Should I do gi Jiu-Jitsu?

[Casey Roof]

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?

[Kevin Gibbs]

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.

[Sean Gamble]

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.

[Sean Gamble]

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

[Jack Hanley]

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.

[Ross Davidson]

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.

[sean applegate]

GI? Gross

[Evan B]

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.

[Mike Nall]

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.

[Keith D]

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."