Become Fighter
Gi versus no-gi: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
How grips, speed and strategy change between the two formats.
Gi jiu-jitsu uses the jacket and trousers as handles. Grips slow the game down and open collar chokes, lapel guards and sleeve controls. No-gi has no handles, so wrists, necks and body positions replace them.
No-gi tends to be faster, more athletic and more focused on leg entanglements and wrestling. Gi tends to be more positional. Many players train both. Decide which format fits your next competition and train for it.
Key points
- In gi, win the grip fight first: collar, sleeve, lapel.
- In no-gi, control the wrist, head and underhooks. Sweat makes grips slippery.
- Escape from pins by angles, not by friction with the cloth.
- Check what techniques are legal for your division in each format.
- Train in the format you will compete in, with the right clothing and weight.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Relying on grips in no-gi. Use wrist and underhook control, not cloth.
- Moving slowly in no-gi. Keep a quick pace and stay on top of scrambles.
- Training only one format. Train both so your skills transfer.
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Competition craft module of Jiu-jitsu foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Competition craft
- Points, advantages and penalties: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
- Match strategy: takedown or guard pull: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
- Competition day: nerves and warm-up: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
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Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.