Why You Should Wear A Rashguard

By Corey Kuropas, November 30, 2016

I am a huge proponent of rashguards. Rashguards are essential if you are a no gi grappler, and can also benefit you even if you wear it underneath a gi. Much like spats, they provide a lot of the same advantages, due to the fact that it is a piece of compression gear. Why should you wear a rashguard? Here are the reasons why…

Reducing bacteria spread

Everyone knows that skin to skin contact in Jiu Jitsu can mean the spread of bacteria. Even in the gi, your kimono top can open and the chance of spreading bacteria heightens. If you wear a rashguard underneath your gi, even if it opens, the chance of bacteria spreading is much less. This is important so that you can keep your skin happy, and avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor.

All about the grips and controls

When rolling or competing, sweat can become a serious factor. The more you sweat, the more slippery that you become. Because of this, your opponent can begin to slip out of certain submissions and your grips can become much less effective. When you wear a rashguard, especially, a long sleeve rashguard, you are giving yourself more traction and friction to finish submissions and giving yourself better control.

Possible injury prevention

When your muscles are compressed, they are less likely to become injured. Muscle pulls and strains are common and usually accidental. When wearing a rashguard that fits perfect, you will find yourself not getting injured as easily. The compression also allows for your muscles to recover more quickly, which will mean less soreness in the long-run.

Mat burn prevention

One of the annoying issues in Jiu Jitsu is mat burn. It doesn’t matter if you have wrestling mats, tatami mats, or puzzle mats. You can get pretty painful mat burns from anyone of them. Rashguards will prevent that mat burn from occurring on your chest, back and arms (if you’re wearing a long-sleeve one). While mat burn isn’t a huge injury, it can still hurt and affect your performance.

As a Jiu Jitsu student, you should always have at least two rashguards in your closet, even if you are a gi player. Having them will help you out in your training and competitions. Take advantage of them! Check out a couple of cool rashguards at BJJ Fanatics. They have long-sleeve and short-sleeve available for only $39!

Click here to see the IBJJF belt colored short-sleeve rashguard!

Click here to see the long-sleeve video game styled rashguard!