Why do you wear a rash guard in jiu jitsu?

Four reasons. Skin protection, because mats are abrasive and dragging bare skin across one causes mat burn. Hygiene, because it keeps your sweat on you rather than on your training partner and the mat. It doesn't snag, unlike cotton t-shirts that stretch, tear, and give your partner something to get tangled in. And sweat management, since quick-drying fabric means you aren't carrying a soaked shirt by the third round.

Do you need a rash guard for no-gi jiu jitsu?

Not for your first class. Athletic clothes and a water bottle are all you need to start. Most people buy a rash guard once they begin training regularly. The typical order beginners buy in is a rash guard or two, fight shorts without pockets, a mouth guard, and spats if they want them.

What do rash guard colors mean in jiu jitsu?

A rash guard that is primarily white, blue, purple, brown, or black is understood as an indicator of belt rank. Black can also be signaled by a black and red combination. Only wear a ranked rash guard that matches the belt you actually hold. Rash guards with multicolored designs, graphics, or gym logos are not ranked and anyone can wear them regardless of belt.

What is the difference between short sleeve and long sleeve rash guards?

Both work and it comes down to preference. Short sleeve runs cooler and gives more freedom of movement in the shoulders. Long sleeve provides more skin coverage, meaning less mat burn on the forearms and elbows, and some people find long sleeves make certain grips slightly harder for an opponent. Most people who train regularly end up owning both.

What gear do I need for no-gi jiu jitsu?

A rash guard, fight shorts or grappling shorts without pockets, a mouth guard once you're rolling regularly, and optionally spats worn under your shorts. A gym bag and flip flops for walking to and from the mat round it out. No gi uniform is required, which is a meaningful cost difference since a gi runs $80 to $200.

What Is a Rash Guard? A Guide to No-Gi Jiu Jitsu Gear

A rash guard is a tight-fitting athletic shirt made of quick-drying, flexible fabric, worn in no-gi jiu jitsu to protect the skin, improve hygiene, and prevent mat burn. It’s the single most useful piece of gear you’ll own as a grappler, and for no-gi jiu jitsu, it’s most of your uniform.

You don’t need one for your first class. Book a free class and come in a t-shirt. Here’s the full gear rundown for when you’re ready.

Why Wear a Rash Guard

Skin protection. Mats are abrasive. Dragging a bare arm or shoulder across one during a scramble causes mat burn, which is exactly as pleasant as it sounds. Rash guard fabric slides instead of catching.

Hygiene. A rash guard keeps your sweat on you instead of on your training partner and on the mat. This matters more in grappling than in almost any other sport.

It doesn’t snag. Cotton t-shirts stretch, tear, and give your partner something to accidentally grab or get tangled up in. A rash guard stays put through a full round.

Sweat management. Quick-drying fabric means you’re not carrying around a soaked, heavy shirt by round three.

Short Sleeve or Long Sleeve?

Both work. It comes down to preference.

Short sleeve runs cooler, which makes a difference in our Bastrop Texas summer. More freedom of movement in the shoulders.

Long sleeve gives you more skin coverage, which means less mat burn on the forearms and elbows. Some people also find long sleeves make certain grips slightly harder for their opponent.

Most people who train regularly end up owning both.

Ranked Rash Guards (Read This Before You Buy)

This is the part beginners won’t immediately know…

In jiu jitsu, a rash guard that is primarily white, blue, purple, brown, or black is understood as an indicator of belt rank. Black can also be signaled by a black and red combination. If you show up in a purple rash guard as a white belt, people will assume you’re a purple belt, and that may make your first roll a little harder than you wanted…

The rule is simple: only wear a ranked rash guard that matches the belt you hold.

Kids should only ever wear the white ranked rash guard, since kids can’t earn a blue belt until they turn 16. That applies to everyone in our kids jiu jitsu program.

Rash guards with multicolored designs, graphics, or gym logos aren’t ranked and anyone can wear them regardless of belt. Most of what you’ll see on the mat falls into this category.

The Rest of the No-Gi Gear

Fight shorts or grappling shorts. Shorts built for grappling have no pockets, a flat drawstring waistband, and enough stretch to move in. Pockets are the big one. Fingers and toes get caught in them and that’s how people break fingers.

Spats. Tight leggings worn under your shorts. They protect your legs from mat burn the same way a rash guard protects your upper body. Optional but popular.

Mouth guard. Recommended once you’re rolling regularly. Cheap insurance for your teeth.

A gym bag. Something to carry it all, plus flip flops for walking to and from the mat.

That’s it. Compare that to a gi, which runs $80 to $200 on its own, and the cost advantage of no-gi becomes clear pretty quickly. If any of these terms are new to you, our jiu jitsu glossary has definitions for all of them.

What Jiu Jitsu Gear a Beginner Needs

For your first class: athletic clothes and a water bottle. Nothing else. We covered this in detail in our guide to what to wear to your first jiu jitsu class.

Once you’re training regularly, the order most people buy in is:

A rash guard (or two)
Fight shorts without pockets
A mouth guard
Spats, if you want them

You can spread that out over months. Nobody needs a full kit on week one.

Keep Your Gear Clean

Wash everything after every single session. Never wear a rash guard twice between washes.

This isn’t just about you. Skin infections spread through dirty gear in grappling gyms, and the entire room depends on everyone taking it seriously. Clean gear, showered before class, trimmed nails. That’s the standard.

Airlock Gear

We have 10th Planet Airlock rash guards available at cruzcmbt.com/airlockbjj. Use code AIRLOCKBJJ for $5 off.

We carry our classic 10P Airlock galaxy rash guards, which anyone can wear at any rank, plus ranked rash guards for each belt. We also run occasional specialty orders for t-shirts, striking jerseys, and other designs.

All of our gear is made to order, so if you see something you want, don’t sit on it too long.

You are never required to wear our gear. Train in whatever you want as long as it’s appropriate for the mat. Some schools require students to wear school gear. We find that culty. Airlock gear is welcomed and appreciated, and it’s always your choice.