The size of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi is one of the most important factors which have a great impact on your performance. Whether you are training, sparring, or grappling in a professional BJJ match, your Gi and how it fits you will be the active participant in everything you do. But this is the same exact thing that often gets ignored by many people when they start their career. They will be focusing on learning the fundamentals, execution of movements, and everything except their BJJ Gi. So why is it so important, and how can you choose a perfect Jiu Jitsu Gi for yourself? Let's dive into this in detail.
Table of content
1. What is a Jiu Jitsu Gi?
A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi is a uniform worn by the athletes who practice in Gi BJJ. BJJ has two types: Gi and No Gi Jiu Jitsu. Practitioners have to wear a uniform in the Gi BJJ. It is composed of three parts, usually. All these parts are necessary for a practitioner to wear while doing the training, sparring, or grappling in a professional match.
2. Parts of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi
There are three parts of the BJJ Gi that every man or woman training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has to wear. These parts are the following:
2.1 BJJ Jacket
The first part of the BJJ Gi that every practitioner has to wear is the jacket. It is like a shirt, but it has no buttons. Same as a shirt, it has a lapel, collar, and two halves. The jacket is worn in such a way that both halves are wrapped over one another in the front of the body of a BJJ practitioner. The jacket stays in its place with a belt.
2.2 BJJ Pant
The pants make up the second part of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi. They are just like the trousers that are worn under the jackets.
2.3 BJJ Belt
The last and most important part of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi is the belt. It is probably the only part of the BJJ Gi that indicates the skill level of the practitioner. It comes in various color ranges, which tells us whether the BJJ practitioner is a beginner or an experienced one, and if experienced, then how much they really are. The belt has colors that start with white. The beginner can only wear the white color, and with promotion, the color also changes. The highest ranked BJJ belt is red. So it is a very quick and easy way to identify the skill level of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner.
3. Why is the BJJ Gi so Important For Your Better Performance?
It is very important for you to choose a Gi that is perfect in all its elements, such as quality, size, stitching, etc. But why is it so important, and what is its link with your performance? The following are some of the points given that highlight the importance of the BJJ Gi:
3.1 Opportunity for Grips
BJJ Gi gives you the opportunity for various grip points, such as collars, lapels, pants, or any other part of the Gi, which you can grab. By gripping the Gi, you can execute various movements and techniques. This is why there is a difference in the techniques in Gi and No Gi Jiu Jitsu. You can also use these grips for defending against any technique executed by your opponent, or once you are in a trap, and escaping from it. So grips are only possible because of the Gi, and it is very helpful.
3.2 Better Understanding of Technical Aspects of Jiu Jitsu
Most people train BJJ only for self defense, and for this, they have to understand the Jiu Jitsu very deeply. Gi in Gi BJJ offers better timing, precision, and leverage to execute the techniques and movements at a slower pace. This slow pace helps BJJ practitioners to understand all the technical aspects of BJJ in more detail as compared to No Gi BJJ, in which you don’t wear any Gi.
3.3 Strategic Thinking
Another reason why Gi is important and plays an important role in your performance is that it promotes and develops a strategic mindset in the practitioner. With Gi, it is not easy to execute the techniques. You have to think deeply about any particular m and technique before executing it. You have to anticipate that your planned move will have an impact on the game, or not, and all of this happens slowly at a very low pace.
So you have a lot of time for executing a single movement or technique, and you utilize this time very effectively in making a strategy. So Gi BJJ depends a lot on thinking and making a strategy, and the practitioner who makes the best strategy will win the match. So this is how Gi Jiu Jitsu promotes and develops strategic thinking in its practitioners, and this also reflects in your real life.
3.4 Size and Quality of BJJ Gi
The size and quality of your Gi have the greatest impact on your performance. Well, it depends on the individual perspectives, but usually the fitted Gi is more comfortable in training and for the execution of moves. So if your Gi is very loose, it will make a lot of hurdles in executing a move during training, sparring, or grappling. Moreover, the stitching and the quality also have a lot of impact on how you perform in a BJJ competition match.
4. Factors Affecting BJJ Gi Which You Should Consider While Choosing: How to Choose a Gi?
The following are the factors that you should keep in mind while choosing the perfect Gi for yourself:

4.1 Quality of BJJ Gis
The first thing is the qualityof your Gi. There are various brands in the United States that manufacture and sell Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gis. But mostly these are the cheap ones, which do not provide the optimum quality that you really need for your training. So you really need to look after the premium brand like Elite Sports, which provides the finest quality BJJ Gis for your training.
4.2 Moisture Wicking Technology
The second thing that you should see is the moisture wicking technology. Some brands offer this technology in their GIs, like Elite Sports. This helps to absorb the sweat from your body so that you remain comfortable during the grappling, and sweat cannot become a hurdle in your performance.
4.3 Type Of Fabric
The third factor is the type of fabric. There are various types of weaveand fabric. The best ones for Gis are pearl weave and cotton fabric, which are lightweight so that you can comfortably grapple without worrying about getting your fabric torn apart. This fabric is very tough and cannot be easily torn.
4.4 Weight Of The BJJ Gi
The fourth factor you should see is the weight of the BJJ Gi. Brands offer both lightweight and heavyweight Gis. The preferable ones are the lightweight Gis because you can wear them and grapple comfortably. All brands measure the weight of their Gis in GSM, which is grams per square meter. The higher the GSM, the greater the weight of Gi. So choose accordingly.
4.5 Accurate Fitting Of The BJJ Gi
The fifth factor is the accurate fitting. This is probably the most important factor among all factors mentioned above. The reason is that it directly impacts, and to a greater extent, your performance. The perfect fitting Gis are better and provide assistance to you in executing the moves and techniques during grappling and training. So always go for the accurate fitting Gis. There is a size chart usually given beside the Gis, which you can use to determine which size will fit you the most. You will choose the size according to your weight and height.
4.6 Other Factors Affecting the BJJ Gis
The above are the most important factors that you must notice while choosing your Gis. But these are not the only factors that you should observe. Besides these, there are many other, less important factors. One of these includes the brand reputation. You should only go for the brands that are highly reputed and have received widespread recognition. Another thing is stitching. See if the stitching is of good quality or not. Some brands manufacture the Gis with reinforced stitching. So choose that Gi.
5. Last Words
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi is one of the most important aspects of your career. Whether you are taking it as a career or just for learning and training various moves, you are bound to use a Gi if you are in a Gi BJJ. The reason is that you become a lot better when you train with a Gi. So make sure you spend your bucks on the right material offering premium quality fabric, stitching, and weave.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
6.1 What is a Jiu Jitsu Gi?
A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi is a uniform worn by the athletes who practice in Gi BJJ. BJJ has two types: Gi and No Gi Jiu Jitsu. Practitioners have to wear a uniform in the Gi BJJ. It is composed of three parts, usually. All these parts are necessary for a practitioner to wear while doing the training, sparring, or grappling in a professional match.
6.2 What Are the Parts of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi?
There are three parts of the BJJ Gi that every man or woman training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has to wear. These parts are the following:
Jacket
Pant
Belt
6.3 Why is the BJJ Gi so Important For Your Better Performance?
The following are some of the points given that highlight the importance of the BJJ Gi:
Opportunity for Grips
Better Understanding of Technical Aspects of Jiu Jitsu
Strategic Thinking
Size and Quality of BJJ Gi
6.4 What Are the Factors Affecting BJJ Gi That You Should Consider While Choosing?
The following are the factors that you should keep in mind while choosing the perfect Gi for yourself:
Quality of BJJ Gis
Moisture Wicking Technology
Type Of Fabric
Weight Of The BJJ Gi
Accurate Fitting Of The BJJ Gi
Other Factors Affecting the BJJ Gis
6.5 Should You Wear Lightweight Gi or Heavyweight Gi?
You can wear any Gi. It depends more on individual preferences, climate conditions, and such other factors. But lightweight Gi is often preferred because it is light and comfortable, and it also does not create a hindrance while you are grappling and executing moves and techniques.
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