I started BJJ!

[Ben Gash]

So I just had my first no gi BJJ lesson (1 on 1). Did drills, basic positions and escapes, was great fun

[Shaolin Wookie]

Good luck, man. Is it expensive where you train?

[Ben Gash]

A) I live in Britain and B) I'm having private tuition, so it ain't cheap

[Shaolin Wookie]

I don't think it's cheap anywhere. Are you only doing no-gi, or do they do it half'n'half? I liked gi training better, in my whole 2 month stint with BJJ....hahaha.....

[Ben Gash]

Just no Gi. Gi is only good if you want to compete in BJJ tournaments, which is pretty unlikely for me.

[Knifefighter]

Just no Gi. Gi is only good if you want to compete in BJJ tournaments, which is pretty unlikely for me.

Actually, it is the opposite. No gi is only good if you want to compete in submission grappling, mma, or fight at the beach. If you plan to use your BJJ in most realistic, real life situations where people walk around in pants, shirts, and jackets rather than speedos, board shorts and rash guards, gi is more applicable.

[SevenStar]

yeah, that's true. The train of thought I usually hear is the gi is too thick, he may wear short sleeves, etc. so you want to grab muscles instead of his clothes, etc. But the simple fact of the matter is that your opponent will most likely be wearing clothes, so gi stuff is very applicable. The no gi chokes will be more beneficial than the gi chokes, but the other gi techniques very much apply.

[SenseiShellie]

I've been studying with the Gi and I like it. I have little hands, so it's good for me to have something to grab on to begin with. Making the transition from Gi to No-Gi should be interesting for me...

[Knifefighter]

yeah, that's true. The train of thought I usually hear is the gi is too thick, he may wear short sleeves, etc. so you want to grab muscles instead of his clothes, etc. But the simple fact of the matter is that your opponent will most likely be wearing clothes, so gi stuff is very applicable. The no gi chokes will be more beneficial than the gi chokes, but the other gi techniques very much apply.

Sleeve holds work just almost as well on short sleeves as they do on long sleeves. Some cross grips will cause the shirt to ride up over the opponent's head, which can be a big advantage for tangling the opponent up in his own clothing. Cross grips (with longer sleeves or jackets) are also great for controlling someone from a standing position.

Gi chokes work just as well on jackets and shirts with collars. Chokes with t-shirts just have to be modified in terms of how you bunch up the material to grip it. T-shirt chokes can be really nasty, leaving a ring that looks like you have been hanged by a noose.

Play around using shirts the same way you would with gis. You will end up with a lot of ripped up shirts, but I think you will find some interesting ways to use the clothing to your advantage.

[lkfmdc]

knifefighter,

do you think that some of the modern sport BJJ is too grip obsessed? I grab you this way, but he counters this way, so then I grab this way and he does this.... sort of like modern Judo.... ie to specific to a small set of circumstances

I agree that basic gripping goes a LONG WAY in the street (choked out a guy on the train with a standing x-choke in his colloar not that long ago). But in the street most guys are not counter gripping like in a sport BJJ match like the mundials

[Knifefighter]

knifefighter,

do you think that some of the modern sport BJJ is too grip obsessed? I grab you this way, but he counters this way, so then I grab this way and he does this.... sort of like modern Judo.... ie to specific to a small set of circumstances

I agree that basic gripping goes a LONG WAY in the street (choked out a guy on the train with a standing x-choke in his colloar not that long ago). But in the street most guys are not counter gripping like in a sport BJJ match like the mundials

The basics will give you the most bang for the buck.

Like most of the more advanced things you train in BJJ, after a while you are just training to be better at some very specific things against a relatively fewer and fewer number of skilled people... i.e. he puts on the triangle, I counter with an underhold grip, he counters with an umoplata and an outside control grip looking for a footlock, I counter with a grip that feeds his arm between my legs and sets up a rolling umoplata of my own, etc. The chances that you would meet someone who would know any or all of those counter sequences on the street is beyond miniscule.

However, I don't think it is too grip obsessed if you are interested in getting to the higher levels to be able to hang with those who are also at those higher levels because those things are vital when rolling at that level.

[sunfist]

IMHO, grappling is grappling. The Gi game is generally dissociating more and more with MMA, and so you get some stuff thats sport JJ specific in there, and not as great an emphasis on dealing with an opponent who strikes. No Gi, as mentioned, dropped a lot of tools that are still useful for the street, some would also say its not as technical.

But really, if you are worrying about those things early on, something is wrong. Fine tuning your ground game is unimportant until you actually have a ground game So just find some good people and train with them.


Knifefighter, while i agree on the basics giving you the most bang for your buck in a pure grappling sense, wouldnt you say no gi allows for a much quicker and more full integration of a striking skillset, making it ideal for someone who specialises in standup and wants to be functional in the range quickly? I am not arguing, so much as interested in your view of it.

[BM2]

Pablo Popovitch trains in the gi and finished #2 in 170lb twice at Abu Dubai. There are some advantages in sometimes rolling with a gi in training.

[Knifefighter]

Knifefighter, while i agree on the basics giving you the most bang for your buck in a pure grappling sense, wouldnt you say no gi allows for a much quicker and more full integration of a striking skillset, making it ideal for someone who specialises in standup and wants to be functional in the range quickly? I am not arguing, so much as interested in your view of it.

I think it really depends on your goals. No gi is best if you want to fight MMA. However, for the street, I think gi has the advantage.

That being said, I think one could make arguements for both sides and have valid points.

Personally I like both and have always trained both. I like all the control points and all the tricky nuances of the gi and all the sneaky things you can do by manipulating it (most of which can be transferred to regular clothing), but I equally like the speed and athleticism required for no gi.

[Ben Gash]

Hmm, interesting perspectives. Do things like Tshirts not tear if you try to do Gi work on them? This is what's always put me off gi based systems. Once I'm up to speed with the no gi, I'll have to check out some gi then. The endless training quest continues.... TBH though, no gi is more me anyway.