Gi vs no gi

[Directional Harmony]

I've just started learning no gi jujitsu. I'm curious, would you say that it's more applicable to "real world" fight situations than learning jujitsu moves that are dependent on using an opponent's gi?
I'm not interested in rank or getting belts, just trying to become more well rounded and confident in all dimensions of a fight.

Anyone here practiced both and able to weigh in?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The day that you can use your punch to set up your clinch, the day that you will be free from your Gi dependency.

 

[drop bear]

I was going to say the same thing Wang said.

Striking changes the dynamics a lot more than your apparel. And there are systems like mma or even folk style wrestling that do a bit better.

But regardless. Good grappling is so dominant that for self it also doesn't matter very much.

So I do MMA ,roll with punches, and can do everything right and have a BJJ whiz do technically everything wrong and still sub me.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

A hook punch can change into a

- wrist grab.
- spiral punch, and then change into an under hook.
- back fist, and then change into an arm wrap.
- ..

If you know how to use a hook punch, you can obtain a clinch whether your opponent has Gi or not.

IMO, to be good in no Gi, you have to start from the hook punch.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

Either or, some clothes are bad now days others not. Clothes used to be built more sturdy so you could probbly consistently put them under a lot of stress i have seen T shirts torn in minutes or seconds in some street fighting videos.

Also, the GI sports have some game to them, but its nothing you cant do if the person is clothed in general, like chokign them out with the GI, you can replicate that in the real world, using the clothing in locks. And i could say the same for some game in no gi sort of things like fish hooking, you arent really goign to reliably fishhook below the belt in most peoples wardrobe. Like you wont groins trike, the groin on some clothing is pretty tight.



And this has now had me think on how do you train join breaks as opposed to locks.

Addendum: Although GI training would be great if you get into a fight with someone going to Judo/Sambo/Karate classes in their Gi

 

[drop bear]

There is some cross over. This gi choke can be done on a t shirt for example.

 

[Martial D]

I've just started learning no gi jujitsu. I'm curious, would you say that it's more applicable to "real world" fight situations than learning jujitsu moves that are dependent on using an opponent's gi?
I'm not interested in rank or getting belts, just trying to become more well rounded and confident in all dimensions of a fight.

Anyone here practiced both and able to weigh in?

How many people do you see walking around in a gi vs a tee shirt?

 

[dunc]

A gi is a pretty good proxy for a jacket or coat of any kind so if you live somewhere cold &/or wet then do gi
If you live somewhere hot and only hang out in shorts and a t-shirt then do no-gi
If you live somewhere temperate then do both

 

[qwksilver61]

I've just started learning no gi jujitsu. I'm curious, would you say that it's more applicable to "real world" fight situations than learning jujitsu moves that are dependent on using an opponent's gi?
I'm not interested in rank or getting belts, just trying to become more well rounded and confident in all dimensions of a fight.

Anyone here practiced both and able to weigh in?

Strange psychology… whenever i trained in my Kung fu outfit.. perfect, snap! Pop! in civi’s ok at best. But i remember Shifu’s words “ train in all environs all conditions, get out of your “comfort” zone. he was right, it doesn’t matter what clothes you wear

 

[Hanzou]

No gi IMO.

Gi is good to know, but over dependence on gi grips and anchors can lead to problems when you go against someone wearing regular clothes. Whereas no-gi tends to utilize more universal grips on the human body that everyone has.

Also I think the speed of no-gi is better for self defense. Faster movement, scrambles, and submissions is incredibly useful for self protection.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I tell my students that training gi improves your defense. You're giving your opponent handles to control you with, which means you can't just rely on explosive movement to get out of bad positions. You have to develop proper structure to keep yourself safe.

By the same token, training no-gi improves your offense. You can't just rely on having convenient handles to hold your opponent in place for a pin or submission. It's a lot easier for a strong opponent to just explode free from your control, especially once they get sweaty and slippery. Once again, you need superior structure to keep your opponent in place while you work your technique.

From a self-defense standpoint, learning how to use your opponent's clothing against him is very much secondary to learning to keep him from using your clothing against you.

Ultimately, if you are studying BJJ as a martial art rather than just as a sport then in my opinion you should be practicing both gi and no-gi and both with and without striking. Otherwise you're missing important pieces of the puzzle.

 

[drop bear]

I tell my students that training gi improves your defense. You're giving your opponent handles to control you with, which means you can't just rely on explosive movement to get out of bad positions. You have to develop proper structure to keep yourself safe.

By the same token, training no-gi improves your offense. You can't just rely on having convenient handles to hold your opponent in place for a pin or submission. It's a lot easier for a strong opponent to just explode free from your control, especially once they get sweaty and slippery. Once again, you need superior structure to keep your opponent in place while you work your technique.

From a self-defense standpoint, learning how to use your opponent's clothing against him is very much secondary to learning to keep him from using your clothing against you.

Ultimately, if you are studying BJJ as a martial art rather than just as a sport then in my opinion you should be practicing both gi and no-gi and both with and without striking. Otherwise you're missing important pieces of the puzzle.

I still think the distinction doesn't really focus on the important factors needed to make grappling self defence focused.

Positional hierarchy is more important than what you are wearing.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I still think the distinction doesn't really focus on the important factors needed to make grappling self defence focused.

Positional hierarchy is more important than what you are wearing.

Absolutely. There are a lot of considerations which are much more important for a self-defense focus than gi vs no-gi.

 

[Buka]

I was taught a clothing choke from closed guard that we've tried with every possible article of clothing we could think of. From tuxedos and suits to heavy winter coats, to every kind of shirt.

The only thing that was iffy was an old t-shirt with the collar ring removed like the junior weightlifters used to wear back in the day. If you didn't get it just right the shirt shredded off of them sometimes.

It's one of my all time favorite Martial techniques.

 

[Harry Flannagan]

Striking as many people commented is perhaps a heavier factor regarding your question. However, I'd like to argue that nogi is not more realistic than kimono. When is the last time you fought someone naked or in a sleek rashguard and spats? Most times you'll fight someone, especially if you don't live in a tropical country and pick a fight on the beach, you'll be wearing something that will allow you to hold the other guy. Check this compilation out and see how much shirt grabbing there is that definitely changed the dynamic of the fight. That's why you'll see so many people who are used to street fighting take off their shirts the moment they know they'll engage in a fight.

 

[J. Pickard]

late to the party but figured I'd participate anyway. My BJJ class is trains in gi however the instructor always demonstrates no gi variants to every technique we drill but the rolling is all done in gi. That being said, where I live has 4 very distinct seasons and I have seen how many gi techniques are definitely the way to go when the weather is colder. The gi techniques translate well to heavier jackets and lighter winter coats. For some reason in Michigan people like to wear the big warm coats/jackets but rarely zip them up.

 

[jmf552]

Not long ago I would have said No Gi, but I have changed my mind seeing some techniques recently that really provide advantages if the person is wearing a jacket. I know you can't depend on that, so I am still a big fan of No Gi, but learning how to exploit clothing when it is there is a great skill. I am planning to do a balance of both going forward.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Not long ago I would have said No Gi, but I have changed my mind seeing some techniques recently that really provide advantages if the person is wearing a jacket. I know you can't depend on that, so I am still a big fan of No Gi, but learning how to exploit clothing when it is there is a great skill. I am planning to do a balance of both going forward.

Old MA saying said, "If you have clothes, I'll grab your clothes. If you don't, I'll grab your skin."

You may also try to grab on your opponent's arm skin? This may require some grip strength development.