How Many BJJ Gi's Should I Own

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become one of the most mainstream Martial Arts in the modern era. The evolution of the art has seen one innovation after the next, as many world class level grapplers have become champions in the Brazilian art. Since Royce Gracie dominated the Mixed Martial Arts scene in the United States of America, the stylings of BJJ have become synonymous with the culture of hard work, and perseverance. Becoming a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most prestigious accomplishments that a Martial Artist could aspire to. Attaining this coveted rank has been compared with earning a medical doctorate, as the complexity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is quite extensive. 

What this article covers:

• Feeling Comfortable in the Gi
• How Many Gi's Does a BJJ Student Need
• Choosing the Right Gi
• How to Properly Look After the Gi

In BJJ there are two forms of the art, one is the traditional form of the Gi, while the other is the more recently recognised No Gi version. Both forms have significant merit, as competitive athletes will switch between the two. Athletes like Marcelo Garcia, Andre Galvao, Felipe Pena, and Marcus Almeida have all showcased their success in both divisions of the combat sport. Training, and competing in the Gi is significantly harder, as it becomes exceedingly easier to neutralise an opponent by securing dominant grips. This means that escaping from positions can be extremely hard,as it is quite easy to become stifled underneath the abrasiveness of the Gi. The importance of training extensively in the Gi is crucial to understanding the entirety of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Some students may dislike wearing the Gi, but once they understand how should a bjj gi fit, then becoming comfortable wearing the Gi uniform becomes like second nature.

Marcelo Garcia is widely considered the greatest BJJ competitor of all time.  One of his specialties was the Butterfly Guard.  Learn the secret system of one of the greatest grapplers in history at BJJFanatics.com!

FEELING COMFORTABLE IN THE GI

It goes without saying that most new students that start BJJ might feel uncomfortable wearing the Gi. Especially in the summer when the weather is extremely hot, or the temperature is very humid, wearing a Gi can become increasingly uncomfortable. It can also become quite heavy, and suffocating on a student, while they are in the middle of roll, this is completely normal as it takes some time to get used to it. There is no real trick to feeling comfortable wearing a Gi, as it will just take time, and perseverance through the awkwardness. Feeling comfortable doing anything can take time, especially when it comes to wearing a Gi. It is going to take repetition, and this means doing it on a regular basis. When a student puts significant consistency into their training they will barely notice the Gi at all. One important tip that can help students feel comfortable wearing a Gi, is to buy a lightweight Gi, as students will barely notice wearing this extremely comfortable style of Gi.

It can be quite common for new students not to know what to wear under bjj gi, as some students prefer to go bare chested, it is more appropriate to wear a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu rash guard underneath the Gi. Like the name suggests, a rash guard will help stop any chafing, or rashes, which can be caused by friction from the Gi. It is also a good idea to wear a rash guard, as it adds another layer of protection in preventing too much sweat from transferring onto other training partners. To some students this may cause even more comfort issues, but once again getting used to it doesn't take long at all. If a student has a high quality rash guard, it can stop a lot of the uncomfortableness that comes with wearing a Gi. Nowadays Gi manufacturers put a lot of time and energy into the comfortability of their Gi apparel. There are many technological advancements like the style of the weave within the Gi, that make it extremely comfortable for athletes to wear.

HOW MANY GI'S DOES A BJJ STUDENT NEED

There are a few factors to consider when understanding how many Gi's that a student should own. Firstly they must ask themselves how many times per week they will be training. Secondly, of those training sessions that they choose to commit to, how many of them are actually in the Gi. Once a student knows exactly how many Gi training sessions per week they will be training, then they can make the most informed decision possible. For example, if a student only trains one session per week, they will most likely only need one Gi, as they will have ample time to wash and dry their Gi before their next training session. Students that train 2 Gi sessions per week will most likely need at least 3 Gi's, and the reason for this is while they are washing one Gi, they have another clean one to wear, with a backup Gi just in case. Students that are training more frequently, to the point of 4 or 5 sessions per week, they will most likely need a larger range of Gi's. This is when students will delve into owning anywhere from 4 to 10 different types of Gi's.

The next question they need to ask themself is how much does a bjj gi weigh. This is an important question to know the answer to, because if a student is competing they will need to be able to use the Gi allowance, as given by organisations, so they can appropriately plan any weight cuts they need to do. This is why it is important to have a few different styles of Gi. Commonly students will have a couple of extremely lightweight competition Gi's in their closet for this exact purpose. They may also choose to have a heavier, and more durable Gi that they can use for training, or after they have weighed in for competition. Sometimes they may be well under their scheduled weight category at a competition, meaning they are free to wear a heavier, and more durable Gi. Doing this can make it tougher for their opponent, due to the fact that their grips can wear out quicker when they are grabbing hold of a heavier, and thicker Gi lapel.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT GI

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right Gi for each individual. For starters a student needs to understand the ideology of their instructor, because it can be common for each Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school to wear certain colours that represent their academy. Students may ask themselves does gi colour matter in bjj, and the answer is yes, as only certain colours are IBJJF approved. It might seem silly, but there is a good reason why the IBJJF only allows white, black, or royal blue Gi's. In any case if a student has aspirations of becoming a high level competitor, then they need to choose one of these three colours in the beginning. In training there is no real colour that students are expected to wear, as they are free to buy any coloured, or customised Gi they find. These days there are many different weird, and wonderful Gi's with exuberant patterns, and graphics on them. Students like to collect Gi's, and finding epic styles like camo, silver, aqua, brown, purple, multicoloured, or even pink, are becoming more of a normal choice everyday.

What is more important than the colour of a Gi, is the quality of the fit. There are many different factors that go into choosing the right Gi, and students must consider aspects like comfort, durability, breathability, and affordability. Nowadays Gi manufacturers have become technologically advanced, with how they make their quality Gi apparel. There are many different types of weaves within a Gi, and they range from the single weave, which is an extremely lightweight, and affordable choice for beginners, although the durability factor can be quite low, meaning the Gi can rip and stretch more easily. The double weave, which is extremely durable but more expensive than other Gi's, can be quite heavy to wear. The best weaves are the gold, and the pearl weave, as they combine both elements of lightweight, and durability to provide a much more comfortable fit for the athlete. The aero weave is also extremely durable, and lightweight with an added bonus of having extra breathability within the Gi fabric. Choosing the right bjj attire can be extremely tricky, as there is an abundance of options in the modern world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Once a student has a definitive understanding of how a Gi can benefit them, they will then need to grasp an understanding of which brand name is quality. The problem with choosing a Gi is there are too many brand names to choose from. This can become quite a problem, and students will have to rely upon product reviews, and word of mouth. Most Gi's are bought online so trying them on is out of the question, unless there are Gi apparel shops close by, the student is out of luck. A good tip for choosing the right Gi is to have a look at what high level black belts are wearing on the world stage, usually these athletes won't just wear a Gi for sponsorship money, because they need to wear a comfortable, and durable Gi to compete in. At the end of the day most Gi companies produce really good quality apparel, so it is extremely hard to go wrong. Some of the best brand names going around today in terms of comfort, durability, and affordability are Tatami, Hayabusa, Hyperfly, Elite, Gold, Koral, Venom, and Kingz Kimonos.

HOW TO PROPERLY LOOK AFTER THE GI

Looking after a student's Gi is an extremely important aspect of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Most BJJ practitioners are black belts in washing clothes, as they are constantly having to wash their fight gear. There are many factors to consider when looking after their BJJ gear, and this goes for not only their Gi, but their No Gi gear as well. One of the first things to remember is to not leave a dirty Gi sitting overnight, as the germs and odours can get really festy. A smart move is to wash any BJJ gear immediately after getting home from training. It is important not to wash a Gi in hot water unless the student needs to shrink the Gi. All Gi's must be washed in cold water, and not exceeding 100 degrees. Normal washing powder can be used, as well as adding fabric softener will make the Gi smell nicer, and feel softer. It is also important to wash a student's belt, because germs and bacteria can gather inside the belt just like inside the Gi. Some athletes are funny about washing their belts, as they think their belt holds some mystical power. This is a laughable offense, as all belts must be washed, and if a machine wash doesn't satisfy the athlete, then they can always opt to soak the belt instead.

Marcelo Garcia is widely considered the greatest BJJ competitor of all time.  One of his specialties was the Butterfly Guard.  Learn the secret system of one of the greatest grapplers in history at BJJFanatics.com!

The next important factor for looking after a Gi is drying, and storage. It is important to understand that if a student puts a Gi in a dryer it will also shrink, the smarter option is to steer clear from this kind of quick fix. If a Gi needs to be dried in a quick fashion then make sure the dryer settings are not on heat, and that the Gi is only in the dryer for a short period of time, although it is not recommended. This is why students need to own more than one Gi, so they never have to rapidly dry their Gi for training. Gi's should be hung out to dry naturally, but also kept out of the sun, as they will fade and become really stiff. The next important step is to learn how to fold bjj gi, as this can be quite an important factor for allowing the Gi to stay in pristine condition. Leaving a Gi crumpled up in the corner of a room is a bad choice, as it will become stiffer, and start to lose its shape, as well as it is just disrespectful to the Gi itself. Some students will hang their Gi's in their closet, and this can be acceptable too, but ideally having a nicely folded Gi on your shelf not only looks good, but will make the GI feel good.

If you enjoyed this piece, consider checking:

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