If you are just starting to take an interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or martial arts, one of the earliest questions you may begin to ask is ‘What is a BJJ Gi?’
In this post, we deep dive into what a Gi is, why it’s common for martial artists to wear them, where they originate from, and a host of other interesting details about one of the most iconic martial arts uniforms around.
Before we dive in, this post is part of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Basics Guide series. If you enjoy what you read here, be sure to explore the Guides page for more beginner-friendly insights on all things BJJ!
What is a Gi?
A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ‘Gi’ or ‘Kimono‘ is the traditional uniform worn by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, during training and competition. A BJJ Gi consists of three main components:
- Jacket: Made of thick cotton to withstand the effects of rough grappling.
- Pants: Durable and often reinforced around the knees for extra protection, with a drawstring waist to tie them.
- Belt: Tied over the jacket around the waist, in varying colours which indicate the practitioner’s rank and skill level.
Gis are designed to endure heavy gripping, pulling, and other forces exerted on the Gi when applying technique and movements. For this reason, they are usually constructed using a special weave such as a ‘Pearl Weave’ which helps support durability whilst also being light.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gis are usually heavier and more robust than other similar Kimonos you may have seen, such as the ones used in karate or taekwondo. A Judo Kimono is the most similar to the BJJ Gi, though often they are looser with longer and wider sleeves to allow for more throwing techniques.
Where did the Gi come from?
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi was adapted from the traditional Judo Keikogi to be used in Brazil by the first BJJ practitioners. The Gracie family, who are credited with creating a lot of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques, adopted the Gi as the traditional uniform of BJJ.
The Gi sleeves became a little shorter and were made more narrow, and the overall fit of the Gi was made tighter. Over time, as the martial art of Jiu-Jitsu evolved, Gi designs and the way they are manufactured continually evolved to suit the changing demands put on them by practitioners and competitors, to create what is now commonly identifiable as the BJJ Gi.
What do they symbolise?
- Tradition: The Gi reflects the connection to the martial arts heritage behind Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and wearing it can pay homage to the origins of the martial arts it was adapted from.
- Community: Wearing the Gi and training at a gym means that you are a martial artist and are part of that community. BJJ practitioners may also want to demonstrate their loyalty to their gym, using branding or patches, some BJJ schools even have their own Gis specifically made for students.
- Formality: The uniformity of the Gi helps to promote a sense of unity and equality among practitioners, similar to a military uniform.
- Rank and progress: The belt colour worn with the Gi represents a practitioner’s rank, signifying their journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Functionality of a Gi
- Grips and Control: The Gi allows practitioners to practice techniques with various grips which can be used for takedowns, chokes, and sweeps. The Gi grips also play a pivotal role in how you can leverage and control an opponent.
- Durability: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, and it can be pretty rough – a Gi can withstand the pulling, tugging, and wear and tear of heavy training.
- Simulation: One of the main applications of martial arts is effective defence. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would not be an effective martial art if you could not defend yourself using it. When you go outside, most people are wearing clothes, right? (We hope so). Training in a Gi helps teach real-life applications of BJJ with grips that can be used on most clothing.
Colours of a Gi
The colour of a Gi can either be important or completely irrelevant, it all depends on the context!
In most gyms, the Gis colour doesn’t matter much, the belt is the primary indicator of rank. The most common Gi colours in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are white, blue, and black, and these are typically what you’ll see in most training environments. Some gyms may have specific requirements though, like only allowing white Gis, or requiring all students to wear the gym’s own branded Gi.
Gi colour can play a more important role in competitions. For instance, the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) only permits white, blue, or black Gis in their events. Outside of these rules, you’re usually free to wear any Gi you like, and there are plenty of creative and funky designs available on the market to choose from!
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