The gi and why its a pain in the arse

[Clinton lawrence]

ok i'm starting at gracie barra in perth on the 1/11/10 why so late (cash work holidays and general fitnes not enough all to much or not up to standard ) but i thought bugger it i'll get a gi so i'm ready when i go down there now i'm 6.2 120kgs and my god a a5 gi is way to big a a4 is big but it will shrink and just got me thinking how much i love no gi jujitsu its you some shorts a rash guard and thats it no more feeling like the count off sesame street with these huge lapels just over hooks and under hooks i'm NOW a firm beliver that no gi jujitsu is the purest form of this art that i have grown to love
Cheers Eddie and all you crazy 10th planet people
Peace Clinto

[Matt "Gumby" Glach]

Haha i hope this becomes a "why i hate the gi" thread cause i can def contribute to that. My first experience with BJJ was at a hardcore gracie jiu jitsu, gi-only gym, and it was soooo frustrating to me because I was at the stage where I just wanted to get in there and roll and experience different partners and get my feet wet, but every time I would roll someone would just pull my gi over my head and I couldn't see shit and before I knew it my collar was wrapped around my neck 6 times. Boo gi, yay eddie!

[Scott Philips]

Use the gi to your advantage! Get a handle deep inside his collar for constant leverage. Keep your chin in tight for cross collar chokes. Enjoy sweating your ass off (sarcasm but truth).

[Jon Watkins]

Lot of ass whoopers out there who wear a gi. And if you want to train with them, you're probably gonna have to slap one on sooner or later. Who knows? Maybe it will help you out one day when some douche bag in a leather jacket gets up in your face because he's feeling froggy.

[Heidi McCreery]

I started trianing in the gi a couple months ago and was very interested in it at first, even though it is heavy and extremely uncomfortable and I choke myself every time I do shoulder stretches. But the more I do it, the more I'm turned off by it. I am now in a bit of a habit of grabbing people's clothes and I have done it a few times when rolling nogi. I am still going to train in the gi, but when I roll in the gi, I am not going to use it. I am going to use the clenches and over/under hooks and the lockdown (managed to get the stomp on someone last week). It is very hard to control someone in a gi without using the gi. You have to have a much better grip and better posture and a tighter clench. So I think if you practice your nogi techniques in a gi, it will make your nogi game tighter I'm gonna try it and see if it works.

[Bill Keeling]

^ This

The Gi is a tool. If used properly it will advance your game. Problem is, if used improperly, than I believe it hinders your advancement in MMA. The Gi will keep you sweating your ass off, it will give your partners greater control of your base and posture.
As long as you train with your No-Gi grips, it's like training with a handicap, like a weight vest, or rolling with one hand in your belt. You give your opponent an distinct advantage by using ONLY No-Gi grips, over/underhooks. Then when you compete/fight/roll No-Gi you will be cooler, quicker with an increased base and posture, (IMO) My first 5 years of training was primarily in the Gi.

[Scott Philips]

Some nogi stuff just doesn't work the same in the gi. Sooo much friction. Can't ghost for shit in those pajamas. Bottom side control becomes a death zone against people I can normally escape from. On the bright side...some stuff is tighter, such as lockdown and rubberguard. In retrospect, I think training in a gi is bad for mma but obviously good if you want more wins at a tournament. Guess you gotta prioritize.

[Heidi McCreery]

Well, just think of what would happen if you found a way to make some of those nogi techniques work with the gi. Imagine how much easier it will become to do without the gi. My opinion. I'm testing it out anyway.

[Justin Toenjes]

I just started JJ not to long ago, and just reading the forums in the last few months. I am super glad that I started nogi right off the bat, glad I don't have to worry someone pulling my rashguard over my head, or choking me with it.

I am a 10th planet addict. thank's all 10th planet gamers.

[Jon Watkins]

Getting deep hooks with the gi has really taken my belly down armbar and swim move to another level after I take the bathrobe off.



My next gi!!