I used to do gi and no-gi. For the last few years I’ve trained exlusively in the gi because my school only had gi classes, but I moved to another location within the association (I was at an affiliate and now I’m at the headquarters), and they recently changed their schedule so that I can’t get in enough gi classes, and I’ll have to do some no-gi or get really creative with my schedule.
It will be more work learning two different styles, and I’ll be worse at no-gi for a while. My attributes are fine for no-gi, I’m strong and I have a good base, but all of my studying and mapping out over the last few years has been for the gi.
Anything you can say to illuminate why I should be more excited about no-gi would be great lol.
The only thing I enjoyed in no gi was using my god given talent to sweat like a mofo to slip out of everything. And less laundry. But yeah, I got nothing. Ringworm, staph, disgusting sweat soaked mats, leg lock hell, I’ll stick to gi.
I like the gi game, my understanding of it has progressed, and I flat out like the actual gi. I wear only one brand, and I wear one model for about 9 months of the year, and I wear its lighter cousin in the summer (same pants, jacket is the same cut just lighter). I really like my gi.
One could argue that if you can control a slippery ass roid monkey without gi grips, it is better control overall. Modern no gi has come a long way with this, those are good tools to have.
I agree. I just wonder if it’s worth learning an additional style. More work! I can progress faster just sticking with the gi, I’d expect. I think you are right about what you said though.
I think both are fun, they are just different things. Control is easier with the GI, but escape/defense is easier No-Gi.
I have been training no-gi for just about 24 years, but I only started putting time in with the GI about 3 years ago. A lot of skills carried over with some glaring exceptions. Guard retention to start was very difficult because I wasn’t used to someone being able to control my legs by grabbing pants. Also had to learn how to break grips and deal with the eight thousand ways to be lapel choked.
I’m lucky that my fingers always feel fine. My neck and my shoulders are another subject. I agree with you about the self defense aspects and I think no-gi is probably better for self defense, but I think the gi training still translates a lot.
I have pretty conservative tastes. I’ll be pretty boring looking in my shorts and my rash guard. Besides, the no-gi outfit can’t compare to my awesome gi.
“Please convince me something is fun that I really don’t think is fun”
This gi vs no gi nonsense is so gay. Do what you enjoy. If your schedule doesn’t allow it, then you either swallow that pill and do it anyway or you go train somewhere else. Convincing someone to do gi vs no gi is like trying to convince someone to quit tennis to play golf.
It’s what all the young guys are doing and I’m still seeking out the toughest rolls I can.
If you understand the modern leg lock game it’s not hard to keep yourself safe if you’re not rolling with complete knuckleheads. Just can’t have an ego.
What causes the most catastrophic injuries, by far, is standup and takedowns.
Call me crazy, but I’m from a generation where no gi was for fighting or competitions with prize money. It wasn’t for fun. It was actually the opposite of fun. It was work. All the time. This idea of being a heterosexual man and showing up to train in spandex 3-5x a week with other men in spandex with zero aspirations to prize fight seems really gay to me. Before you judge, I did no gi while training MMA fighters for over 20yrs. Top level guys. It was brutal and hard training. Playing on each others feet does not appeal to me in the slightest.
This isn’t a gi vs no gi discussion. I prefer the gi, but I also like no-gi, HOWEVER I’m not sure I want to try to get good at two things because it divides my focus and makes it harder to improve.
I’ve got two options: Do gi and no-gi because it fits my schedule well, or do only gi and bend my schedule to make it work. You’re not wrong that I could switch schools, theoretically, but that’s not an option I’d consider as I really like my school.
No gi is so much more fun. It also allows for more in-the-moment improvisation. That’s the art part of martial arts in my opinion. I think that if you have the ability to flow roll, no gi can be sublime. I’m smiling at the end of every no gi round. Not so much in the gi.
