Grapplemonkey’s Guide to Buying a Gi
You’ve thought about it. Yes, you want to learn how to make really big opponents tap like bitches. Yes, you want to know what to do when your older brother sits on your chest and slaps you in the face repeatedly. You’ve decided that you’re going to start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes.
There’s no question about it. If you’re going to train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you will need a kimono. With BJJ becoming so popular in such a short time, there are now a plethora of manufacturers slangin’ gis. Here’s some info so you can go make an educated buy, or at least sound like you know what the hell you’re talking about.
The Basics
Jiu-Jitsu kimonos are constructed of thick woven cotton (sometimes a cotton blend) to endure the grabbing and pulling that they are subject to during training. The stitching on both the jacket and pants are usually very heavy. Don’t be a dumbass and use a karate or TKD gi. It won’t last a day.
In BJJ, unlike Judo, there are no restrictions on the color of your gi, and it is common to see them in a variety of colors. The most common colors are white and blue, but more and more we see black, red, and green being worn.
BTW, most reputable gi manufacturers will not sell you a belt along with the gi. Don’t go buying a black belt so you can look like a badass in class, because you will most likely get your ass handed to you.
Weave
If you look around online, you will notice that Jiu-Jitsu gis are usually organized by weave. Weave refers to the thickness or weight of the gi. Traditionally, weaves were done in Single or Double varieties. Single weave being the thinner of the two. Single weave gis are lighter weight and cooler, but consequently less durable. Double weave is of course thicker and built to take more punishment. In BJJ, double weave is more difficult to grab onto, making it the weave of choice for use in competition.
Nowadays, we have more options for gi weight. We have Gold weave, which is more durable than the single weave, but lighter than the double weave. American gi manufacturer Gameness offers what they call the “Platinum weave”, which is between the single and double weave in weight, but claimed to be stronger than a double weave. Vulkan offers a “Honey Comb” weave, which is the lightest weave on the market, with their gis weighing in at about 2.8 lbs. A good option for summer training.
Use
If you are a beginner, and not absolutely sure you’re going to stick with it, I wouldn’t go and drop $300 on a tricked out kimono. Just get something that offers the best bang for whatever you can afford. If you are serious about BJJ and train several times a week, you probably need more than one gi. That way you can let one dry (or even better, go wash it) while you use another one and alternate accordingly. Lighter weaves will dry faster, are cheaper, and alternating use will double their lifespan.
It’s debatable whether or not weave affects your training. Some say a heavy gi acts as resistance during training, like wearing weights. Others say that using a light gi promotes speed in general. Seems to make sense, but I would say it depends on the individual.
The Difference Between a Judo and Jiu Jitsu Gi
If you are considering using a Judogi for BJJ or vice versa, you may want to know what the differences are. The main difference is the cut. Judogi have a looser fit and are easier to grab at the lapel or sleeve. In BJJ, this makes it more advantageous for your opponent, making it easier for him/her to get and maintain their grips. It’s also more lapel to choke you out with. Judo has strict rules for the length of the sleeve and style of the gi. It is not uncommon for competitors wearing BJJ kimonos to be disqualified or not allowed to compete in Judo competitions.
Which Brand is Best?
Unfortunately, I’m not loaded enough to own every gi made, and there are some great resources on the web that would be much more useful to you than my speculations. Jokerjitsu has a gi review section that now has reviews that users email to him.
Another resource is the Sherdog forum. Be sure to use the search function before posting a question to make sure it hasn’t already been discussed (and to prevent any verbal abuse by forum members).
The Hawaiian prodigy is apparently optimistic on the outlook of the fight. He beat Hughes via rear naked choke in the first round the last time the two met, though many say it was a fluke and that Hughes wasn’t going full throttle due to overconfidence or whatever other excuse. It will be interesting to see how it goes now that Hughes is coming into the fight ready for Penn. Oh yeah, and having just beat the grease out of one of the most legendary martial artists of all time.
How can a grappling savant be so fucking retarded? I mean we’re talking about an individual who can sense, process, and solve incredibly complex spatial problems in a fractions of a second. Yet every time he opens his mouth to say something, he sounds like a second-grader who just poopied his pants. I joke about how retarded he is, but seriously… does anyone else think that maybe he really is mentally retarded? He’s definitely got ‘tard strength.
