Women’s BJJ Gi & No-Gi Gear Guide 

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is arguably one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Every year, more and more people are finding themselves drawn to the mat… This is especially the case with the female population.

Where once it was relatively uncommon to see a woman on the mat in the vast majority of academies, now it is more uncommon not  to see a woman on the mat. We are certainly still a minority, but becoming less so with every passing year.

As such, major jiu-jitsu brands can no longer ignore the demand for products tailored specifically for the female body. The days of being forced to wear misfitting men’s BJJ gis and no-gi gear, because that’s all that’s there was, is long behind us. That’s not to say that some of us don’t still wear the men’s cuts – I personally love a good youth boy’s rashie – but we now have options. 

Finding that Perfect “Fit”

I’m not going to lie to you here. Finding that perfect fitting BJJ gi is just as hard as finding that perfect fitting pair of jeans. Even more so, because at least most women’s jeans these days have some stretch, so the odds of finding a pair that makes your butt look good, even on a bloaty day, are favorable. Not so with jiu-jitsu gis.

In fact, your butt will never look good in a BJJ gi. If it does, be alarmed… it’s way too tight and you won’t be able to squat down without ripping a seam (personal experience talking here). I’m sorry, I know it’s a sorry state of affairs, but I feel I must manage your expectations from the get-go.

That aside, the good news is that you do have a wider range of options that you did in the past. Most brands have come around to the notion that a women’s gi lineup is not just the same men’s cut, just sized down. Women’s cuts typically account for more narrow shoulders, have a bit more room in the chest area for the bubbies, and a bit more room around the thighs.

Of course, as you’re probably already thinking, this is biased toward the stereotypical women’s shape. Some of us are more boy-shaped with relatively flat chests, some of us are longer or bigger than the “average” woman (whatever the hell “average” means), and some of us have been blessed with more curves than a high mountain road. And most gi companies are still resistant to the idea of selling gis as separates. So, yes, the bad news is many of us are still going to have buy a “men’s” gi and have it tailored, or find a group of women with whom we can swap bottoms and tops.

Finding no-gi gear that fits well is a bit easier… again, because most of these products are graced with a bit of stretch. I remember having to wear a small men’s rash guard that sagged around the shoulders and chest, and pair of “workout” leggings that were not made to withstand high friction activities or, worse, to be viewed from an upside-down splay-legged inverted position (I haven’t worn a pair of printed undies since). Now, we have fitted women’s rash guards and leggings made from fabrics that are both durable, highly stretchy, and, most importantly, opaque.

It's All About that Style

It’s jiu-jitsu style, but it’s also women’s fashion. And the two have really started to marry beautifully.

In the gi realm, it used to be that even when there were “women’s” gi options, they were modeled after the men’s gis in design and aesthetics. Which is fine; the great thing about a gi is that there’s so much space to customize it with fun patches and colored heat presses. Now we have attractive colorway options that set our gis apart from the men’s, too. For example, you might have a white gi, but with seafoam embroidered details (you know if it’s called “seafoam” a woman definitely had a hand in its design). It’s like wearing a little black dress or a business suit, but with sparkly heels.

And then there is the no-gi realm… which has always been far more style-forward anyway. If you like a more streamlined all-black look, there’s plenty of that. If you like to wear color – and who doesn’t – there’s a ton of that now, too. And if you like to look like a walking, talking modern art gallery on the mat, you are in luck! That is, of course, unless competition regulations or your own academy’s rules put a damper on that parade.

The Big Debate – Shorts or Leggings?

Surprise, surprise… This really all comes down to personal preference.

In the gi, I know many women who cannot stand wearing full-length leggings under their gi pants, finding it too restricting or too hot during training sessions to be doubly-layered. Me? I prefer that added skin barrier. This is mostly because I travel to a lot of different gyms, and I don’t know how often they clean the mats. Also, as a big proponent of both gi and no-gi, I always want to be ready to shed the gi in case someone wants to get in some no-gi training.

When it comes to no-gi, the division between those who wear shorts and those who wear leggings is even more pronounced. I find a lot more of my generation of grapplers stick to 3/4, 7/8 or full-length leggings, whereas many of the younger generations are wearing a pair of spandex shorts, alone or in combination with a pair of looser stretchy shorts. Not going to lie, the more “wrestling kit” style looks really cool. I’d love to wear it. But I also have a propensity to get mat burn, and, well, I’m too old to be putting Band-Aids on my knees every day for the sake of looking like a G on the mat. 

Similarly, short sleeve rash guards versus long sleeve rash guards also comes down to preference, and really, comfort. Long sleeve rash guards are going to provide more skin barrier; short sleeve rash guards are going to allow you to show off those hard-earned guns.

I started this article as a guide, but I recognize it’s become a bit more of a rant. You’re welcome, or I’m sorry, depending on how you feel about it right now. *shrug*

Hopefully it has at least given you something to think about in regard to your personal jiu-jitsu style and your – growing, thankfully – options in the women’s BJJ gi and gear market.