Martial arts schools in Maryland know that their students who just signed up to learn Brazilian jiu jitsu have a tough task ahead of them. No it’s not avoiding chokes or submissions; it’s selecting the right BJJ gi to train in. It is very hard for new students to find a good gi especially since they usually don’t even know what makes a good gi. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi’s have numerous differences between the various brands and models and styles. Most Jiu Jitsu gi’s will be suitable to train in but a few things a student just starting out may want to take into consideration are the type of gi, the weave and the color of the gi. Throughout this article will be tips for the selecting the right gi.
Type: There are so many types of martial arts uniforms out there on the market. It really isn’t uncommon to see new students who go to martial arts schools in Maryland wearing the wrong uniform in the beginning of starting classes. However occasionally there will be some students that do wear low quality judo or karate uniforms in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. They may look similar to the untrained eye but the material is very different. Karate and lower quality judo uniforms are much thinner and not really suited for Brazilian jiu jitsu. Even though the judo uniform is weaved the sleeves are more open leaving the BJJ student susceptible to being thrown.
Color: The color of the BJJ gi would only matter if the school doesn’t allow loud colors like pink, red, camouflage, yellow, etc. The most acceptable colors for the BJJ gi are white, blue, and black. The color of the gi also matters if the student plans on competing. Some BJJ tournaments are strict with the gi color code so make sure to verify before registering.
Weave: Most Brazilian jiu jitsu gi’s come in two weaves, single and double. The single weave uniform is good for beginners and experts. They are lighter then double weave gi’s and still pretty durable so they are great for training in. The double weave uniform is heavier, but extra durable. It is sometimes harder to get a grip on an opponent who wears double weave BJJ gi. Most martial arts schools in Maryland would recommend the student gets a single weave gi to begin with.
The Brazilian jiu jitsu gi selection can be extremely tedious if students get distracted by all the features of the gi. The student should also get a gi that they don’t mind wearing for long while.
