Should I do gi Jiu-Jitsu?

Hello everyone! I need some advice from people who know more than me. Since starting karate in the 3rd grade, I've participated in practically every martial art you can think of. This isn't necessarily because I quit one and move on to the next, but rather because Susanville has a constant flux of instructors moving in and out. After I graduated high school and couldn't wrestle anymore, I migrated over to the gym and signed up for the MMA team. After training for about 6 months I decided to enter a bjj tournament in Sac, buying a gi and signing up for both divisions. That morning I submitted everyone in an intermediate no-gi division (2 years and under) with over 20 people, and went 0-2 in the gi division as a white belt. I was discouraged, but not surprised since I had never even worn a bjj gi before. After this I decided to start driving to Reno once or twice a week to train gi. Six months later I entered in Grapplers Quest in Vegas at intermediate (this one 3 years and under) and finished 3rd out of 16+, losing on an advantage point to some dude who fights for KOTC and submitting everyone else. I thought this was good since I've done MMA and no-gi for less than a year. Now, yesterday I entered another gi tournament (a very small one I might add) and finished 4th out of 4 as a white belt. What's the deal here? Please forgive me if I ask any ridiculous questions but is one/two practices a week along with my 2+ hours a day of MMA/no-gi just not enough to keep up with people who can train at actual gi schools? Is it possible that I took to no-gi and suck at gi just because? I'm rather confused by how decently-successful I've been at grappling thus far and how dreadful I've looked in gi bjj matches. Any advice?

If you want to get better in the gi, train more in the gi. Do whatever it is you want to get better at and whatever keeps you on the mats. If that is strictly no-gi then train strictly no gi, if its a mix do both.

My guess is that your previous wrestling experience is aiding your no gi. When you roll in the gi it is a much slower grip based game compared to no gi, which is quicker with a lot more scrambles. As for how long you need to train, assuming you learn the same as everyone else, you will do better than those who train less than you. Kevin nailed it above. My advice, if you can spare the extra time and its not a massive inconvenience why not train more? Don't get to hung up on the gi/no gi thing as long as you are grappling you will be getting better and most of the skills and concepts are transferable.

also how were you losing? points? or what submissions did you get caught in?

Wrestling is no gi. You effectively have a huge head start in no-gi submission grappling.

If you just want to get really good at no-gi, there is absolutely no reason to do gi.

Training in the gi can't hurt your no gi game if you use the same no gi style while in the gi. The gi helps me see the game slower and figure out what I'm doing wrong easier. Doesn't directly improve my no gi game, but it helps with my overall jiu jitsu.

GI? Gross

Depends on what you want to get good at.

I like doing both but with the GI i like it for stuff like GI chokes but when it comes to stuff like passing or sweeps I prefer to learn techniques that are applicable to no gi. If I'm going to do a more that will only work if there's sleeves and lapels, then it's going to suck if you try and apply it in a nogi situation. Where as a nogi tech will still be applicable if you're wearing a gi.

I'm sure I'll be in the minority but I think my nogi game helps my gi game and vice-versa. If you love no-gi you should obviously focus on it but I find a gi session every week helps big time. There are just some good concepts in the gi that carry over. I think it makes your defense a little sharper, and there are certain concepts that are just easier to learn in the gi. A lot of de la riva and reverse de la riva stuff is easier to learn in the gi and then transfer over. Same way that it's easier to nail down and learn north south chokes or guillotines in no-gi and then transfer that to the gi.

There are bad habits that the gi creates and there are bad habits that just doing no-gi creates, and by doing both it seems to help figure those things out. Don't be hard on yourself about your situation. I did no-gi for a long time before I ever put on a gi and I sucked really bad at gi. I got collar chokes all over the place and I was so frustrated at all of the grips that would prevent my passes and sweeps.

At this point I still like no-gi better and perform better in no-gi. I really enjoy the gi too and I think anyone with an opportunity to do both, unless they absolutely hate one or the other, would be well served to go ahead and spend some time doing each one.

all these people saying "if you want to get better in the GI train in the gi" are correct. However if you want to get as good as you possibly can, I would recommend training both gi AND nogi (if your gym allows). The Gi will help understand the techniques as it is much less fast paced as No Gi because you can use grips and what not. No Gi will help to sharpen/speed up those techniques, as Nogi is much more fast paced with no grips.

Train in the GI to better understand/Develop your skills, train Nogi to speed those techniques up and get them sharper. They compliment each other.

As Marcelo Garcia (one of the best Nogi Grapplers EVER!) once said "To develop the finest technique, you must train in the GI."

I think it's a good idea to train both with a mindset to develop techniques that work both gi and no-gi. I have much more experience in the gi so I'm basically the opposite of you. I'm trying to get up to speed on my no-gi skills. When you're training gi always be aware of collar grips. There are a million chokes with the gi.

I think some version of the 80/20 principle applies. If you're smart you can get most of the competitive benefits of gi training (mostly learning how to cope with the other guy's grips/gi chokes) with a relatively small proportion of your time spent in a gi. Of course you will not be as good with gi-specific techniques as someone who trains 100% that way, but if you're gonna go to gi comps I'd definitely do it. The timing of moves will be a little different as well; the cloth often imparts a time lag.

Defense is easier to learn than attack, and that's good for you in this case. Collar chokes are no joke. There are people out there whose main strategy will be to strangle you with your gi, and it's very effective. You don't have to be a master of applying them but you do need to develop defensive reflexes against them. That's the main difference *I'd* be worried about. After that, well, the rest of your defense needs to be pretty technical too; you'll notice it's harder to slip out of things in a gi.

I do try never to use any offensive techniques that rely on the gi, even when I'm wearing one. That's just me.

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Originally Posted by sean applegate

GI? Gross

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:)

I used to only train no gi but I'd compete in the gi for more matches. Finally after getting gi choked one too many times, I started doing gi one day a week, playing my same no gi game just wearing pajamas. I've been able to learn different gi specific submissions that I was previously unaware of. I usually forget that I can grab the gi so my offense is the same but in my opinion, you need to train in the gi to learn good gi defense.

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Originally Posted by Elisha J Baker

I think some version of the 80/20 principle applies. If you're smart you can get most of the competitive benefits of gi training (mostly learning how to cope with the other guy's grips/gi chokes) with a relatively small proportion of your time spent in a gi. Of course you will not be as good with gi-specific techniques as someone who trains 100% that way, but if you're gonna go to gi comps I'd definitely do it. The timing of moves will be a little different as well; the cloth often imparts a time lag.

Defense is easier to learn than attack, and that's good for you in this case. Collar chokes are no joke. There are people out there whose main strategy will be to strangle you with your gi, and it's very effective. You don't have to be a master of applying them but you do need to develop defensive reflexes against them. That's the main difference *I'd* be worried about. After that, well, the rest of your defense needs to be pretty technical too; you'll notice it's harder to slip out of things in a gi.

I do try never to use any offensive techniques that rely on the gi, even when I'm wearing one. That's just me.

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I agree with 100% of this. I train in the gi one day a week to learn defense but I still play my no gi game for offense. If you're going to compete in it, especially at higher levels, it doesn't hurt to train in it a little.

I am confused by anybody who drives 5hrs to do 50% of a competition for 80-90% of the price.

At every comp there are only a few guys/gals who do both and do it well. The others are specialists who either go home after nogi or show up fresh for gi. Me, ima grappler. I dust my gi off and see if someone can collar choke me. If you have the mat time what's the worst that could happen? Lose? Oh wellz.

I feel like gi and no gi put stress on different muscle groups. Gi fries my grips whereas no gi my back and biceps from clinching/squeezing. If you told me I had to train 2 days back to back, I would always mix it up so I can mix it up while staying on the mat.

The only people who tell you that you HAVE to do gi to get good are people who have devoted tons of time to training in the gi.

If the gi was so crucial to getting technical in no-gi grappling, wouldn't wrestlers be putting on gi jackets to train in as a regular thing?

^sorry meant to stay mix it up so I can recover while staying on the mat...active recovery.

You're a white belt bro. Any mat time is good mat time.

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Originally Posted by David Rosado

You're a white belt bro. Any mat time is good mat time.

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I agree, but the only thing to look out for there is that white belts (and lots of other belts) can grip the gi like a drowning person grabbing a life vest, which slows things down, which prevents you from moving and learning movement.