No Gi Forever: Why We Train No Gi Jiu Jitsu in Bastrop, TX
No gi jiu jitsu – that’s what we’re all about at Airlock Jiu Jitsu. It’s just how we roll, literally. But if you’ve never trained jiu jitsu before – or if you’ve never trained no gi – let’s take a second to break down why over here we like to train without the traditional jiu jitsu gi/kimono.
In the BJJ world, there’s quite a bit of friendly ribbing between the yes-gi and the no gi communities. Different people like training different things, and of course we get tribal that OUR way of doing jiu jitsu is the best. The truth is, training with or without the gi, either way, you’re doing jiu jitsu, and we’re glad to know ya because of that.
Now that we’ve covered the kind words and shown some respect for our yes-gi friends, let’s talk about why no gi is so much better than training in the gi:
- Realism
Most of us primarily train jiu jitsu as a sport and as an art, but of course jiu jitsu is a martial art that provides a serious self defense system. Since much of gi jiu jitsu involves gripping on the clothing of an opponent while no gi technique revolves around using overhooks & underhooks for control rather than gripping clothes, we know that no gi techniques are better suited for warm climates where people simply wear less clothes. A cross-collar gi choke works excellently in a fight with someone who is wearing a heavy winter coat. But when you have to fight someone who doesn’t have a shirt on at all, no gi techniques are the only way to go. As Texas locals, we like to be prepared for the element of realism that makes no gi jiu jitsu a good self defense fit for our climate.
Don’t misunderstand this point – a jiu jitsu practitioner who trains hard can handle just about any situation, whether they train in the gi or no gi. But as no gi folks, we really like to train a closer set of circumstances to situations that may occur right here in TX.
- Equipment
There’s a lower barrier to entry with no gi. When you start training, all you really need is an athletic t-shirt and some shorts/leggings. There isn’t equipment that you really need to buy right out the gates since you don’t need to purchase a gi (or several) just to get started and try things out. You’ll likely do less laundry too. Now, eventually as you progress, just like with any hobby, you can buy as much gear as you want. You’ll probably want to purchase some rash guards that fit your skin tightly and protect you from mat burn, and you will also want some fight shorts without pockets on them. You can buy as much fun stuff as you want, including rash guards with some pretty wild designs. We have a lot more fun with what we wear than the gi crowd, and they are very fair to make fun of our crazy rash guard styles!
- Style
If you’ve seen both gi and no gi jiu jitsu being done, you’ll notice that there are some major style differences. No gi tends to move a little bit faster since opponents are unable to use grips to slow each other down. A good slippery no gi match is just more dynamic. There’s less friction between two people without the gi, so you move through different positions much quicker. Leg lock attacks are more prevalent in no gi as well, and some no gi practitioners really play a wild game of attacking from the strangest positions. We have fun getting creative.
All respect and love to our fellow jiu jitsu practitioners, both the yes-gi and no gi crowds, but we just love what we do and we know why we do it this way. No gi jiu jitsu is our favorite thing to do.
Come give no gi jiu jitsu a shot with us at Airlock Jiu Jitsu in Bastrop, TX. Wear whatever you want, we’ll show you some cool stuff. Everyone gets a free week. 303 Martin Luther King Dr Bastrop, TX.
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