Why do mma fighters training bjj in their gi???

[Emir Mehovic]

I am wondering...Why do some mma fighters train bjj in their gi? To me this dosent make sense at all..but top fighters such as..bj penn,gsp,and anderson silva train bjj in their gi's...so why do u think some mma fighters train bjj in their gi?

[Ehsan_Karam]

IMVHO the gi is really effective at improving your defense. It slows things down a touch to where you can't just spaz out of a given position if you don't like being there. It forces you to learn how to be safe there and defend technically. Submitting is a whole 'nother matter tho'.

[langara]

I started out no gi for the first yr then went to mostly gi. Quickly realized how much more technical the gi makes your game....

[D.Stachovak]

Many more train out of the gi. If you don't plan on using collar chokes,a heavy set of sweats would add the same friction the slows down gi grappling. In US Army Combatives they do sub-grappling in BDUs and it works the same. It's the grappling not the cloth.

[stlnl]

Many more train out of the gi. If you don't plan on using collar chokes,a heavy set of sweats would add the same friction the slows down gi grappling. In US Army Combatives they do sub-grappling in BDUs and it works the same. It's the grappling not the cloth.

No, not really. But yes alot more folks train out of gi. But is does seem odd, the champions and elite of their weight classes do train with a gi from time to time.........

[Brent Smith]

A lot of people have it ingrained in their heads that you have to wear the gi in order to be good in no gi. I think you can get away with more no gi because of the sweat factor but I don't agree that wearing the gi will make you more technical putting in perfect technique reps will make you more technical.

[D.Stachovak]

A lot of people have it ingrained in their heads that you have to wear the gi in order to be good in no gi. I think you can get away with more no gi because of the sweat factor but I don't agree that wearing the gi will make you more technical putting in perfect technique reps will make you more technical.

100% agree...

[Justin W.]

to say that it's good for slowing down the pace, thus making you more technical and better at no gi is some BS imo. how does that help when you've been rolling with the gi and used to people being stuck because of the friction and then roll nogi and get surprised at how easily people get out of stuff. the sweat factor is part of the game. the spaz out factor is part of the game. for example: BJ Penn is 1,000x the grappler Edgar is, yet Edgar escaped off the ground because he went ape shit and BJ didn't account for him doing that. Also, you can't use gi chokes and you get lazier imo when you have infinite handles to grab on yourself and your opponent. If you're a baseball player, wouldn't it be stupid to think that football will make you better than if you just played baseball?

[Matt Waters]

i've trained in a gi and nogi, nogi is much more relistic in a fight the only advantage ive ever found in GI training is improving Grip strength
No Gi > Gi

[Luis Acherbo]

i train in both and i agree that you learn to be more technical with the gi i belive you should train in both i mean if you have to choose one for mma of course no gi is better but if you have a choice train in both for mma just dont use the handles and collar chokes i dont even when i do traditional