During a recent appearance on the Alberto Crane Podcast, Sarah Galvao argued that gi and no-gi aren’t just variations of the same art…
They’re completely different sports:
Between gi and no-gi, it’s two different sports.
It’s so different.
You can’t tell me it’s the same because it’s completely different.
She explained that while both sports share basic mechanics, the similarity ends there — much like how wrestling and jiu-jitsu share concepts yet remain fundamentally distinct:
There’s the same mechanics… But it’s different.
No-gi is so much more movement.
You have to move so much more and you have to work for position so much more than you would in the gi.
Constant motion, endless scrambles, and a relentless battle for position define the no-gi landscape.
Without grips to slow an opponent down, even the smallest technical lapse can be fatal, in Galvao’s words:
It’s so hard to stall in no-gi. There’s always something happening.
And when opportunities appear, they’re fleeting:
Your technique has to be in check because let’s say you pass the guard — that might be the only time you ever pass the guard the whole match.
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