Fighter

Atama has been a stalwart gi brand for... well, a really long time. Since 1989, in fact. Indeed, it was one of the pioneers in the jiu jitsu gi market; one of the first brands to tailor the traditional - i.e. suuuuper old-school - judo gis to fit the movements and needs of the Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter. 

Which means it's safe to say that the guys at Atama know their stuff. 

Since it first launched many years ago, their Mundial model has been their best-selling gi. Now in it's ninth version - yeah, you read that right... NINTH - the Mundial Model 9 is better than ever. The Mundial Model 9 features their tried-and-true "Carioca Weave" jacket, which is a Brazilian-manufactured 100% cotton, densely woven single weave that's made to withstand some serious grabbing and pulling. In order to keep the gi nice and light, the Mundial features a lightweight polyester/cotton ripstop pants, and ripstop covered lapel. Slightly tailored toward the cuffs of the jacket and pants, yet roomy around the shoulders and knee area, this gi was made to balance a tailored fit - and all of its lovely grip-deterring benefits - with unrestricted movement. Simply designed, the Atama Mundial features the iconic Atama logo embroidered in high-quality stitching along both shoulders, leaving plenty of ripe real estate for your favorite academy patch and jiu jitsu brand logos. 

Plus, having been the gi of choice for some of the community's biggest women's jiu jitsu names - like Leticia Ribeiro and Bia Mesquita - Atama has made sure to offer their popular Mundial Model 9 in a specially-designed women's cut! 

Don't believe us? Try it for yourself! 

Back to the Americas with our featured brand series... Introducing Ronin Brand, the Brooklyn-based kimono brand that also caters to the judo and karate markets. Actually, "introducing" might be the wrong word. Ronin Brand has been around for a hot minute. First appearing on the scene in 1980, it's an in-house brand of martial arts supplier Kinji San, which has been in business since 1976. So these guys know their stuff.

Ronin Brand is particularly focused on producing solid, well-constructed gis, with extra reinforcement stitching. We know, because very few of their gis get returned due to fabric tears or other construction failures. As such, Ronin Brand isn't too concerned about producing flimsy, ultra-lightweight gis. The lightest gi they offer is the Koi Jiu Jitsu Gi, which features a 420 GSM jacket and 9.5 oz cotton pants. However, almost all of their gis feature a sturdy 450 GSM pearl weave jacket and between 10 oz to 11 oz cotton or canvas pants - pretty much the ideal combination for a long-lasting training and competition gi. For those who love that heavier gi, Ronin has got you covered: their Ronin Emperor Gi features a 500 GSM jacket and 12 oz duck canvas pants, and their Imperial Double Weave Gi, features a seriously durable 890 GSM jacket.

Ronin Brand also has a very well-defined aesthetic: it's all about the Japanese samurai warrior. In fact, the brand itself is inspired by the "ronin" (literally translated to "drifter" or "wanderer"), which was a samurai without a lord or master, due to the death or fall of his master, or because he fell out of favor. Therefore, the embroidered details and interior artwork (for those models with sublimated linings) feature traditional Japanese iconography, such as the samurai weapons - such as swords, shuriken throwing blades, and bow and arrows - as well as men-yoroi battle masks, Japanese crests and Kanji lettering.

Our favorite of the Ronin lineup? The Ronin Blackout Samurai Jiu Jitsu Gi, a limited edition collaborative design with artist Blackout Brother, featuring a deep green/black fabric, an incredibly detailed samurai mask embroidery on the left arm, and a wickedly cool Blackout Brother samurai mask fully subliminated on the interior CoolMax lining of the jacket. Check it out: 

Jiu jitsu isn't the only activity that offers innumerable benefits to the practitioner... but it does have a special combination that does more than just help people get fit and give them something to do in their free time.

It's a combination of physical, mental, emotional and social benefits that gives people exactly what they need in life and makes lifelong practitioners out of anyone... regardless of who he or she might be. Young, old, male, female, strong, weak, black, white, rich or poor... Jiu Jitsu is for everyone. 

What are those benefits? Read on... 

Physical

Jiu jitsu will get you in shape. Of course, if you want to look like a gladiator you still have to put in the work and combine it with a balanced diet. But whatever your baseline is, jiu jitsu will improve your physical fitness, two, three, ten-fold, depending on how dedicated you are. This is because training jiu jitsu is a combination of cardio and resistance training. Each round is about five or six - sometimes even seven to ten - minutes of non-stop movement. You might not be moving fast, but whether you're on the offensive or the defensive, you're constantly moving. Combine that with another human body trying to either trying to subdue and submit you... or trying to prevent you from doing that to him or her. If you're not breathing heavy by the buzzer, you're either in impeccable shape already... or you're just not breathing period. 

Mental

Jiu jitsu is called human chess for a reason. It's a one-on-one sport, you and your opponent, pitting your body and brain against the other person's. You can't just go in with a predefined plan and execute it exactly as you imagined it. You constantly have to strategize in the moment, because your opponent is going to bring his or her own game, and react in ways that you might not be able to predict. The more proficient you become, the faster you're able to recognize your opponent's intentions and foresee the openings for attack or defense. This directly translates off the mat, too. You'll start seeing a significant improvement in your critical thinking skills within weeks of beginning your jiu jitsu journey. 

Emotional

You'll be hard pressed to find someone who can argue that their emotional state of being hasn't improved through jiu jitsu. Of course, there are those exceptions, but for the vast majority of practitioners jiu jitsu is a major stress reliever. There are a ton of studies that show how physical activity - any kind really - serves as a vehicle for stress relief by releasing endorphins and putting you "in the moment". Particularly with the latter, it's incredibly hard not to be in the moment when you have someone trying to strangle you. Whatever is happening off the mat - work sucks, your children are little monsters, your parents are nagging you, your girl or guyfriend is cheating on you - it doesn't exist for that hour or two that you're on the mat learning someone awesome. 

Social

As humans, we are very social creatures. Even the most anti-social among us needs to have a person or people with whom we can interact. We need a "clan". The jiu jitsu community - your team - provides that clan. When you start training at a jiu jitsu academy, you immediately become part of that group. When you train together every day, grow together, sweat on each other, share each other's frustrations and successes... you become as close as family. You become family... jiu jitsu family. 

But don't take my word for it. Take a breath - I know, it's intimidating taking that first step - and go try a class at your local academy. 

Train on... Oss.

If you attended this year's IBJJF World Championships, you might have noticed two things: 1) the fights were even more exciting than any year before, and 2) the number of athletes wearing Kingz had grown noticeably.

As to the latter, by far the most popular Kingz gi on the mats was the Balistico 2.0. There's a reason for this.

In our opinion, the Balistico is the most high-tech gi in the Kingz lineup, and certainly one of the most sophisticated gis in the jiu jitsu market in general. This thing was built to perform, which is why it is the gi of choice for such jiu jitsu greats as Leandro Lo and Bruno Malfacine. 

What's all the fuss exactly? Let me tell you...

First of all, it's made from a sturdy 480 GSM cotton Pearl Weave jacket; light enough for competition, but far from the flimsy ultralights that you can't just use and abuse. It's a Chinese pearl weave, as opposed to originating in Pakistan, so it has a little bit more structure and texture (both locations produce excellent gis, but Pakistan tends to use a bit softer cotton in their fabrics). Because it's a little heavier fabric than the ultralights - and therefore traps more body head during a vigorous roll - Kingz has added some Coolmax® lining along the shoulder area to wick sweat and keep you feeling cooler. 

What makes this gi jacket really special, however, is the lining inside the sleeves. The Balistico features what's called "NO-Grip" technology, which is a piece of ultralight ripstop sewn on the inside of the sleeves, to about halfway up the forearm. This dual un-fused layer, combined with the mix of fabric types, makes it a lot harder for your opponent to maintain his or her grip. We've tested it for ourselves... they really have to work to keep a hold of our sleeves - absolutely perfect for those guard passing enthusiasts.

While most of Kingz' gis have matching cotton pants (don't worry, Kingz also offers ripstop separates for sale), the Balistico features a lightweight 8oz cotton/polyester ripstop, which adds even more to the indestructible mystique of the gi. And because it is so high-tech, Kingz gave it a cool, military theme, with a custom-designed eagle crown logo embroidered on both shoulders. 

Not fully convinced? Try it for yourself! (Also available in a women's cut, as well as a military green and slate gray color scheme).

Train on. Oss. 

Your jiu jitsu academy isn't just the place where you train... it's your refuge from the daily stresses of life, it's where your friends are, and it's where you learn and grow, as both a practitioner and as a person. 

Because it is such an important space in your daily life, it's important that you choose wisely. We've detailed a few things to keep in mind: 

It's Okay to Shop Around

Not all academies are the same; each one has it's own vibe and micro-culture. You might find that the first academy you walk into is the one for you... or you may not be too sure. That's okay. It's all about finding the right fit. Most academies offer a free trial period, which usually ranges from a few classes to a week, or even a month. Try out a few academies in your area. Walking through their doors isn't a commitment, nor does trying another academy mean you've ruled out any of the others.

Your Professor and Teammates

One thing that makes the jiu jitsu community so special is the people in it. For the most part, jiu jitsu practitioners are an awesome - and very diverse - bunch of guys and gals. However, regardless of where you end up, there will always be a few teammates that you don't exactly mesh with. That's normal. What isn't normal is if you feel ignored, simply tolerated, or even bullied by the majority of your fellow teammates. This kind of negative collective behavior typically originates from the leader and/or leaders of the group, and is likely entrenched in the micro-culture of that academy. You don't need that. Additionally, make sure that your professor is someone that you feel like you can trust - particularly in regard to his/her level of technique - as well as respect, as a practitioner and a person. If not, you owe nothing to him or her and you should move on and find somewhere else - somewhere better - to train. 

Cleanliness

In jiu jitsu, we get into some really intimate positions, both with our fellow practitioners as well as the surface of the mat. Hopefully your teammates are keeping an adequate standard of hygiene, but the bigger concern is the cleanliness of the academy itself. The surface of the mat - and the cracks in between the mats - can harbor a lot of nasty stuff, like ringworm, staph, or even MRSA. It's not unreasonable to expect the mats at your academy to be cleaned at least once or twice a day, depending on how much they're used. Needless to say, the restrooms and locker rooms should also be clean and tidy, because otherwise that's just gross.

Cost and Amenities

Jiu jitsu is not cheap. You might find monthly rates under $100 at some smaller academies, but the vast majority cost between $125-$150 per month, and some are upwards of $250+. Yearly contracts can help lower your monthly rate, which, if you've decided to commit to that academy, is definitely worth the initial investment. Considering the tremendous benefits that jiu jitsu offers for your physical and psychological health, you can be sure that your money will be well spent... as long as the actual instruction is up to par, because that's what you're ultimately paying for. It also must be said that a cheaper academy doesn't necessarily mean that you're getting inferior training. Some of the best coaches I've met were at smaller, more economical academies. 

As far as amenities go, the most basic academy will have a mat area, a restroom, and a water fountain. Some academies might offer a variety of extra amenities, such as separate locker rooms for men and women, showers, rental gis and gear, a pro-shop, or even laundry service. However, don't walk into any academy expecting them to have all the bells and whistles. 

Wherever you find yourself training for the long term, welcome to our great big jiu jitsu family. Regardless of your affiliation, we're just happy you've found your way to the mats. 

Train on. Oss.