Gi Vs. No Gi Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-jitsu, like many other martial arts and practices, has styles and variations that have their own following within it.  Two of the biggest “segments” or practices in jiu-jitsu are the variations known as gi vs no-gi jiu-jitsu.

For those of you who don’t know what that means, it is nothing more than practicing with or without a traditional uniform known as a gi. While you may be thinking a switch in uniform doesn’t change much, you may be surprised at how different they actually are.

So in this article, we will start with the main differences (other than a wardrobe change) and why they matter.  From there we will answer which is more difficult, which ones you should try, and which is ultimately better overall.

There is a lot to cover so let’s get into it!

 

The Differences

To start this off, it’s important to note that gi and No-gi jiu-jitsu are very similar.  A lot of the moves and techniques will apply in both (though less from gi to No-gi) and the positioning is largely the same.

That being said, the nuance between the two is definitely noticeable.  And it is noticeable enough that a lot of people have a strong preference for one or the other.  So what are some of the differences?

The Uniform

This one should be pretty obvious…  The difference between gi and no-gi is, well, the gi.   A Gi is a traditional uniform that includes a top that looks a bit like a jacket and long pants.  They are made from incredibly sturdy fabric and are very difficult to rip.

A no-gi uniform typically includes a rash guard for your shirt and pants with shorts.  A lot of competitors in competition opt for just shorts though.

 

The Grips

This is a major one.  I personally started Jiu-Jitsu after a long period of watching UFC.  I knew the submissions they used and the positions they held while in their “no-gi” wardrobe, so I didn’t expect it to be much of a difference.

When I started doing Jiu-Jitsu in a gi, I was surprised at the amount of control my opponents had over my movement.  I got swept, choked, and moved by clothing that I didn’t realize was a threat.  Not only that, but those sweeps and chokes seemingly came out of nowhere.

What I quickly learned was that the entire gi is a grip for someone to use.  Unlike no-gi where you depend on gripping someone’s body, every part of the pant, sleeve, and collar are now gripping points for someone to get leverage to sweep and choke you.  Because of this, a large number of moves and chokes in the gi don’t translate over to no-gi.

 

The Style

Because of the differences in the uniform and grips as mentioned above, competitors have to adapt and create a different game or style from Gi to no-Gi.  A lot of sweeps and chokes get lost when you remove the Gi and it becomes difficult to perform what may have been a go-to move of yours previously.

On the plus side, the loss of grips makes you far more slippery, so switching to no-Gi can initiate a lot more scrambles. Typically that means that no-gi practitioners tend to favor more of a wrestling style.

The other major style change is the amount of leg locks that are used because of the missing grips in no-gi jiu-jitsu.  The gi certainly allows for them, but the rules are a bit more strict with a gi on.  Not only that, but that loss of grips makes the legs a far more accessible and attackable part of the body.

 

Now that some of the basic differences are out of the way, let’s look into some other categories.

Gi vs. No-Gi: Which is a Better Workout?

So, let’s start off by acknowledging that the picture above shows a top gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu contender as of April 2023.  So…. I can’t say that either shows to be easier than the other based on that.

Moving past the shirtless pics, let’s recap.  No-gi tends to be faster and has more scrambles and positional changes due to the lack of grips.  The gi tends to be a slower pace but takes more effort to move from position to position because of the amount of control those grips give.

So what is harder about no-gi?  Ultimately it’s the movement and speed of it.  You can scramble and move a lot more and it can lead to more stand up and wrestling, which is quite difficult in itself.  (More on jiu-jitsu vs. wrestling here).  When you do get grips, you have to consistently fight to keep them and likely scramble more to keep position.

What is harder about gi?  Almost every move and positional change both offensively and defensively takes effort.  Especially as you get to training with more seasoned individuals, their grips can feel like a steel trap and your entire body has to fight against that resistance that the grip gives them.

So which is more difficult?  The jury is out.  If you find scrambling and positional changes difficult, then your answer is likely no-gi.  If you find constant muscle tension difficult, then your answer is likely gi.  All I know is I don’t leave either without looking like I got sprayed by a garden hose.

Gi vs. No-Gi: Which is Harder to Learn?

Let’s start by saying that both gi and no-gi jiu jitsu are not easy sports to pick up, and are especially difficult to master.  There is a reason that the average promotion to black belt takes 10 years and that, while growing, there are only 4000 black belts officially registered among the world population.

That being said, I and others tend to believe that traditional jiu-jitsu in a gi is more difficult to learn than no-gi.  As mentioned before, jiu-jitsu in a gi has far more grips, guards, chokes, and moves, so it typically is harder for people to pick up and takes longer to get used to all of the different styles that people play.

Does that mean no-gi jiu-jitsu is easy?  Definitely not.  Does it mean that it’s better?  Let’s leave that one for the next section!

 

Gi vs. No-Gi: Which is Better?

Before we answer this explicitly, let’s do a quick recap of the benefits of each.

Gi Benefits

• Lots of available grips allows for more control
• More chokes and sweeps available make it highly technical
• Is a more traditional Jiu-Jitsu practice

No-Gi Benefits

• More scrambles and more of a wrestling style
• More true to “normal” clothes so more “real” in a true altercation
• Can transfer every move from no-gi to gi

 

My guess is that after reading the above, you lean towards one or the other.  Let’s dive in even more on why each is better than the other.

 

Why is Gi better Than No-Gi?

One reason some people prefer gi to no-gi jiu-jitsu is because of it’s technical nature. Because every part of the body now has clothing and therefore a “grip”, it means that there are a massive number of pins, sweeps, and chokes that aren’t available in no-gi. So if you like to think and problem solve (let’s say you are an engineer or project manager type), then you might prefer the gi.

Another big reason for preferring  gi vs no-gi is that those same grips can be used to slow down larger, faster, or younger opponents.  I’ve found that people who are smaller or aren’t in their prime tend to lean towards the gi because it allows them to better control their opponent.

Lastly, jiu-jitsu in the gi is more of a traditional practice and still has a much larger following at the time of writing this article.  So it will be easier to find schools that practice more gi at this point in time.

If that sounds like something you would enjoy, then the gi might be for you!

 

Why is No-Gi better Than Gi?

One of the main arguments for no-gi being better than gi is because it is more akin to a real life situation.  Every move and choke in no-gi can be applied to anyone in any clothing at all.  So if you are trying to learn self-defense or otherwise, no-gi can be very useful as it teaches you control and movement without having to rely on clothing as much.

The other main reason people prefer no-gi to gi is because it is far faster paced.  Conversely to the arguments made for the gi, not having grips means that you can much more easily escape from all positions.  This means you are moving and scrambling to get to your next positions, which can mean wrestlers and other athletes get to use their power and speed to its fullest extent.

Lastly, while not as popular on a worldwide stage, no-gi has been far more accessible to the public and has seen rapid growth in the past few years.  MMA and wrestling fans can appreciate grappling no-gi more in transitioning from those other two.

 

So which is ultimately better?  Hate to leave you without a clear answer but I’d say that you would have to decide that for yourself.  Which brings us to our final section.

 

 

Can I Practice Both Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu?

Short answer? You can 100% do both.  The great news here is that most gyms will have both a gi and a no-gi practice on different days so you can try both out and see what you enjoy more.

That being said, you will find that gyms have a preference and will focus on one or the other more frequently.  So if you have a preference, I would suggest searching it within the schedule at the gyms you look into.

However, if you are looking to compete at one or the other, I would strongly encourage that you stick to training just that style for the time being.  The sweeps, submissions, and overall game are different enough that practicing both can actually be detrimental in your learning before a tournament.  We are also seeing more and more than top competitors lean towards one or the other as the main focus of their practice.

If you are looking to select a gym and don’t know where to start, check out my other article that dives into picking a Jiu-Jitsu Gym.

 

Final Thoughts

Gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu are far more similar than they are different.  Despite that though, each one seems to have it’s own cult-like following touting one as better than the other.

They are similar enough that doing one will help you in the other.  That being said, they are different enough that there aren’t champion level black belts in both gi and no-gi.

Ultimately, both are great martial arts practices and you can’t go wrong with either.

 

If there’s anything I missed, let me know down in the comments section below!

 

 

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