. But again, depends on the situation. Your opponent most likely wears belt, yea? but no sleeves if it's summer. Half pants? Long pants? Tight pants? Loose pants? Tight shirt? Sturdy kind? All that matters... the best thing is, just don't fight outside dojos. Haha
I train gi but I usually try to focus on locks and chokes that don't use the GI. I also try not to use the GI for handles when we roll. I still learn the other stuff b/c I like the sport aspect of it. Frankly, I don't get in many fights...I'm 6'3" and 250, if a guy really wants to fight me, then I know I prob don't want to fight him!
Good message. I train and compete entirely no gi. I simply do not like the gi. I certainly don't knock people for training in the gi if that's what they like. I always wonder why it becomes a gi vs no gi trash talk thing. Probably ego.
Im all for gi’s but maybe limit lapel chokes if you want to be realistic. I feel like most clothing in real life circumstance would rip under that kind of durress.
I could be mistaken but I thought the gi originated as "training attire" to mimic "daily attire" (back in the day men wore suits or a "working man's equivalent" which still incorporated a coat of some sort...all the time). The gi could serve as a training tool as it had all the same grab points that a suit or overcoat would. Just a theory, if you have research that proves me wrong - post it! I'd love to know the true original purpose. Chewy points out several advantages of gi and soldiers especially should do part of their training with gi because they have the same grab points as most long-sleeved uniforms.
Actually you are more correct than you think, the gi wasn't inspired by suits or coats but by...kimonos. Back around 1900 the kimono (and its lighter version, the yukata) was still used as daily formal attire by a significant number of people, though it had already started losing popularity to western clothing (around 1850 schoolboys and many public employees switched to western clothing as uniforms, but it took much longer for girls). So yeah, the gi was simply a formal attire, reinforced for training judo.
Both Gi and no Gi have their merits. I think it's silly and unneccessary to debate which is more "realistic" because they both aren't and at the end of the day it's a tossup. Why not do both? Besides, some things are just there for identification and tradition, and that's not a negative thing. Many activities have uniforms attached to them that nobody questions. The moment you walk in and put on your Gi, you leave your casual, everyday self behind and immerse yourself in the mindset and environment of training. I like that. Also, I like the Gi in Karate because bare knuckle punches can really sore and cut the skin and the Gi jacket works as a cushion against that.
Gi is a training stimulation of what everyday people wear outside the mat, like for example most people wears collar shirts, polo shirts, jackets and or sweaters with hoodies, like for example you have assailants that wear jackets, hoody sweatshirts, those can be used as leverage to gain a upper hand against the assailants, that’s why in Bjj we train with gis.
I love wearing my gi it’s badass. I can see where people want no gi for self defense purposes but I just try to have fun because self defense is about having a set of strategy’s and using them effectively and adapting to changing conditions to give you a higher probability of overcoming your opponent but in reality no matter how hard you train their is always going to be people that are just better or get you in a position where your skills are at a disadvantage. Being a warrior is about the willingness to fight and defend others not being some badass who thinks he’s going to just beast everyone and every situation they come across and never lose cause that’s unrealistic movie shit.
my main 3 reason when someone says something like that: 1-this is a martial art, in combat you have to wear clothes, unless you are rambo 2-more hygenic , you can whipe the sweat , evoid those oponent sweat drops on my face, dont leave the mat a sleepery mess, and the instructor can see if your cleaning and groooooming STENNNNDERRSSS are acording to a jiu jitero. 3-more techniques.
I live in Idaho. We wear coats 10 months out of the year. Gi techniques work great here unless you get in a fight in the shower at the local health club. :)
Personally, I love the gi. I feel like when I train no-gi the more athletic person always wins. I wrestled a couple years but I have a friend who is also a no-stripe white belt who wrestled 8 years and went to state twice and now does distance races at the collegiate level. He only trains no-gi. We both know that I know my jiujitsu a bit better than he knows his, but the fact is he is just faster than me, finds better angles than me, has more grappling experience than me, and uses that edge to win. I’ve maybe submitted him once or twice and I’ve lost count of how many times he’s submitted me. That’s fine and we are friends so it’s all good, but when I go train gi against people like that, the gi slows both of us down, and when I roll with another white belt at a similar skill level, it feels like more often it’s the one of us who has been training a bit more consistently or has been studying videos at home that comes out on top. Not always whoever runs the fastest sprints or has the most previous experience in another discipline. Also, I think gis look badass. Especially some of the cleaner designs.
I train exclusively nogi but that's my personal choice. I have no issue with the gi or with people who train in the gi and I imagine there are things to learn from the gi. I don't know why people would think the gi is unrealistic. I also don't know why you equate nogi training with people in the street wearing spandex lol.
Will you do a review of gis for girls (women) im new to the Jitsu journey and my gym only sells the unisex, there are so many options out there that only the sizes are so different like A-3 to F-1 etc, etc Thank you in advance
Love your.videos.chewy keep.doing what your doing. I was biased about the GI, NoGi argument for awhile but.now I feel like if you don't know some GI stuff or at least the basics jiu jitsu isn't as fun. I trained NoGI from 2010-2012 but now training without the GI seems empty love the GI also like NoGI gotta have both.
Here in Central California it is very simple. We have days where it's well over 100 degrees. At that point the gi is stupid. Get rid of it. Other days the temperature is around 20 degrees. Time to wear the gi. If you can find a tripple weave then wear it
I think gi is useful becuz I notice my grip strength got stronger however choking people out with collar doesn't seem realistic to me. I kno people say u can alway use there shirt or jacket but it's still feels very different. No gi makes u comfortable whether u wear shirt or not it won't bother them
Well said, its kinda strange how people are drawing that line. Why not train both? Wrestling with a gi and without a gi is hard in both ways. Either way if youre training for realism, you wont get the full benefit of it unless youre wearing neither and your partner is holding back on you with punches/kicks/potential knife in their pockets
I like to train with 3 socks on. Two on my feet. That's it though. I do all of my training in my grandmas garage. Just me, myself, and my socks. I would put my training methods up against any gym.
Haha! My buddy who does "No Gi" always tells me "Let me know when you get into a fight with someone who's wearing un rip able pajamas" He tells me not to fall for the belt up crap, but I like the spirit of tradition.
You can do gi chokes and such without a gi... Its just that it would kinda suck if your clothes got torn all the time. A 'Gi choke' is just a choke that would break your clothes all the time.
For self defense, no-gi has the advantage of preparing you for anyone -- as long as they have four limbs and a neck -- while training with the gi allows you to be more effective by leveraging your opponent's (and your's) clothing against them, maximizing your effectiveness, which can be a life saver for a woman, older people or generally less physically apt people. I think no-gi demands more athleticism, and therefore it may not be the most suitable for everyone.
I've always thought that BJJ might be better-served by a Taekwondo style gi ("dobok" for them), V-neck so it wouldn't get quite so disheveled all the time. Especially since most BJJ gi are shorter in length than Judo gis. Still heavyweight, just make it a pullover style. Random thought for the day!
I enjoy the Gi cause it's harder to roll with it than with a rashguard, and the core strength is much more trained that way. It's good for the conditioning.
I feel like people who prefer no gi over gi prefer checkers over chess. I do both but there is a higher since of awareness with the gi. They both are great for self defense and there is a reason it's always the same side complaining.
So true. I see people who train purely gi slaughter the purely no-gi players pretty regularly in tournaments. Best to train both, imo. Anyway, it's more fun to shake the game up and learn new things.
Where does MMA fit into this discussion? And you're commenting to two people who train both. There's no disdain for no-gi here. Still Rolling was comparing the level of complexity between the two parts of Jiu-Jitsu. There's a reason the ranks only transfer from gi to no-gi, but not vice versa.
Not as many as you think. lol The vast majority train BJJ for self-defense and as a hobby. Not a lot of people care to get into the cage, not a lot of BJJ practitioners are 18-24 years old, and not a lot really even compete in BJJ by itself. In my gym alone, out of 300 people, only 1/4 compete in BJJ, and only 3 people fight in MMA. It's a very typical sample.
Agreed. And this is true for both. Much of what we practice in BJJ isn't realistic for a fight situation. It's used to fight against a grappler vs grappler situation. And that's fine by me. For those who've fought and used BJJ to control or finish the fight. Then it's understood the techniques needed shrink down massively to a handful rather than hundreds.
People who are best at no gi at each belt always seem to be huge athletic monsters, gi is so we can slow them down a bit and (try) to get technical. Try to wrestle a bear in a t-shirt and and you get a sense of what moving to a mostly no gi club is like after you've been at a mostly gi club for a few years. Just personal experience :)
The only argument that I could admit is correct is that “no gi” style bjj is applicable anytime no matter what. But “Gi” bjj is applicable only when there’s a Gi or clothing. And in some situations a shirt could be pulled off in a fight. And In many situations your opponent on the street may be wearing shorts.. even basketball shorts & those wouldn’t be ideal for a Gi bjj technique
Wish you could have given a more objective outlook. The Gi can train you to grab and break grips on your clothes, but its not good if you become dependent on those grips like a lot of judoka. It’s not about being “realistic” spandex makes you more dependent on techniques that work with or with out clothes to grip, making the techniques more reliable. The Gi has its benefits, train in both.
I train both gi and no gi. TBH I find both fun and useful. I've learned to have better defense with my gi. Yet, no go I've learned alot that can't be learned with the gi. Both are good.
Back in the day no gi meant a t-shirt and shorts. No gi with a rashy is more realistic than gi, particularly if it is a short sleeved rashy, in that there is little to rely on/grab for to assist one in control or submission in a real life situation. No gi carries over to Gi, gi training does not do the same.
Qoute from above "I find it interesting how divisive people are about every little subject. Instead of live and let live, and being open to the possibility that they might not be right about everything. People want to draw a line in the sand and bark across the people on the other side." Im new to this sport and i hate the gi to be honest but its what makes the sport. im a white belt with a a5 gi that weighs near 100 lbs after i roll or it seems. even the 160lbs fighters say the same, most likely due to fatigue and not being use to it. The higher belts and a lot of coaches have told me its unnatural for your body now. Over time your muscle will grow and you will become comfortable to where its like wearing clothing you wont notice it. This has to be a millennial that got caught in a cross collar choke from full guard. lets change traditions because little johnny was to stupid to tap and he got put to sleep. Your gi is your uniform and should be worn with pride each time you wear it. If you dont like to train with the gi alt option is no gi if this doesn't work a 3rd option is go take your time and money and spend it else where.
Chewy this might be a stupid question, but... What's the best way to carry your mouth guard between roll and roll? Like is hard to keep it and talk to your buddies before you start the next roll
Trust me, if you're rolling no-gi with some strong dude who knows some submissions and how to defend against them, all those years of training with gi will feel like wasted time. Gi works against gi. But heavy and strong guys don't really gain anything by training with gi. See ADCC, the heavier guys are like bodybuilders as well as submission experts. Also don't forget that five non-bjj dudes won ADCC. Bjj with a gi is a wonderful art, but the majority of all locks and techniques will seem ineffective when the gi is removed.
Don't they teach certain Gi techniques (Spider guard, cross-collar chokes) in the military as some of them can be useful against someone who's wearing fatigues?
Mat are unrealistics too... we might train on the asphalt...
What a stupid comparison
R C LMAO
in fact you should discover than many jiujitsus moves are useless in asphalt
a EDC knife would be the ideal realistic, seriously a lot of the enthusiast martial artist I know eventually started learning Kali/Silat.... while arguing gi or no gi, comon when do you get into a fight and able to choose your outfit, unless you are competing in a tournament, which is also speaked by the rules unrealistically.
@@logicmr.8351 Yup, guy pushes you? Slice him up 🤦
To be ultra realistic we should train in jeans, T-shirt and a hoodie. However people would soon get pretty pissed off at having to buy new clothes after they get torn every session. If only there was something robust we could wear that wouldn't rip all the time......
stuart124 Here in Texas, you could drop the hoodie and just train in jeans and a T-shirt. We only wear hoodies like one week out of the year, LOL.
Here In Hawaii, all summer round. Yeah I totally agree with you. Even in November to December here, hardly any people wear coat. If i can really think about it, the only time i wear coat is at the movies. People here wear tank top and surf short(talking about guys). I mean occasionally we wear jeans/shorts. But we usually wear light clothing. I totally agree with you.
Different people train BJJ, or any martial arts for that matter, for different reasons so there is no right way or wrong way.
Sometimes that gi is simply an expression or symbol of club unity and people are honored to wear that uniform to represent their club whether it's at tournament or bragging to their friends who see the gi hanging in the closet. It's like backing your favorite sport team.
Or it could be just a question of honoring tradition and culture of that's the way it has been from when Maeda taught it to the first Brazilians and onward. Like Bostonians wearing green on St Patrick's day.
Some people train for specific tournament styles that may require a gi. Others might compete in MMA or only submission wrestling which doesn't require it. Again, it's a personal preference.
Some people train for self-defence and believe the gi represents a jacket, while others believe it's best to train to defend against anyone regardless of what they are wearing.
Arguing for or against the gi or no-gi is pointless because it's really an individual preference and ESPECIALLY your personal training objectives. Perhaps those who argue vehemently either way are looking for validation in the style they practice but it's not going to happen because it's like trying to argue your favorite flavor of ice cream -- it's only right for you.
Many people cite the split in BJJ styles - self defence or sport, gi or no-gi - as a negative thing but actually it gives people more choices.
We've done training sessions (mostly as a joke) in suits, jeans and all sorts of other clothing. And while it was a joke, one thing you learn is that if you have clothing on. Even a T shirt. . . it becomes a potential weapon to be used.
You would think, but I see kids walking around in hoodies year round here in Dallas....even in the hot summer! It boggles my mind...
Practicing jiu jitsu on mats is unrealistic. We need to replace mats with pavement to simulate street fighting conditions.
PogChamp
LemonNation legit !!! 😂😂😂
it’s sarcasm people...
your not the sharpest tool in the box @@guitarzarfun
@@conor-_C hes 100% correct id rather be working on my grappling then be covered in scrapes, cuts and rashs that can easily get infected from a sidewalk cement
From a self-defense point of view:
The Gi resembles the clothes that people wore in Japan back in the day. I suppose that's why they used the gi... to be ready to fight someone wearing those types of clothes.
Nowadays:
Gi and Gi Pants= someone wearing a jacket, also many people wear pants/jeans
NoGi= someone wearing shorts and a t-shirt or no shirt at all
My point is.... be ready for any opponent practice both!
Never count on your opponents clothing to decide which technique you use.
JusTAfighter why? If you can use it to your advantage why wouldn't you?
Mark Rodriguez True
Quick story: my old MMA coach was also a part time bouncer. He would do the door at a fancy wine bar. One night, some guy was really drunk and wanted in and my coach turned him away. Drunkard gets pissed and scuffles with my coach. At some point, the drunkard grabs my coaches waist coat and in the melee manages to pull it over his head. Luckily my coach was able to punch him near his groin which made the guy let go.
My coach said it was scary because he couldn't get the guy to break his grip and he was effectively blinded. He said he wish he'd known how to break someone's grip on his waist coat.
Don't underestimate training with the gi. Might save your life someday.
@topgmindset4122 are you assuming that people always get a chance to take off their jacket before a fight?
All you have to do is what I do. I always carry 2 Gis with me in the case that a fight breaks out. They say, let's take this outside so I say hold on one sec. Pull the gi out and tell them to put it on first. This way it's just like class. Problem solved
don't forget to call in a random bystander to referee the fight and possibly call points as well, depending on the agreed ruleset.
on a slightly more serious sidenote, this may have interesting results as a defusion strategy
mike smith
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You sir made me laugh xD Thanks.
You might even make a friend out of this. Dude might have just had a bad day, and took his aggression a little to far.
Women in yoga pants can be pretty dangerous. Still, I'm ready to roll with them. No gi because I'm training to fight surfers.
I agree with what you said, but one of the main arguments for practicing without gi is that you can still apply no gi techniques to someone wearing a coat or a thick shirt (minus the friction), but if you only train gi and rely on gi grips, you can get a little confused if the agressor is in shorts and t-shirt. Another argument not mentioned here is that training in gi involves a lot more possibilities (grips, controls, submissions, etc.) and therefore a lot more work to learn about those possibilities, even though we might never use them in the end. Great channel though Chewy.
Remember that even if you decide not to use grips in a real fight, your opponent may and usually choose to grip your clothes. This will cause a lot of trouble unless you have trained in Gi and know how to break these grips. To check that we have done an experiment at our gym. Recently we had a visiting dude, who was quite experienced, but done no gi only. He agreed to perform an experiment by wearing a gi and sparring against a white belt guy, who wasn't wearing a gi. He got completely locked up by a white belt and could do nothing because he had no idea how to deal with the grips.
Training with and without a gi are two facets of the same game and both teach different things. Gi teaches dealing with the grips and improves defense as all escapes have to be done taking into account all the additional friction (you can't rely on sweaty and slippery body for successful escape). Also allows for more types of chokes. No gi teaches attacking with no grips available and generally improves the speed.
Simply do both !!!
Training in the gi also lowers the athletic playing field when rolling so that strength and speed are not as large of an advantage.
Adam Turowski this is genuinely the best argument i have heard in favor of the gi...
That's a very perceptive point Adam Turowski. I will remember this. :) I also think it's best to be able to do both.
Learning to break Gi grips does not take long, you hardly need to train for months to become proficient. Unless your attacker is also skilled in gi BJJ...
training in gi = too much laundry
weisbrot BRUH. WE GET EACH OTHER.
weisbrot fair reasoning.
LOL! And avoid accidents of turning your white gi pink like judo legend, Gene LeBell.
Triva on Gene LeBell (from wikipedia): "[His] pink colored judogi became a trademark of LeBell and was a result of a laundry mixup while preparing for a competition in Japan. A pair of red shorts were mixed into the laundry that contained his Gi and turned the uniform a shade of pink. He was set to compete the following day, and being a Saturday evening when he received the now colored uniform, he had to compete in the pink uniform."
u dont wash ur rashguard??? yuck
idk how you inferred that. my point is a rashguard is roughly 1/10 of the size of a gi
I did Judo for a minute years ago. The old judo sensi had used a cross collar choke on a young guy at a bar who had slapped a woman at the bar. The guy wasn't wearing a Gi, he had on a hoodie.
I wouldn't say that a gi is not realistic or that no-gi is, but I would say that no-gi is more versatile as you are not depending on clothing grips. This make you more prepared to handle someone no matter how they're dressed.
What a stupid thing to say
@@Daddy_Bear_722 What a reductive, useless reply.
But if you only train no gi and a guy grabs your clothing you won't no how to grip fight it's best to learn both
Arm drags and stuff like that is different when clothing is involved
You can lapel choke someone even if they wear t shirt.. and 99.9 % of ppl are going dressed
I train in GI, but I understand NOGI is obviously more applicable to a street fight. Not because people walk around in "spandex", but you may not always have the grips of a jacket or loose pants in a street fight, and the grips in NOGI can be used in any situation.
Can grips in no-gi be used when your assailant is dripping from head-to-toe with olive oil? They CAN'T.
hahahahahahahaha
KillerSalmon simple fix: don’t work in an olive oil factory
For the most part i agree with you, but even if you opponent doesmt have anything to grip onto, you might be wearing a thick coat/hoodie/jacket and thick pants then you will susceptible to having your cloths grabbed and used against you, as would happen while wearing a gi. Of course offensively no gi grips can be applied in any situation so best to be prepared for anything
Agree 100% and you learn valuable lessons from both. I loved no gi at first and then fell in love with gi training. now I can't see BJJ without both.
No gi submissive grappling with techniques of BJJ, Collegiate wrestling, Judo, Sambo, Catch wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling etc. is the future. Basically Mixed Matial Grappling Arts.
No gi is more realistic because you don't have to rely on someone attacking you while wearing a jacket, only body leverage which is applicable whether someone is naked, wearing a jacket or anywhere in between. The gi is outdated, I wish there were no gi Judo classes I would sign up in an instant.
It's just a bummer that if you want to train no-gi there are generally less options.
Exactly this. I think this is the reason I get annoyed with the gi. I think since the gi is established and has a belt progression system it's just a better business model. I mean maybe some day there will be a 10th planet in every city but until then it's slim pickens on no gi schools.
DorjeDriftwood
Meh. When you roll, you can still act as if they have no GI and use no GI grips if you're that concerned.
most accademies do some kind of no-gi though, like 1-2 per week, though yes, they do focus on gi, which i don't mind. Imo gi = more options = more fun (also less focus on athleticism and more on skill and knowledge).
We learn the same techs in gi that people learn in no-gi. If you want to grapple no-gi, you can simply remove the jacket.
Majority offer no gi these days, especially mma gyms of course
Training in rash guards was originally meant for MMA, that’s the whole reason Eddie bravo invented 10th planet. I think training in a Gi is good for street fights since it would replicate a jacket or a coat.
Yea but I wouldn't train BJJ to just be able to beat someone untrained on the street if that's motivation than cool. Things like this are why BJJ doesn't reach mainstream i knew a dude who didn't have hands and couldn't train in the Gi but could actually wrap dudes up and sweep them NoGi.
He's so right, I fought a lad about 50lbs heavier than me and if it wasn't for his coat collar I wouldn't have taken him down. Thanks to training in the gi
I think another version of this argument could be that some people's games rely on the various grips. While no gi relys more on natural handles that would be there more often, like behind the elbow etc. Trying to say that argument is that spandex is more realistic is disingenuous, no one is saying that spandex is more relevant. However alot of people are saying that if someone's game relys on the sleeve, collar or pants grips, then that could be a big problem if the person is wearing shorts and perhaps takes his shirt off to fight (which does happen alot). having a game that doesn't need the gi is in alot of situations going to be alot more applicable...
Applicable to what situation?
I believe what he's arguing is that the average person won't be wearing a singlet but assuming he's an average person, he'll have 2 arms, 2 legs and one head to work with as natural handles. If he's missing a piece he's not much of a hand to hand combat threat to begin with (heaven forbid he's missing his head).
Yes precisely... however I saw an argument in the below threads worth mentioning, someone stated that just because you don't use the grips, doesn't mean they won't be used on you in a real situation and thus preparing for them is still relevant. To me this is the strongest argument I have heard. in terms of using the gi as a weapon for chokes sweeps etc. that is great as long as the person ur engaging with has the appropriate clothing on at the time of the engagement. it's best to train both gi and no gi, however if I had to pick 1 thing to train, it's def no gi... Firas Zahabi calls it universal jiujutsu and it to him represents techniques that work with or without the gi... I see alot of games especially in the ibjjf competitors that are all about the grips (watch the breakdown of Roger Gracie vs Buchecha for an example) while I think it is badass and these guys are amazing, I prefer to train jiujutsu that directly translates to other things like mma etc. Cheers!
If you’re new to bjj, you should train gi first. It’s a slower pace so you can get your technique better and helps your grip strength. If you don’t like it overtime it’s much easier to transition to nogi than the other way around
When rolling in the gi, try switching from using grips, to grabbing the various body handles. No reason to limit your training because of your clothing.
We don't. Just because we're wearing gi's doesn't mean we don't learn exactly the same techniques you learn.
Wll you cannot be sure that your opponent is going to wear a jacket to your liking, but you can be relatively sure he will have two arms, two legs and a neck. If he has less all the better?
Chewie, I have had a fracture on my ribs that have forced me to take time of bjj for almost 4 months, now I´m terrified to go back to training and fracture it again. Any tips on how I could get back in a safe way and I would love to see you do a video about your gym workouts to build streanght and avoid injuries. Thank you for a great channel!
kalesia A I was in the same boat I was out about two months I just went to my coach and told him I wanted to learn but not get hurt so we decided no more rolling with white belts they always go too hard
kalesia A i have a few if you wish. Had the same issue, so i didnt roll for the first month when i got back, i just did drills and to be honest it really stepped my game up.
When i started rolling i gave up a lot of position because i didnt want to be taken down hard after the injury, so i started by just sitting down and working my guard and leglocks. Also situational sparring was great, like starting from deep half guard or from the back. Get well soon!
Thanks appriciate the tips!
you are right sir, we should always be open to possibility. both approaches are good and we definitely need to think outside the box
I wear athletic shorts and a tshirt basically everyday and basically every time I roll no gi. I live in Texas so maybe it's more common due to the heat. With that being said I train in gi as well just to see a different side to the game.
William Wright I also live in Texas, and I wear a coat about one day out of the year. In fact, if you're wearing a hoodie and it's not December or January, I'm probably going to find you slightly suspicious and try to stay away from you anyway, LOL.
You'll be pretty well prepared if you go anywhere north of where you are then. Where I live, it's cold 9 months out of the year and drops 40 degrees between day and night in the summer (usually doesn't exceed 100 degrees), so we wear hoodies and coats year round up here. I like both for the sport and think that both are equally applicable for self-defense. :)
No gi training for street should be in shorts and t shirt (i live in FL). Winter months maybe convert to gi as jackets and sweaters are more common, but ripping jackets and sweaters every class is expensive.
A part of me wishes there were modernized gis, made from the same material as regular gis but resembling normal clothing more closely. I'm also annoyed by the belt getting untied all the time etc., a litle bit of innovation wouldn't hurt I think.
Im a white belt noob bit wearing a gi puts me in a good mindset for the task or class at hand kind of like a buisness man going to a conference..i love the gi
I have a homemade wrestling mat in my garage, and my roommate & I roll pretty often. It's a lot of fun. I'm training him in self defense so I focus more on real world scenarios and sometimes we train no gi, but most times we are doing ground fighting we are in Gi. I've told him not to grab fabric as tempting as it is. When we go to dojo and play Jitsu it's fine in class, but when we are training self defense we grab the body not fabric. We wear the gi honestly so we don't wear our normal clothes out, we don't get rash, don't sweat on each other, and don't grind our elbows and knees off. They are very practical even if you focus on not grabbing fabric, and offer more protection than rash guards. Plus they look cool, and we all know that is what it's truly all about.
No gi does not represent spandex Chewie. The point of no gi is that all your grips should focus on the limbs and body of a person. Everyone you fight may not have a fabric but they have limbs and body that you can grab on.
Everyone should train gi and no gi tho.
I know this. The spandex part was a generalization. Just like people's disregard for the gi being useless, unrealistic is a generalization.
Chewjitsu I agree. Everyone should train what they want, but saying the other form is unrealistic is dumb.
Us cyclists wear spandex all the time, better watch out bitchez!
DW, gents. I will show you an excellent double wheel takedown that will work gi or no gi.
spykez spykez I can show you a takedown with my car
lolz, yep take downs are what we're after. We need it on the ground because our shoes make our striking game useless.
This is the most concise answer to this recent discussion I think I have ever heard. At me academy we will do "street clothes" day and you would be surprised how many things translate from the Gi. I assure you that I can loop choke or play spider in a dude wearing a flannel or buton up shirt.
Been in Martial Arts 31 years now and sometimes I train in street clothes because you do need that experience... but for me the gi is a mindset ... when you go out you dress up to feel good... I wear the gi to prepare to roll and tao remind me that it is a training roll... the formality reminds me to embody the right things for those that learn from me and keeps me in touch with my beginnings in the presence of those I learn from (which can be anyone either way at any moment if your doing things right btw) it also provides a training aid... helping those who are learning (i.e. hey grab here) and creating a new challenge for those who already know (okay this is now easy; get creative and stop it anyway)
I started training BJJ after being introduced to it from MMA, so naturally I wasn't a fan of the gi. In the meantime I kinda came around on that and now I prefer the gi, though that might be just a habit thing because we only do no-gi once a week. It may also be because it's less physically demanding if you can use grips to slow things down, otherwise you need to be faster and more explosive to pull things off.
From my experience, it seems that the gi is better for learning defense and no-gi for learning offense. This is not always the case, but most of the time it is.
In general, when you're playing offense you're trying to control someone. For example, you could be trying to submit them (with an arm bar, triangle, kimura, choke, etc.), or you could be trying to obtain or hold a position. Both of these require you to control the movement of your opponent.
But when you're in a defensive position, generally the goal is more so to stop your opponent from controlling you. This usually requires you to create space and release the hold, whether it be a submission or a position, that your opponent has on you.
Therefore, since you have sleeves, a collar, a belt, and long pants to hold onto during Gi training, you're less likely to be better at offense, but more likely to be better at defense, then the guy who trains without a Gi.
Therefore, I do think that no-gi is more practical for the average self-defense situation, and here's why:
Most people that are going to attack you on the street will not have much experience in the world of the BJJ. And since they do not have much experience in the world of the BJJ, if you are forced to get into a physical confrontation with them you are likely to only be in defense mode for a split second. Very soon after they begin to attack your instinct will be to go on offense in order to neutralize the threat. And since you'll be on offense, you won't necessarily be all that concerned about needing to stop them from controlling you, but rather you will be concerned about controlling them so that you can finish the fight in whatever manner you see fit.
If you are used to training in a Gi (in which case you have cloth to grab onto and more friction to grip your opponent), but they're wearing shorts and a T-shirt your moves are going to be less effective. But if you train in no-Gi, your moves will be just as effective as they were in the gym where everyone was wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
Now, if the perp is wearing long sleeve's and long pants, then training in no gi may not help more than training in Gi, but it definitely doesn't hurt. After all, if you're used to controlling guys with far less friction.
Of course, none of this really matters all that much because if you've got two years of intense training and the other guys got none he's in for a hell of a night no matter what outfit you train in, lol.
Matthew Schmidt Totally agree. However as I described in my other comment under this video the experiment we did at our gym, no gi only guys tend to get locked up badly when being grabbed by the clothes. So I would suggest to train in both gi and no gi to get all the bases covered.
We have a lot more chokes in our arsenal and can hit subs from positions that are impossible in no-gi. It expands the game a ton to train both. :)
As a surgeon, I get to work in "pajamas." I did have a conformation one time at the hospital. Scrubs were a very good loose clothing for that :-) Thanks, I enjoy your channel.
Train for your intentions. Want to do gi sport comps train in a gi, want to do no gi comps train in spatz, want to train for strikes etc. If you train for sport it will help you if a street fight. But if you are fighting in the street you need to train for fighting in the street.
I mainly trained in Filipino martial arts, and wrestled in highschool. I plan on taking up bjj and kickboxing, coming up soon in my early 40's I'm open minded to learn with a gi
Also, many people (myself included) train no-gi in VERY unrealistic ways. If you train no gi for self defense and you are mainly doing sport techniques then something is missing. If you are not includung strikes, something is missing. If you don't train on grass and occasionally in a parking lot then something is missing. All of these ideas need to be thought about if training for self defense. You WILL adjust your techniques when these ideas are put to practice.
Exactly right. Never seen anyone running around in straight spandex outside of class.
In New England we wear coats for like 2/3s of the year. Train Gi and no Gi, they are both useful in different situations.
I train in the GI and when a new person comes in without a GI and wants to roll, I have to think longer because I catch myself going for grips that aren't there. I think that's why it's important to train both.
GI is definitely worthwhile though. You'd be surprised at how much easier it is to submit someone when you know how to choke them with their shirt.
After doing BJJ for twenty five years I can appreciate both. There are definitely some valuable self-defense skills that can be gleaned from Gi training. That said, I mostly hit the mat in my spandex nowadays simply because I enjoy it more.
I said this on the last video as well (about the gi) but i think i'll mention it again.
I understand what the beef people have with the gi is, but i think it's unnecessary.
It is true that if you train to only grab the body of someone then your techniques will work everywhere, rather than in a specific clothing setting.
But, training woth the gi isn't unrealistic. Especially if you're training for self defense, learning how to grapple with and manipulate the gi is very helpful. Of course you're unlikely to be attacked by someone in a gi, and if you are they probably took three weeks of karate classes and is no threat to you. But there is a sort of western equivilant to the kimono, that being the jacket. Any technique (this doesn't even always mean choke or throw, it also means just grappling in general) can be performed on someone with a jacket. Furthermore they can even be used against people with just shirts. Just because in no gi grappling you can't grab the shirt doesn't mean irl you can't, and knowing how to control someone using their clothing is incredibly helpful. Even if you're just clinching, if you understand how to control someone's arms and shoulders just by grabbing certain areas of their clothing you have a much bigger advantage than if you just know moh wait i'm not allowed to grab the shirt, better rest my arm on his shoulder'.
That's effectively the short version of why i think the go gets too much hate. It's like saying 'we shouldn't learn physics! Because in real life the numbers aren't that accurate and this happens and this won't happen', people look at moves and they save it like a picture and if you can't replicate that exact picture then they asume the technique doesn't work. An Okuri Eri Jime (lapel strangle) still works on someone in a t shirt, just because they're not wearing a gi doesn't mean the techniques don't work it just keans they need to be adapted.
I hate the term 'gi specific' because it's like having a master key, fitting it to one door and saying 'this key only works on this door, i'm not even gonna try it on the other doors, i'm just gonna throw it away'. Or, even if you disagree with the statement that 'gi specific' techniques work on t shirts as well it's then like having a key to a great room but throwing it away because the likelihood that you'll get to use it on that room is slightly less than 70%
my coach teaches us that both are good. one thing he did point out is that the dealing with the friction between the gi and the mat makes yoo much faster in a no gi situation. that friction makes you stronger and faster.
Coach James clingerman got me to change my position on this almost immediately by noting how much harder it is to roll in a gi versus no gi. In gi I could submit people all day and wearing a Gi causes me to have to think a lot more. Everything that you can do and no gi, you can do in gi, but the opposite is not a true statement. Also, everyone wears clothes. You could use someone's t-shirt to do a lapel choke.
While I prefer no-gi, the gi is more realistic in the sense it imitates "regular" clothes better having a stiff collar, actual "pants", vs just spandex. But both is great. I totally understand and appreciate the point of this video of "why does it matter what you train?".
At the end of the day gi’s look cool as hell. Besides, it makes me feel like a ninja. I’m obsessed with Gi’s :)
You are also learning to defend your own clothing from being used against you. Even if the opponent takes off their shirt before a fight you might have yours on. Gi training helps you break grips or use wrist locks to defend.
Fair enough. But gyms really need to focus a lot more on takedowns and not boot scooting and pulling guard. Too many gyms don’t teach takedowns.
He's right. Personally, I don't think bjj is ultimately super cut out for self-defense, no matter gi or no gi. It certainly helps you a lot in fight, I believe. That's very true considering there could be a huge difference in knowledge of grappling with your opponent. And yes, many times the fights are on the ground. Yet,when will you ever fight a guy one on one in open space with relatively soft ground surface? And we bjj players are not used to defend against strikes also. What if the opponent has weapons? What if many guys gang up on you? What about all-out war? What if it happens on cemented ground? Or rooftops?
Nevertheless, you probably wouldn't feel like losing against some typical guys who are not into martial arts. That's probably enough. No-gi more practical? Maybe. But again, depends on the situation. Your opponent most likely wears belt, yea? but no sleeves if it's summer. Half pants? Long pants? Tight pants? Loose pants? Tight shirt? Sturdy kind? All that matters... the best thing is, just don't fight outside dojos. Haha
I train gi but I usually try to focus on locks and chokes that don't use the GI. I also try not to use the GI for handles when we roll. I still learn the other stuff b/c I like the sport aspect of it. Frankly, I don't get in many fights...I'm 6'3" and 250, if a guy really wants to fight me, then I know I prob don't want to fight him!
Good message. I train and compete entirely no gi. I simply do not like the gi. I certainly don't knock people for training in the gi if that's what they like. I always wonder why it becomes a gi vs no gi trash talk thing. Probably ego.
I agree, but training with a Go really does destroy your fingers over the years.
Im all for gi’s but maybe limit lapel chokes if you want to be realistic. I feel like most clothing in real life circumstance would rip under that kind of durress.
I could be mistaken but I thought the gi originated as "training attire" to mimic "daily attire" (back in the day men wore suits or a "working man's equivalent" which still incorporated a coat of some sort...all the time). The gi could serve as a training tool as it had all the same grab points that a suit or overcoat would. Just a theory, if you have research that proves me wrong - post it! I'd love to know the true original purpose.
Chewy points out several advantages of gi and soldiers especially should do part of their training with gi because they have the same grab points as most long-sleeved uniforms.
Actually you are more correct than you think, the gi wasn't inspired by suits or coats but by...kimonos. Back around 1900 the kimono (and its lighter version, the yukata) was still used as daily formal attire by a significant number of people, though it had already started losing popularity to western clothing (around 1850 schoolboys and many public employees switched to western clothing as uniforms, but it took much longer for girls). So yeah, the gi was simply a formal attire, reinforced for training judo.
Both Gi and no Gi have their merits. I think it's silly and unneccessary to debate which is more "realistic" because they both aren't and at the end of the day it's a tossup. Why not do both? Besides, some things are just there for identification and tradition, and that's not a negative thing. Many activities have uniforms attached to them that nobody questions. The moment you walk in and put on your Gi, you leave your casual, everyday self behind and immerse yourself in the mindset and environment of training. I like that. Also, I like the Gi in Karate because bare knuckle punches can really sore and cut the skin and the Gi jacket works as a cushion against that.
Gi's aren't realistic, wrestle butt naked. /s
It''s called sex
biohazard724 high crotch
Gi is a training stimulation of what everyday people wear outside the mat, like for example most people wears collar shirts, polo shirts, jackets and or sweaters with hoodies, like for example you have assailants that wear jackets, hoody sweatshirts, those can be used as leverage to gain a upper hand against the assailants, that’s why in Bjj we train with gis.
I love wearing my gi it’s badass. I can see where people want no gi for self defense purposes but I just try to have fun because self defense is about having a set of strategy’s and using them effectively and adapting to changing conditions to give you a higher probability of overcoming your opponent but in reality no matter how hard you train their is always going to be people that are just better or get you in a position where your skills are at a disadvantage. Being a warrior is about the willingness to fight and defend others not being some badass who thinks he’s going to just beast everyone and every situation they come across and never lose cause that’s unrealistic movie shit.
my main 3 reason when someone says something like that:
1-this is a martial art, in combat you have to wear clothes, unless you are rambo
2-more hygenic , you can whipe the sweat , evoid those oponent sweat drops on my face, dont leave the mat a sleepery mess, and the instructor can see if your cleaning and groooooming STENNNNDERRSSS are acording to a jiu jitero.
3-more techniques.
I live in Idaho. We wear coats 10 months out of the year. Gi techniques work great here unless you get in a fight in the shower at the local health club. :)
Breathable, tough, doesn't allow pools of sweat to form on the tatami, looks sharp.
Personally, I love the gi. I feel like when I train no-gi the more athletic person always wins. I wrestled a couple years but I have a friend who is also a no-stripe white belt who wrestled 8 years and went to state twice and now does distance races at the collegiate level. He only trains no-gi. We both know that I know my jiujitsu a bit better than he knows his, but the fact is he is just faster than me, finds better angles than me, has more grappling experience than me, and uses that edge to win. I’ve maybe submitted him once or twice and I’ve lost count of how many times he’s submitted me. That’s fine and we are friends so it’s all good, but when I go train gi against people like that, the gi slows both of us down, and when I roll with another white belt at a similar skill level, it feels like more often it’s the one of us who has been training a bit more consistently or has been studying videos at home that comes out on top. Not always whoever runs the fastest sprints or has the most previous experience in another discipline. Also, I think gis look badass. Especially some of the cleaner designs.
I train exclusively nogi but that's my personal choice. I have no issue with the gi or with people who train in the gi and I imagine there are things to learn from the gi. I don't know why people would think the gi is unrealistic. I also don't know why you equate nogi training with people in the street wearing spandex lol.
Will you do a review of gis for girls (women) im new to the Jitsu journey and my gym only sells the unisex, there are so many options out there that only the sizes are so different like A-3 to F-1 etc, etc
Thank you in advance
Love your.videos.chewy keep.doing what your doing. I was biased about the GI, NoGi argument for awhile but.now I feel like if you don't know some GI stuff or at least the basics jiu jitsu isn't as fun. I trained NoGI from 2010-2012 but now training without the GI seems empty love the GI also like NoGI gotta have both.
Here in Central California it is very simple. We have days where it's well over 100 degrees. At that point the gi is stupid. Get rid of it. Other days the temperature is around 20 degrees. Time to wear the gi. If you can find a tripple weave then wear it
BUT I NEED TO BE ANGRYYYYYYY!!!! in all seriousness though why can't we all just get along
I think gi is useful becuz I notice my grip strength got stronger however choking people out with collar doesn't seem realistic to me. I kno people say u can alway use there shirt or jacket but it's still feels very different. No gi makes u comfortable whether u wear shirt or not it won't bother them
Well said, its kinda strange how people are drawing that line. Why not train both? Wrestling with a gi and without a gi is hard in both ways. Either way if youre training for realism, you wont get the full benefit of it unless youre wearing neither and your partner is holding back on you with punches/kicks/potential knife in their pockets
I like to train with 3 socks on. Two on my feet. That's it though. I do all of my training in my grandmas garage. Just me, myself, and my socks. I would put my training methods up against any gym.
Haha! My buddy who does "No Gi" always tells me "Let me know when you get into a fight with someone who's wearing un rip able pajamas" He tells me not to fall for the belt up crap, but I like the spirit of tradition.
You can do gi chokes and such without a gi... Its just that it would kinda suck if your clothes got torn all the time. A 'Gi choke' is just a choke that would break your clothes all the time.
Until muscle memory grabs an invisible grip that wasn’t there and that split second your face gets stomped on lol
For self defense, no-gi has the advantage of preparing you for anyone -- as long as they have four limbs and a neck -- while training with the gi allows you to be more effective by leveraging your opponent's (and your's) clothing against them, maximizing your effectiveness, which can be a life saver for a woman, older people or generally less physically apt people. I think no-gi demands more athleticism, and therefore it may not be the most suitable for everyone.
I've always thought that BJJ might be better-served by a Taekwondo style gi ("dobok" for them), V-neck so it wouldn't get quite so disheveled all the time. Especially since most BJJ gi are shorter in length than Judo gis. Still heavyweight, just make it a pullover style. Random thought for the day!
It's a very good question. No gi and gi are necessary to train imo.
Thin clothes in summer to prevent sunburn and thick clothes to prevent freezing in winter.
I enjoy the Gi cause it's harder to roll with it than with a rashguard, and the core strength is much more trained that way. It's good for the conditioning.
What is you opinion about Renato Laranja and what he has done for Jiu Jitsu?
He's like the 25 time World Champ right? Can't argue with results. haha. He's very entertaining.
I feel like people who prefer no gi over gi prefer checkers over chess. I do both but there is a higher since of awareness with the gi. They both are great for self defense and there is a reason it's always the same side complaining.
So true. I see people who train purely gi slaughter the purely no-gi players pretty regularly in tournaments. Best to train both, imo. Anyway, it's more fun to shake the game up and learn new things.
People who disdain nogi = people who get fucked up in MMA.
Where does MMA fit into this discussion? And you're commenting to two people who train both. There's no disdain for no-gi here. Still Rolling was comparing the level of complexity between the two parts of Jiu-Jitsu. There's a reason the ranks only transfer from gi to no-gi, but not vice versa.
It fits in because many people train BJJ for MMA.
Not as many as you think. lol The vast majority train BJJ for self-defense and as a hobby. Not a lot of people care to get into the cage, not a lot of BJJ practitioners are 18-24 years old, and not a lot really even compete in BJJ by itself. In my gym alone, out of 300 people, only 1/4 compete in BJJ, and only 3 people fight in MMA. It's a very typical sample.
Depends on if you want to use bjj for self defense in real life situations or for competition and training accordingly
incarser101 Carlos and Hélio=gi
Agreed. And this is true for both. Much of what we practice in BJJ isn't realistic for a fight situation. It's used to fight against a grappler vs grappler situation. And that's fine by me.
For those who've fought and used BJJ to control or finish the fight. Then it's understood the techniques needed shrink down massively to a handful rather than hundreds.
People who are best at no gi at each belt always seem to be huge athletic monsters, gi is so we can slow them down a bit and (try) to get technical. Try to wrestle a bear in a t-shirt and and you get a sense of what moving to a mostly no gi club is like after you've been at a mostly gi club for a few years. Just personal experience :)
The only argument that I could admit is correct is that “no gi” style bjj is applicable anytime no matter what. But “Gi” bjj is applicable only when there’s a Gi or clothing. And in some situations a shirt could be pulled off in a fight. And In many situations your opponent on the street may be wearing shorts.. even basketball shorts & those wouldn’t be ideal for a Gi bjj technique
I do gi but i love and respect everybody who practice jiu jitsu ya my brothers and sisters!!
New subscriber Chewie great content! Random question who do you got for tomorrow's fight?
Knew you would have a response. Great vids.
Wish you could have given a more objective outlook. The Gi can train you to grab and break grips on your clothes, but its not good if you become dependent on those grips like a lot of judoka. It’s not about being “realistic” spandex makes you more dependent on techniques that work with or with out clothes to grip, making the techniques more reliable. The Gi has its benefits, train in both.
I train both gi and no gi. TBH I find both fun and useful. I've learned to have better defense with my gi. Yet, no go I've learned alot that can't be learned with the gi. Both are good.
Back in the day no gi meant a t-shirt and shorts.
No gi with a rashy is more realistic than gi, particularly if it is a short sleeved rashy, in that there is little to rely on/grab for to assist one in control or submission in a real life situation. No gi carries over to Gi, gi training does not do the same.
no gi + gi : pure jiujitsu
no gi + striking + wrestling : mma
Would people recommend training in both Gi and no bGi? Doing no-gi now but I think its beneficial learning both.
I work in a bar. I do security. When people get in your face, grabbing a 2 on 1 and pulling guard, and going to a butterfly sweep. Ain't gonna work.
Chew, whats your opinion on Luta Livre? I have trained the art for almost four years now. Great videos by the way
What people never wear trousers or jackets?? 8 months of the year in UK they do
Qoute from above "I find it interesting how divisive people are about every little subject. Instead of live and let live, and being open to the possibility that they might not be right about everything. People want to draw a line in the sand and bark across the people on the other side." Im new to this sport and i hate the gi to be honest but its what makes the sport. im a white belt with a a5 gi that weighs near 100 lbs after i roll or it seems. even the 160lbs fighters say the same, most likely due to fatigue and not being use to it. The higher belts and a lot of coaches have told me its unnatural for your body now. Over time your muscle will grow and you will become comfortable to where its like wearing clothing you wont notice it. This has to be a millennial that got caught in a cross collar choke from full guard. lets change traditions because little johnny was to stupid to tap and he got put to sleep.
Your gi is your uniform and should be worn with pride each time you wear it. If you dont like to train with the gi alt option is no gi if this doesn't work a 3rd option is go take your time and money and spend it else where.
The reason I like the gi is that it makes the sport much more complex which adds to the challenge of learning it.
Chewy this might be a stupid question, but... What's the best way to carry your mouth guard between roll and roll? Like is hard to keep it and talk to your buddies before you start the next roll
Trust me, if you're rolling no-gi with some strong dude who knows some submissions and how to defend against them, all those years of training with gi will feel like wasted time. Gi works against gi. But heavy and strong guys don't really gain anything by training with gi. See ADCC, the heavier guys are like bodybuilders as well as submission experts. Also don't forget that five non-bjj dudes won ADCC. Bjj with a gi is a wonderful art, but the majority of all locks and techniques will seem ineffective when the gi is removed.
Don't they teach certain Gi techniques (Spider guard, cross-collar chokes) in the military as some of them can be useful against someone who's wearing fatigues?
Ghi is a training tool to make you perform better when you’re not wearing it. If something makes you a better fighter why would you NOT use it?