Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers two distinct styles: Gi and No Gi. In Gi Jiu-Jitsu, you grapple wearing a traditional Gi, enabling you to use your opponent’s clothing as a tool for control and submission. In No Gi, you forgo the Gi, wearing shorts and a rash guard instead, and rely on body grips alone—no grabbing of clothing is allowed.

Many grapplers lean heavily toward one style, limiting themselves to a specific skill set and missing out on the unique advantages each approach offers. Training both, however, makes you a more complete and adaptable grappler. Take Marcelo Garcia, for example: he built a world-class foundation in the Gi before switching to No Gi at brown belt, proving that a strong base in both styles creates a versatile, high-level competitor.

Understanding the Key Differences

1. Dress Code
   • Gi: Traditional Gi, complete with jacket and pants, allowing for specific grips on fabric.
   • No Gi: Shorts and a rash guard, eliminating clothing-based grips and emphasizing body-to-body control.
2. Grips
   • Gi: The Gi provides numerous grip options on the collar, sleeves, and pants, allowing for exceptional control and a broader range of submissions, using both your and your opponent’s clothing.
   • No Gi: Without the Gi, grapplers rely more on wrestling grips—grabbing the neck, wrists, and joints. Controlling a slippery, fast-moving opponent is more challenging, and you’ll often see athletes “powering out” of holds or using body locks for control.
3. Pace & Strategy
   • No Gi tends to be faster and more explosive, as there’s less friction from the Gi fabric. It promotes a dynamic game, favoring guillotines, Darce chokes, and foot locks.
   • Gi slows things down, allowing for deliberate, chess-like strategies using lapel and sleeve grips. Gi grapplers use specialized techniques like the worm guard, which wouldn’t work without the Gi fabric.
4. Rules
   • Most No Gi tournaments have different rules from Gi, particularly around leg locks. For example, heel hooks, which are prevalent in No Gi, are banned in Gi under IBJJF rules, but allowed in ADCC, the premier No Gi event.

Benefits of Training in the Gi

• Builds Upper Body Strength: Constantly gripping, pulling, and holding fabric strengthens your hands, wrists, and upper body muscles, enhancing tendon strength.
• Technical Skill Development: The Gi slows the pace, encouraging a methodical, problem-solving approach to grappling. With less sweat and more friction, escaping submissions requires precision and technique.
• Improved Judo & Stand-Up: Gi training often incorporates Judo-style throws and grips, improving your balance, base, and standing techniques.

Benefits of Training in No Gi

• Enhanced Wrestling Skills: No Gi relies heavily on wrestling-style takedowns, developing skills that transfer well to MMA and self-defense.
• Improved Conditioning & Explosiveness: Without Gi grips, No Gi’s faster pace demands intense cardio and power. Regular No Gi training will improve both your conditioning and explosiveness.
• Advanced Foot Locking Game: Without the friction of the Gi, foot locks become harder to defend, and incorporating heel hooks opens up a new set of offensive techniques.

Tips for Switching from Gi to No Gi

1. Focus on Wrestling Fundamentals
   If you’re used to the Gi, get comfortable with wrestling-style grips. Practice neck ties, underhooks, and wrist control, and work on wrestling takedowns like double legs and single legs.
2. Embrace No Gi Submissions
   No Gi is rich in techniques like guillotines, Darce chokes, and leg locks. Spend time drilling these submissions to add new layers to your No Gi game.
3. Adjust Your Grip Strength and Strategy
   Without the Gi, gripping the neck or wrists is essential for control, so focus on building strong hand and wrist grips. Also, learn to use body positioning and weight distribution rather than fabric control.
4. Work on Your Conditioning
   No Gi’s fast pace will challenge your cardio and explosiveness. Incorporate drills that build speed and endurance to prepare for the higher tempo.

Switching between Gi and No Gi can make you a more adaptable, rounded fighter. Both styles have their strengths, and each offers unique ways to test and develop your skills. Embrace the best of both worlds, and you’ll find yourself becoming a complete grappler.

If you want to make you transition from gi to no gi easier then you ever thought possible check out our newest DVD with 2x ADCC champion and IBJJF No Gi Black Belt Open weight champion, Yuri Simoes. Yuri is the most established no gi competitor in the world and he has had success at every rule set he competed in. He is not a one trick pony who only does submission only and he is not a point fighter who only competes in IBJJF. Yuri does it all, check out his DVD below.