Fighter

Look across the mats of any Brazilian jiu jitsu competition and you'll see a wide variety of gi brands, but only a few seem to dominate the market more than the rest. One of these is Tatami. And the gi of choice for a lot of these competitors? The Tatami Estilo. 

As I've said before, there's a reason a gi is in it's umpteenth version... because it's a good one. Most jiu jitsu practitioners are an interesting mix of die-hard brand loyalists and demanding connoisseurs of well-fitted gis. It's really hard to find a "former" Tatami fan. Why? Because the brand delivers. But those same fans aren't hesitant to make their preferences known. If a gi model doesn't fit, they won't buy it, and it fades from the lineup. 

Now in its - incredibly - sixth edition, Tatami Estilo 6.0 is one of those gis with serious lasting power in the market. 

The Tatami Estilo has always been a competitor-friendly gi, featuring a durable mid-weight 550 GSM pearl weave jacket and 12 oz canvas pants. Sure, you can find gis with lighter jackets and pants, but remember: the lighter the material, the shorter its lifespan. Tatami designed their gis, and particularly their Estilo, to last, no matter how hard you train or how many times you step on the competition mat.  

The Estilo also features a nicely tailored competition cut: roomy enough in key areas (such as the shoulders) to allow unrestricted movement, but more streamlined in others (the sleeves and lower pant area) to keep your opponent from getting a solid grip. The jacket's unique Y-shaped jacket vent also creates a more fitted silhouette, so you look as sharp as James Bond in a fine Italian suit. 

The best part? The Tatami Estilo features an impressive range of sizes, accommodating just about any body type and size. In addition to their standard men's sizing, they also offer "S" (short), "L" (long), and "XL" (extra-long) sizes. Among the first brands to do so, they also offer a cut especially designed for women, offering the standard women's sizes, as well as "C" (curvy) and "L" (long) fits. 

Want to know more? Check out their promotional video below: 

Let's face it: jiu jitsu isn't like playing patty cake. Despite it's name, it's really hard not to get some kind of injury over the course of your journey in this sometimes not-so-gentle martial art. If you haven't had at least some kind of tweak or sprain yet, you either haven't trained long enough... or you're not training hard enough.

Either way, at some point in your jiu jitsu career, you will have to become familiar with taping. We're here to make sure you're doing it right. Read on... 

Types of Tape

Not all tape is the same. While you might be most familiar with that white, "felt" athletic tape (often left littered across the mat after a training session), there are many types used for athletic support. Which one you choose to use depends on what you're looking to do. In the last decade, kinesiology tape has become a mainstay in the athletic community for relieving pain, reducing inflammation and providing flexible support to any area of the body imaginable. These benefits come from the tape creating "a microscopic lifting action," pulling the skin and fascia away from the inflamed muscle, relieving pressure from the lymph and blood vessels, as well as the nerves that trigger pain responses, essentially activating "both neurological and circulatory healing mechanisms." However, some injuries require more rigid support, preventing the injured joint from moving in a way that could aggravate the injury.  

Preparation

Especially if you're using kinesiology tape - which can cost a pretty penny - you don't want to just slap it on willy-nilly. In jiu jitsu, we sweat. If you haven't properly prepared the area, that tape is going to come off within the first few minutes of the roll. Before you tape up, make sure your skin is clean, dry and free of any oils or creams, so that it sticks well. A pre-tape adhesive spray is also an option if you really want some lasting power. If you're a hairy dude (or dudette, we don't judge), you should also consider shaving the area to be taped, which also makes the adhesive stick better... and helps prevent any painful removal. However, some resources say to avoid shaving, as "hair follicles have receptors, which give your brain feedback."

Know Your Body

The most important thing in taping an injury - or even to prevent an injury - is to know the structure and operation of your ligaments (the bands of elastic tissue around your joints that connect bone to bone). That makes it much easier for you to determine where to place your strips tape in order to support whatever body part it is you're trying to target. Failing to do so will most certainly fail to provide the support you intended, and could even cause more injury by impeding the natural movement of your joint. You don't have to be an expert physical therapist, but you can do some research so you have some basic knowledge of the affected area.  

Notes on Applying

There's no shortage of step-by-step guides and videos out there on exactly how to tape a specific injury, so I'm not going to go into detail on that. However, here are a few guiding principles that you should follow while taping: 

• When taping around a limb, avoid applying the tape perpendicular. Because our limbs aren't the same circumference down the entire length, taping across creates uneven pressure at the top and bottom of the tape. This is not such a problem with stretchy kinesiology tape, but still a good rule to follow. 
• Don't tape too loose or too tight. Loose taping doesn't provide the support needed, but taping too tight will restrict the blood flow below the limb. Some tape loosens up a bit after taping, but if you're starting to lose feeling to your extremities, or if the tape is irritating your skin, remove it immediately and try again. 
• Research, research, research. You can't become a taping master overnight. There are a ton of great taping guides out there from real sports physical therapists. Use them. 

Taping Guides: 

If you haven't already browsed the links peppered throughout the article above, check out these great resources for more information and taping instruction guides: 

• "Strapping and Taping" by Sports Injury Clinic
• "Taping Guide" by First Aid 4 Sport
• "Kinesiology Tape - the Facts" by TheraTape
• "How, When, And Why To Use Athletic Tape" by BodyBuilding.com

Remember, the best way to avoid injury is to tap early, and tap often. However, sometimes shi... "stuff" happens on the mat. Being knowledgable about taping and how to do it effectively will help you get back on the mat in no time!

Train on... safely. Oss. 

There's nothing like some good ol' motivational videos to get you fired up to do something great with your life, whatever it may be. While jiu jitsu itself has no shortage of intrinsic motivation, there are still those moments you might need some inspiring words, paired with dramatic music and exciting visuals, to get you off your tush and out on the mat.

So rather than spend hours of your precious mat time on YouTube looking for the perfect video to do just that... we've done it for you! Check out our top picks: 

ADCC 2011 Highlight 

This is the first video that came to mind when I decided to do this blog. One of the videos that put renowned jiu jitsu filmmaker Stuart Cooper on the map, the ADCC 2011 Highlight still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. Featuring the some of jiu jitsu's most legendary fighters of all time, and paired with the powerful tunes of The Jezabel's "A Little Piece", Cooper's highlight perfectly captures the the incredible visuals and raw emotions of one of the most prestigious grappling tournaments in the world, the ADCC Championships. 

The Spirit Of BJJ: IBJJF 2017 World Championships

Not only has FloGrappling taken media coverage of sport jiu jitsu to an entirely new level, but their exclusive front row seat and large professional team of videographers, editors and graphic designers has enabled them to capture some of the most powerful and exciting visuals of the sport's greatest jiu jitsu event - the IBJJF World Championships - and harness them into what I think is best jiu jitsu highlight video ever produced. Even someone who has never stepped foot on the mat - who doesn't even know what jiu jitsu is - would be hard pressed to resist the urge to compete after watching this.  

JiuJitsu - A Way Of Life

Another Stuart Cooper gem (there are a lot), this one speaks to the heart of every jiu jitsu practitioner out there, competitor or not. Featuring dialogue from some of the most iconic personas in the jiu jitsu community - Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu, Andre Galvao, Dean Lister, Rafael Lovato, Jr., Joe Rogan - this video speaks to the power of jiu jitsu: it's not just a hobby, it's a life-changing force in one's life and a never-ending journey.   

Essence of Jiu.Jitsu

It's easy to see why this video, uploaded by Checkmat black belt Marcio Reis, has over 2.2 million views. Set to Awolnation's "Sail" (probably one of the most-used songs for sports highlight videos of any kind), this video highlights all those gritty, behind-the-scenes moments of endless, exhaustive drilling and training that goes into the making of a jiu jitsu champion.

Of course, there is a ton of awesome jiu jitsu related motivational and highlight videos out there, so don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself hours-deep into YouTube...

We proudly take credit for that. 

Train on. Oss.  

Back in the day, there weren't very many companies catering to the jiu jitsu community. Sizes and designs were limited, and if you didn't fit in it or didn't like it... well, tough cookie.

Fast forward to today! The jiu jitsu industry is virtually flooded with "jiu jitsu brands" creating fight gear and apparel. Some are fantastic... others not so much. We wanted to take a moment to highlight a brand that we think is the bee's knees: Choke Republic. 

Choke Republic has been around for a few years, but in the last year or two we've seen them really ramp up their game. 

Entirely a clothing company - sorry guys, no gis... yet? - Choke Republic has been producing some exciting tees and snapbacks since day one. Remember the Yoda tee, featuring "Jiu Jitsu Player You Are" in the shape of everyone's favorite diminutive Jedi?

We believed in the brand early and started selling their tees at major IBJJF tournaments, but the brand only just blew up after they signed on some of the sport's biggest athletes - such as Leandro Lo and Andre Galvao - to rep their gear.

Now, Choke Republic boasts over 35 different, and totally awesome, active designs. Not only is each series they launch better than the last, but they also have options for women and kids, too! Which we think is really cool because they're often an after-thought for most brands.

Our favorite part? Their slogan: "One Jiu Jitsu, on the mat, indivisible, with chokes and submissions for all." 

Train on. Oss.                                                                                           

So maybe you've watched enough UFC fights - or maybe you gave in to your cousin/friend/coworker/grandma's relentless pestering -  and you've finally signed up at your local jiu jitsu academy. Welcome to a whole new world, complete with its own cultural norms...

Here are several of the most basic rules of etiquette to keep you from looking like the newbie that you are: 

No Shoes on the Mat

This is at the top of the list for a reason. Think about it: you walk around all day, stepping on God-knows-what, so the bottom of your shoes are disgusting ecosystems of bacteria. Now, because of the nature of jiu jitsu, being a grappling-based martial art, you're going to be spending a lot of time on the floor, with other parts of your body - including your FACE - pressed against the mat. And because you're active and sweating, your pores are open, as well. You might as well be cuddling with a dumpster. Likewise, when you step off the mat - to get a drink of water or, especially, if you go to the restroom - put your shoes back on to avoid bringing anything funky back on to the mat via the bare soles of your feet. 

Always Respect the Upper-Belts

Jiu jitsu isn't karate. It takes a long time to transition from belt to belt (unless you go to some McDojo academy where belts are handed out for good attendance and behavior... or a fat wallet). So if someone is sporting a higher belt than you, know that they've served their time on the mat, are full of insight and knowledge, and deserve your respect. Yes, even if they look like they might be the same age as your son or daughter. How that respect manifests can vary from academy to academy, but it typically consists of: bowing and greeting the professor when you enter, letting the higher-belt request you as a training partner (as opposed to the other way around), and moving when a higher-belt and his/her partner are rolling too close to you. 

Keep Yourself and Your Gi Clean

In jiu jitsu, you get really close to your training partners. I'm not talking about emotionally close - although that happens, too - but physically close. You will find yourself in some really intimate positions with your training partner, which, in any other context, might be a little awkward to explain to your significant other. As such, it is really important to be as clean as possible when you step on the mat. It's a respect thing. You might not mind the smell of your own personal body odor, but if you are assaulting your partner's olfactories with stench of unwashed body or funky gi, that's not cool. 

Leave the Drama Off the Mat

For nearly every practitioner of the gentle art, the jiu jitsu academy is his or her personal sanctuary. It's the one - and for some, only - place to escape from the stress and drama of regular everyday life. For that hour or two that you're on the mat, you don't have to do or think about anything else except learning, training, and becoming better at jiu jitsu. Don't ruin the vibe for your teammates by bringing your work/relationship drama onto the mat. That includes "taking it out" on your training partners when you've had a crummy day. 

Don't Hit on the Ladies (Or Men)

Your jiu jitsu academy is not like some meat-market self-service weight gym. For the most part, the women you encounter in the jiu jitsu academy are there to train. It's not appropriate to waste their time on the mat trying to ask them out on a date. I emphasize not hitting on the ladies only because jiu jitsu is still a male-dominated sport. But the reverse - or any other combination - applies, too. Yeah, we're human, so it's only natural that sparks might fly, but if you're going to try to ignite them, do so off the mat and preferably outside the academy entirely. 

These are just some of the most basic rules of etiquette, according to us. Click here to find a great list of more specific rules that generally apply to any jiu jitsu academy you might find yourself in. 

Train on. Oss.