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. And no it is not getting in shape or protecting themselves from being choked out, although that is important, it is finding the best jiu jitsu gi or kimono. The BJJ gi selection process can be long tedious and extremely time consuming if student doesn’t know what they are looking for. 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. Here are a few tips that may help you to find a gi that is right for you.
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. There have been students that wear judo or karate uniforms for Brazilian jiu jitsu. 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: In the beginning color does not really matter unless the school that you are training in is strict about the color so you should pick a color that makes you feel comfortable. As time goes on if you plan on competing at international tournaments, they are very strict about gi color and will only accept white, blue and black.
Weave: Most Brazilian jiu jitsu gi’s come in two weaves, single and double. The single weave uniform is good for beginners and experts. Single weave uniforms are lightweight and durable that can last for years. Double weave gi’s are very heavy but last forever and seem indestructible. Double weave gi’s are hard to grip and hard to feed for chokes making them good competition gi’s. 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.
