To me wearing gi pants as a beginner helps my game a lot, my lockdowns are a lot tighter and being a beginner i usually am playing my half gaurd game, which i like to play, because i feel it to be a very dominate position for me becuase of my flexibility issues. I mean i have my subs, my sweeps, and im a bigget set guy so when i get to mount i can use my weight to muscle the opponet around.
My biggest concern was for comps, I dont want to rep something a bunch in gi pants and get to a comp and not be able to wear them, and possibly lose my grip. I think i will start working with and with out them, and possibly invest in ankle sleeve's, seems like a lot of people like to use them. To me it's all about improving your game, use what you feel works, and use whats allowed to your advatange. To me if you train just MMA shorts are the way to go, if your more of a martial artist and JJ is all you want to learn why not wear a gi or just gi pants? I've never trained in a full out gi, after reading Eddie's books i can see the holes in the gi game and i do feel that the no-gi game is a lot more technical, but i feel wearing gi pants isnt using the gi, im not doing on gi holds, im still using all my hooks, I just can get a lot better grip with my legs now