Gi vs No-Gi: Which Should You Train (And Why the Answer Is Both)

Walk into any BJJ forum and ask "gi or no-gi?" and watch the world burn. People treat this question like politics — pick a side, die on that hill, and insult everyone on the other team.

The actual answer is boring: train both. But since you clicked this article, let's break down what each one actually teaches you and why the combination makes you a better grappler than either alone.

What the Gi Teaches You

Precision and Detail

The gi is covered in handles. Collars, sleeves, lapels, pants — every piece of fabric is a grip, and every grip is a weapon. This means two things:

1. You learn to use grips offensively — collar chokes, sleeve drags, lapel guards, spider guard, lasso guard. There's an entire universe of attacks that only exist because of the gi.

2. You learn to defend grips — strip grips early, maintain inside control, don't let someone get double sleeve. If you don't learn grip defense, a good guard player will control you like a puppet.

Slowing Things Down

The gi creates friction. Everything moves slower. You can't just explosively rip your arm out of a submission — someone's got your sleeve. This forces you to use technique over athleticism.

The best gi players are often the most technical. They don't need speed or strength because their leverage and timing are surgical.

Submissions You Won't Learn Anywhere Else

• Cross-collar choke from guard (the first choke Helio Gracie probably ever hit)
• Bow and arrow choke (arguably the highest-percentage back attack in gi)
• Loop choke
• Baseball bat choke
• Ezekiel choke (yes, this works no-gi too, but the gi version is nastier)
• Lapel-based guards and attacks (worm guard, squid guard, etc.)

The Downside of Gi-Only Training

You become grip-dependent. Take away the handles and some gi players fall apart. They reach for collars that don't exist. Their guard game relies on spider guard and lasso — which disappear without sleeves. If someone can't function without grips, they have holes in their game.

What No-Gi Teaches You

Speed and Scrambles

No fabric to grab. Everything is slippery (especially with sweat). This means:

1. Transitions are faster — positions change in a heartbeat. You need to react NOW, not think about which grip to set up.
2. Scrambles matter more — when no one can hold anything, the person who scrambles harder wins.
3. Wrestling becomes essential — without collar ties and sleeve grips, takedowns look a lot more like wrestling.

Body Lock Game

No sleeves to grab? Time to learn body locks, underhooks, overhooks, and wrist control. No-gi forces you to control the BODY, not the clothing. This translates directly to real-world grappling and self-defense.

Leg Locks

The modern no-gi game is built on leg locks. While gi players are still catching up, no-gi has fully integrated:

• Heel hooks (inside and outside)
• Knee bars
• Toe holds
• Calf slicers
• The entire ashi garami (leg entanglement) system

If you only train gi, your leg lock offense AND defense will be behind. That's a big gap.

The Downside of No-Gi-Only Training

You miss out on the depth of gi gripping and the technical precision that comes with slower-paced grappling. Some no-gi players develop a "just go harder" mentality that doesn't age well. When your athleticism fades, what's left?

Why Both Makes You Dangerous

Here's what happens when you train both:

| Gi Teaches You | No-Gi Teaches You | Combined | |----------------|-------------------|----------| | Grip strategy | Body control | You control people with AND without handles | | Patience | Explosiveness | You know when to wait and when to explode | | Collar chokes | Guillotines/darces | Complete choking game | | Slow passing | Fast passing | You can pressure pass OR speed pass | | Guard retention | Scrambling | You keep guard AND win scrambles | | — | Leg locks | Your leg lock game doesn't suck |

The Craig Jones Effect

Craig Jones, one of the most dominant no-gi grapplers alive, trained in the gi for years before going no-gi only. His gi background gave him a technical foundation that his no-gi opponents often lack. The best no-gi competitors almost always started in the gi.

The Gordon Ryan Counter-Argument

Gordon Ryan barely trains in the gi and is arguably the GOAT of no-gi grappling. So clearly you don't NEED gi to be elite at no-gi. But look at his training — he drills with the same precision and attention to detail that gi training demands. He just learned those habits differently.

The Practical Schedule

If your gym offers both (most do), try this split:

Beginners (first year):

• 2 gi classes + 1 no-gi per week
• Gi builds your technical foundation faster due to the slower pace

Intermediate (1-3 years):

• Split evenly: 2 gi + 2 no-gi (or 3 and 2)
• Start integrating leg locks from no-gi into your overall game

Competitors:

• Train what you're competing in more heavily, but keep the other in your schedule
• Competition-specific training 2-3 months before events

"I hate wearing the gi":

• Fine. Train no-gi primarily. But do at least one gi class per week. Your game will thank you.

The Bottom Line

Gi vs no-gi isn't a war. It's a false choice invented by people who need something to argue about on the internet. They're both jiu-jitsu. They both make you better. And the grapplers who train both will always have an edge over the ones who don't.

Now stop reading and go train. 🤙

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