am i over reacting or being unreasonable?

[Amir Allam]

While gi is a different beast than nogi, I've never met anyone that had that much experience nogi and still struggled enough to be considered a white belt in gi.

We're rare, but we exist. Eddie gave me my black belt last October; I felt a little underprepared but I don't think anyone who has rolled with me would really dispute that ranking. But, at at that time I had *never* worn a gi. Never worn one, never seriously watched gi matches or techniques, never really thought about it. Nothing against the gi at all, just never did it. Since then, I've been to about 4 gi classes, and I can tell you that at *best* I'm a blue belt with the pajamas on. I almost got put to sleep by ~150lb blue belt; in no-gi, I tap him ~10 times in an 8 minute roll. I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. The two styles are just completely different, and I expect that gi training prepares you for nogi better than nogi prepares you for gi. Whatever the reason, my particular skillset translates poorly. Though if I catch you in rubberguard with the gi on, you're completely fucked.

It would be beyond idiotic for me to show up at a gi tournament with my black belt and think I could last more than a minute. At the same time, I could see how people would be pissed off if I take gold in advanced/expert nogi and then show up the next day as a blue belt in the gi. The reason is that people like me are rare; most grapplers have put on the gi for an extended period at some point. Shit, even Josh Barnett has worn one from time to time.

Erik, you're in a similar situation though not quite as extreme. By the rules of the tournament you should enter advanced nogi and white belt gi divisions. However, this is awkward for everybody. The only graceful solution is to only compete as a white belt in the gi and forgo nogi enirely, unsatisfactory as that may sound. Eventually (hopefully), your skills in the gi will catch up to nogi and then you'll be able to compete plausibly in an advanced division.

In general, you should defer to your instructor's opinion, but never feel pressured to do something that violates your ethics.

[ErikLavigne]

We're rare, but we exist. Eddie gave me my black belt last October; I felt a little underprepared but I don't think anyone who has rolled with me would really dispute that ranking. But, at at that time I had *never* worn a gi. Never worn one, never seriously watched gi matches or techniques, never really thought about it. Nothing against the gi at all, just never did it. Since then, I've been to about 4 gi classes, and I can tell you that at *best* I'm a blue belt with the pajamas on. I almost got put to sleep by ~150lb blue belt; in no-gi, I tap him ~10 times in an 8 minute roll. I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. The two styles are just completely different, and I expect that gi training prepares you for nogi better than nogi prepares you for gi. Whatever the reason, my particular skillset translates poorly. Though if I catch you in rubberguard with the gi on, you're completely fucked.

It would be beyond idiotic for me to show up at a gi tournament with my black belt and think I could last more than a minute. At the same time, I could see how people would be pissed off if I take gold in advanced/expert nogi and then show up the next day as a blue belt in the gi. The reason is that people like me are rare; most grapplers have put on the gi for an extended period at some point. Shit, even Josh Barnett has worn one from time to time.

Erik, you're in a similar situation though not quite as extreme. By the rules of the tournament you should enter advanced nogi and white belt gi divisions. However, this is awkward for everybody. The only graceful solution is to only compete as a white belt in the gi and forgo nogi enirely, unsatisfactory as that may sound. Eventually (hopefully), your skills in the gi will catch up to nogi and then you'll be able to compete plausibly in an advanced division.

In general, you should defer to your instructor's opinion, but never feel pressured to do something that violates your ethics.

Finally, someone else that knows what im going through. I agree, huge difference in a gi. I can stall and survive for quite some time in a gi, but if I get offensive at all, I get caught with collar chokes all day. I am getting better, grip fighting more and more. I still prefer no-gi, but gi is helping my no-gi game improve. Thanks for the input brother, makes me feel better to know im not crazy

[ErikLavigne]

While gi is a different beast than nogi, I've never met anyone that had that much experience nogi and still struggled enough to be considered a white belt in gi.

Well you have to understand, all my experience is in no-gi. To go from that to gi is a completely new animal. Its like going into a fight unarmed and your opponent has a knife. I get choked from every angle when I try to go offensive. Only being in it for about 4 months I would say I am a white belt for sure in a gi due to the fact I fall for basic level chokes all the time.

[Axel NL]

Ok, recently told my instructor I was ready to start competing.

Maybe it's a miscommunication?

You told him you are 'ready to start competing', which sounds like you want to compete for the first time. And it also seems like you feel you are 'ready' just now, so it sounds like a beginner.

[ErikLavigne]

Maybe it's a miscommunication?

You told him you are 'ready to start competing', which sounds like you want to compete for the first time. And it also seems like you feel you are 'ready' just now, so it sounds like a beginner.

Well he knows Ive competed before, even showed him some highlights lol. However, I can see where that may have confused some people on this forum. I should have said "start competing again" lol. My bad, good find.

[Chris Leavelle]

I would do whatever Sean Bollinger told me to do. If he said jumping off this bridge would make me better at Jiu Jitsu then fuck it thats what im doing. I guess that's the benefit of having a Bad ass instructor. But unfortunately he has never asked me to jump off a bridge cause that would be easy lol. Nope the only thing he's said is get your ass to class and listen to what I say and you will get better. Seems simple enough right.

[Enrique "Kiko"]

sup Erik, I can see you can feel strongly about this issue of potential sandbagging. If I were in your shoes with the exact same dilemma, I too would have asked my coach and people on this forum. It is clear that if your coach, and multiple competitors/coaches on this forum agree with your coach to go beginners in both nogi AND gi, that I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and trust their experience and advice.

Even if it's been said multiple times in different ways, maybe hearing it again will help. Gi and NoGi are two similar sports with some major differences which does in fact make them separate skill sets. I'd keep that in mind to help curb any feeling of guilt you have over your skill disparity between the two skill sets. Maybe a completely non jiu jitsu related example might help. Bobby Flay is a MASTER level creative chef for southwest cuisine, but if he enters a cooking competition show for Southern Swahili native dishes, *I'm under the assumption he's not too versed in that style of cooking,* that he could enter as novice despite his high skill in another related but different culinary style. I'd even wager that he'd be blown out completely if he tried to enter that same cooking competition for an unfamiliar culinary style as advanced/master.

I hope I helped even a little Erik. Best of luck on the mats.

[Enrique "Kiko"]

sup Erik, I can see you can feel strongly about this issue of potential sandbagging. If I were in your shoes with the exact same dilemma, I too would have asked my coach and people on this forum. It is clear that if your coach, and multiple competitors/coaches on this forum agree with your coach to go beginners in both nogi AND gi, that I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and trust their experience and advice.

Even if it's been said multiple times in different ways, maybe hearing it again will help. Gi and NoGi are two similar sports with some major differences which does in fact make them separate skill sets. I'd keep that in mind to help curb any feeling of guilt you have over your skill disparity between the two skill sets. Maybe a completely non jiu jitsu related example might help. Bobby Flay is a MASTER level creative chef for southwest cuisine, but if he enters a cooking competition show for Southern Swahili native dishes, *I'm under the assumption he's not too versed in that style of cooking,* that he could enter as novice despite his high skill in another related but different culinary style. I'd even wager that he'd be blown out completely if he tried to enter that same cooking competition for an unfamiliar culinary style as advanced/master.

I hope I helped even a little Erik. Best of luck on the mats.

oh, what I mean when they are "related" culinary styles is that they are related on the most basic of things like...cutting/chopping, using heat to combine and transform flavors, combining spices, plating.

[Gray]

Amir, I think we're agreeing because even by your own account you weren't a white belt in the gi. Blue, which is significantly lower than your nogi rank, but still not white.