Fighter

"Safe" is such a relative term. Playing paddy-cake in a padded room could be unsafe to certain individuals, I'm sure. Really, it all depends on your definition of "safe". Are you going to die from jiu jitsu? No. Well...  actually, the possibility is there, but you have a better chance of dying from a lightning strike.

Dying aside, let's get one thing straight: Brazilian jiu jitsu is a martial (i.e. "fighting") art. As such, there's an unavoidable element of risk and potential for injury. Here's what you can expect: 

• You will get bruises, especially when you first start out and your body hasn't adjusted to the forceful grabbing by your opponent or the innumerable impacts of someone's elbows, knees and other random body parts. Don't worry, your body quickly adjusts and you'll stop bruising so easily after a month or two. If it doesn't, make sure you're getting enough vitamins in your diet. 
• You will get the occasional black eye from a stray knee, elbow or accidental headbutt. It happens. When you have two people rolling around on the floor, both trying to obtain a more dominant position and often moving in wild and unpredictable ways, odds are your face is going to get in the way. It may or may not result in a full-blown shiner, but you will get some discoloration. Concealer comes in handy if you're worried about going out in public.
• You will roll your ankle or strain some other ligament sometime during your career. If you don't, you've got some serous Luck O' the Irish on your side. Again, you and your opponent are moving around in sometimes unpredictable ways, so it will happen that you'll plant your foot or hand in an unstable position, allowing for the possibility that it will be rolled or twisted. When it happens, stop the roll, assess the damage, wipe away your crocodile tears and get it taken care of. 
• You may break something. Considering how many people are practicing the gentle art around the world, actually breaking something is exceedingly rare. It does happen, but this is either due to an extreme - and freak - accident, or because you didn't tap when you should have. Again, jiu jitsu is a martial art. The risk of breaking something is far higher when you're engaged in a fighting discipline, than when you're sitting on the couch watching television. Just get into the habit of tapping early and tapping often. 

Again, whether or not jiu jitsu is "safe" really depends on your definition of the word. If you're looking for a hobby or sport in which you won't have to worry about breaking a nail, you should probably look elsewhere. If you're looking for something that's combative but you don't want to be punched in the face on the daily, jiu jitsu is going to be that "safe" alternative. 

The beauty of Brazilian jiu jitsu is that you can always tap. Unless you're paired with a real disaster of a human being, everyone you train with will respect the tap. If you feel pain or you're unable to breathe, just tap. 

Train on... safely. Oss. 

Few questions have been asked as much - and as often, especially around competition season - than "how much does a gi weigh"? Oh that elusive answer! The reason it is so hard to answer is precisely because there are a number of factors involved that affect the weight of a gi. 

Why Ask? 

First of all, why do people need to know so badly? For those who compete, the answer is fairly simple: because of weight cuts. There are relatively few competitors out there who don't try to cut weight for a tournament. The reason being is that they want to be as lean and mean as possible, so that they end up on the top of their weight division, where they believe they'll have the best opportunity to smash their opponent. As tricky as it is - because dropping weight without sacrificing strength due to overly-rapid weight loss and dehydration - nearly everybody does it. And if you've ever cut weight, you'll know that every ounce counts. 

Which is why a BJJ gi's weight is important. The heavier the gi, the more weight one has to cut, because weigh-ins are usually done in the uniform a competitor will compete in, and usually right before he/she goes out on the mat. 

For those who don't compete... well, the preoccupation with gi weight probably has to do with some neurotic obsession with feeling "dragged down" by a heavy gi. This is funny to me because unless you're wearing a serious double weave gi, you can't really feel the difference of a few ounces, especially when you're wearing the bloody thing. 

So What Affects the Weight? 

It's silly to ask "what's the weight of a jiu jitsu gi" because the very question assumes a universal standard in gis. The fact is, there isn't one. The weight of a gi depends on four factors: fabric type, size, cut, and adornment. 

• Fabric - First of all, not all gis are made from exactly the same fabric. There are a number of different jacket fabrics, as well as pant fabrics, to choose from. Each weave or fabric type will have a certain weight per square yard. Some brands give you a clue as to the weight of the gi when they identify the fabric type. For example, if you're looking at a gi with 450 GSM jacket and 10 oz pants, you'll know it'll be a bit heavier than a gi with a 375 GSM jacket and 8 oz pants. Please note, that doesn't mean that pants themselves weigh 10 oz, just that the fabric they were made out of was a 10 oz weight fabric. 
• Size - This should be self-explanatory, but here I go anyway. The bigger the size, the more fabric needed to construct it. More fabric = more weight. How much more depends on the fabric type and cut. 
• Cut - This is the factor that explains why a size A2 Kingz Kimono is not the same weight as a size A2 Tatami gi. Every gi brand has their own special cut, and some brands even have a variety of different cuts. A gi with a slimmer profile will use less material than a gi with a wider profile. 
• Adornment - Every little piece of fabric or stitching on a gi affects the weight. Individually, they may not matter, but when you have ten patches, a sublimated lining, and the gi brand logo stitched on every available piece of real estate... that all adds up to weight. Looking for an ultralight gi? Choose the plainest one you can find. 

So How Do You Know For Sure??

Some - and probably sometime in the near future, ALL - gi brands include gi weight in their size charts. However, sometimes these gi weights are out-dated, so always check with customer service before you rely too heavily on those charts. 

The absolute best, most accurate way to check the weight of your gi is to weigh it yourself. For those of you geniuses who can't figure out the logistics of doing this: 1) step on scale without gi, 2) step on scale again while holding gi, 3) subtract the weight in step 1 from the weight in step 2. 

Train... and weigh... on. Oss. 

The name itself gives you a bit of a clue... obviously, if you're training NoGi jiu jitsu, there will be "no gi" involved. Whoever coined the term was a veritable genius.

For those of you who wilt and suffocate under the weight of a heavy gi, this is fantastic news. You can still practice the gentle art, without having to deal with the insufferable kimono. But... what do you wear when training NoGi BJJ? 

Back in the days, a t-shirt and/or speedo would suffice. Yeah, really. Spend enough time with some old-school Brazilian grapplers, and they'll regale you with stories of their speedo days. Today, that doesn't fly too well. 

In the last decade, the NoGi uniform has professionalized. In replace of your everyday t-shirt - which tears easily and stretches when wet, creating bear traps for any unwitting toes or fingers - grapplers now wear lightweight rash guards, much like those used by surfers. Commonly made out of a durable, stretchy polyester and spandex mix fabric, rash guards are made to fit you like a second skin. Aside from the obvious - protecting you from rashes or mat burns while you're fighting to the death - they also protect you from mat-borne illnesses, such as ringworm, staph, and MRSA. Plus, because they're easily sublimated, rash guards have become a serious fashion statement on the mats, sporting anything from the academy logo, to superhero armor, to Chuck Norris, and everything imaginable in between. If you plan to become, or are, a competitor, several event promotions require you to wear a "ranked rashguard," which features your belt color... probably so you don't sneak into the black belt division and they have to carry your broken body off the mat. 

The bottoms of your NoGi uniform will vary just a bit. If you're attending a very old-school Gracie academy, it's likely that you'll fight yourself right back into a pair of gi pants (with a rash guard). However, most NoGi grapplers prefer to wear a pair of grappling shorts and/or spats. Unlike your standard pair of board shorts or athletic shorts, grappling shorts have no pockets - again, to prevent your or your opponent's fingers and toes from getting caught and injured - and are made from a slightly stretchy (but not too stretchy, though) polyester material. Many grapplers - mostly women, but some men, too... we don't judge - opt to wear "spats" instead. These are basically athletic leggings, typically made from a spandex and polyester mix fabric, that were designed to withstand the rigors of jiu-jitsu training. Just like a rash guard, they provide full-length protection against mat burn and other skin infections. And then there are even those who opt to wear both spats and grappling shorts, combining the protection of the spats with the modesty (because spats can be a bit too skin tight for some) of the grappling shorts. 

Whatever your style, remember to train safe and always, always wash your gear soon after use. Nobody likes to roll with the funky guy.

Train on... Oss. 

Photo by: Blanca Marisa Garcia

If you HAD to wear a gi in jiu jitsu, I'd probably have quit a long time ago! The simple answer is "no, you don't have to," but it's a little more complicated than that. Depending on the class or academy you're training at, you may or may not "have" to wear a gi. 

Jiu jitsu is comprised of two different styles: Gi and NoGi. The more predominant "gi jiu jitsu" is just referred to as "jiu jitsu", simply because Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - and it's antecedent, Japanese Jiu Jitsu - have traditionally been practiced in the gi (the term used for the jiu jitsu kimono). Just as it sounds, NoGi jiu jitsu is practiced without the gi.

Practitioners of NoGi jiu jitsu typically wear a snug-fitting rash guard and shorts or "spats" (athletic leggings). The use of a t-shirt and shorts with pockets is frowned upon in NoGi jiu jitsu classes due to safety reasons. When a cotton t-shirt gets sweaty, it stretches easily and your opponent can get a foot caught in the baggy material and hurt him/herself. Likewise, pockets are also hazardous for the same reason. Because jiu jitsu is a very close-contact, physical, and often explosive activity, it's easy to break a finger or toe if it catches in a pocket while your opponent is moving quickly and/or aggressively. 

Most Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies principally offer classes in the gi, with maybe two or three NoGi classes each week. Many academies don't offer any NoGi classes at all. And very few academies - largely those affiliated with 10th Planet - offer only NoGi classes. 

My suggestion, especially for those just embarking upon their jiu jitsu journey, is to find an academy that offers both gi and NoGi classes. You may find that you prefer one over the other, but from personal experience, practicing in the gi improves your NoGi game by teaching you pressure and precise execution of technique, while practicing NoGi improves your Gi game by improving your explosiveness as well as your ability to scramble and push the pace. 

Whatever you choose, welcome to your marvelous journey. 

Train on... Oss. 

While this question can easily be answered by spending a few minutes actually shopping for a gi - especially here, at the Fighters Market website, where we have some handy dandy price filters - I'll go ahead and humor the idea... as well as raise you a few insights on cost versus value. 

The vast majority of gis range from approximately $70-$90 for a simple, basic gi to approximately $160-$180 for a fancier and/or more durable gi. Of course, you can always find those off-brand jiu jitsu gis sold on Amazon for much less, but you have to keep in mind that "you get what you pay for". That doesn't mean that all basic gis aren't worth buying. I actually wrote a blog, "Battle of the Basics: BJJ Gi Comparison", about those basic gis that we felt were definitely exceeded their worth. Since then, other gi brands - such as Maeda Brand with their Red Label Gi and Progress with their Foundation Kimono - have really stepped up their basic gi game. 

So what makes a BJJ gi worth more? More often than not it's the quality of materials and construction. A jiu jitsu gi that costs more should - we would hope, anyway - last much longer than a cheaper gi. The fabric is typically a thicker or tighter weave, or is a brand new weave technology that might be lighter but is designed to withstand greater stress, or the attention to detail and care taken during construction is on a different level. Sometimes the extra cost is directed into the aesthetic elements of the gi, such as an illustrated interior jacket lining, or fancy patching and embroidery work. These latter increase the cost of labor for each and every piece made. Then, of course, there are some gi companies that can charge $200+ for their gis... but the "higher value" is usually thanks to clever branding and marketing ploys rather than any real inherent worth. 

So, how much should YOU pay for a gi?

That's really all relative to your budget and preference. If you're just starting jiu jitsu and you're an average Joe, I would suggest starting with a single basic gi until you decide that you're really going to stick with it. Once you're hooked, you'll quickly find that you'll need at least three or four gis to get you through the week. At that point, you might consider investing in a couple slightly higher quality gis, as well as a nice fancy gi that you can go compete in. If you're just starting jiu jitsu and you're the type of guy or gal who likes to show off his/her success... go crazy. Just please, make sure that whatever you buy, it fits and makes you feel like a boss. Here's a little guide on how to do that. 

See you on the mats.. Oss.