Going from gi to no-gi - teething issues

[Nik123]

So I do about 99% gi training. Been training for almost two years.

Went to a no-gi class after ages yesterday, and felt like fish out of water - got obliterated (sparring from the knees). Without gi grips had no clue what to do first, so played defensive (open guard from back) and got smashed and subbed. Tried guard passing but again, without grips didn't get anywhere.

Anyone have similar experiences, or have any tips?

 

[2008]

Me personally, No. I don't know what the big deal is. It's still grappling. Once you go beyond, oh, there is no fabric for me to grab, it's still grappling. You get to side control, you get to mount, go for a foot lock, your attack options are there. All your options are the same with minor adjustments. You scramble to pass guard, this happens in gi and nogi, so again, the same.

If your newer to grappling and a novice I can see nogi being confusing, if you train mostly gi.

 

[colby25]

I am in the opposite boat as you. I do primarily no-gi for some time on and off give or take 13 years and when I do gi-grappling I struggle with the grips. Especially if the guy is big and just grips for dear life and I'm done, it's a bit annoying. Your advice is the same I give myself...just have to grapple without the gi more if you want to be more proficient at no-gi. And likewise I need to grapple with the gi if I want to be more proficient at it.

But instead I kind of just do away with the gi for now.

 

[MaxMMA]

Not surprising. This is the downside to only training in the gi, especially as a beginner. Good fundamental grappling is about controlling your opponents body. Having something to really latch onto like a collar or pant leg is just an extra control measure, not the control itself.

Get out of the gi for a bit and go back to drilling all the basics.

 

[MaxMMA]

I am in the opposite boat as you. I do primarily no-gi for some time on and off give or take 13 years and when I do gi-grappling I struggle with the grips. Especially if the guy is big and just grips for dear life and I'm done, it's a bit annoying. Your advice is the same I give myself...just have to grapple without the gi more if you want to be more proficient at no-gi. And likewise I need to grapple with the gi if I want to be more proficient at it.

But instead I kind of just do away with the gi for now.

On this reverse side, gi grappling is the exact same as no gi. You just have to understand that the pace will be considerably slower. Things like hand fighting will take up considerable more time in the gi than without it. In no gi you could just roll your arm in or out to break wrist control, in the gi you're going to spend more time figuring out how to free that sleeve before you can advance your next move.

 

[Quebec Nick]

If you suck at grips and grip fighting like me, you can change from gi to no gi at will !!!

 

[mataleaos]

So I do about 99% gi training. Been training for almost two years.

Went to a no-gi class after ages yesterday, and felt like fish out of water - got obliterated (sparring from the knees). Without gi grips had no clue what to do first, so played defensive (open guard from back) and got smashed and subbed. Tried guard passing but again, without grips didn't get anywhere.

Anyone have similar experiences, or have any tips?

Do you mind saying what some of your best guards/sweeps/passes/subs are? I can give some tips on how to adjust them for no-gi.

The big adjustments are using your body to create the same pressure that your gi grips are able to do when it comes to the top game. Another big thing is using underhooks, overhooks, collar ties, wrist ties, etc. Getting grips where you can connect your hands. Body locks around the waist. Seatbelt grips. Front headlock/guillotine/darce grips. Kimura grips. These things will all help a lot. There;s definitely a learning curve but no-gi can be super fun once you get some basic grips and movements down.

 

[dmwalking]

So I do about 99% gi training. Been training for almost two years.

Went to a no-gi class after ages yesterday, and felt like fish out of water - got obliterated (sparring from the knees). Without gi grips had no clue what to do first, so played defensive (open guard from back) and got smashed and subbed. Tried guard passing but again, without grips didn't get anywhere.

Anyone have similar experiences, or have any tips?

Train more gi. Apparently the gi makes you better at no gi. LMAOOOOOOO

 

[dmwalking]

I remember when I first tried the gi. I had only done no gi prior to that. I transitioned just fine. All of my moves worked just fine but now I had extra fabric to make life easier. Chokes became WAY easier because instead of having to get an arm around the neck, your opponent is basically wearing a rope behind their neck that you just have to wrap it around. So were before I would take the back and have to fight for the RNC, now I could just grab a collar and strangle you like some sort of deranged murderer. Arm drags became way easier because even if the guy's tricep slipped, I could just grab a hand full of fabric.

I'm gonna stir the pot and say that after doing both, the gi is easier.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

I remember when I first tried the gi. I had only done no gi prior to that. I transitioned just fine. All of my moves worked just fine but now I had extra fabric to make life easier. Chokes became WAY easier because instead of having to get an arm around the neck, your opponent is basically wearing a rope behind their neck that you just have to wrap it around. So were before I would take the back and have to fight for the RNC, now I could just grab a collar and strangle you like some sort of deranged murderer. Arm drags became way easier because even if the guy's tricep slipped, I could just grab a hand full of fabric.

I'm gonna stir the pot and say that after doing both, the gi is easier.

is not, is way more complicated, once you start facing good guys, if you are not used to people grabbing your cloths, your getting smashed.

I do 99% no gi, but I have to admit that the technical disparities become smaller once the gi is off.

 

[Balto]

Gi to no gi is relatively easy. It's no gi to gi that is much harder.

They are both close enough though that either way is doable. You need to change your style some to accommodate, but you won't need to reinvent yourself.

 

[dmwalking]

is not, is way more complicated, once you start facing good guys, if you are not used to people grabbing your cloths, your getting smashed.

I do 99% no gi, but I have to admit that the technical disparities become smaller once the gi is off.

Not in my experience. LOL. It was way easier. Especially since it was slower and gave me time to think. Not that hard to break grips.

 

[mataleaos]

Gi to no gi is relatively easy. It's no gi to gi that is much harder.

They are both close enough though that either way is doable. You need to change your style some to accommodate, but you won't need to reinvent yourself.

I did no-gi for a couple years before gi. I'll back this up. it was very difficult.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Not in my experience. LOL. It was way easier. Especially since it was slower and gave me time to think. Not that hard to break grips.

who were the guys you were rolling against? if you mean white belts and blue, sure, but when you start facing good gusy, if you are not used to the gi, youll get wrecked, gi specialist are very good at controlling your movements and if you re not used to break grips, you'll be going no where. And is not that is not that hard (although if you face someone good, it is), is that you have to constantly be breaking grips, and you are not use to that, you are used to move constantly, people grabbing your pants is a pain on the ass.

 

[rmongler]

Are we really doing this again.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

I think no gi helps beginners to move. And Gi is so damn complicated that it takes bjj to the next level with all the options.

I started in the gi and no gi was very hard at first, but it translates pretty good later on. Stand up grappling and scrambling is the hard part when translating to no gi but being technical in a gi is so much harder the more you grapple. It’s gotten to the point where I have completely abandoned the gi.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

is not, is way more complicated, once you start facing good guys, if you are not used to people grabbing your cloths, your getting smashed.

I do 99% no gi, but I have to admit that the technical disparities become smaller once the gi is off.

As a grappler why do you only do no gi

 

[kpoz12]

Gracie Jiu Jitsu or IBJJF?

 

[BJJ_Rage]

As a grappler why do you only do no gi

Skin problems, Got diagnosed Rosacea a couple of years ago, doc urged me to stop grappling, I figured I could keep on doing it as long as I stayed away from the gi, I gave it a try and it kind of worked, I can sort of manage it, but with age this shit seems to be getting more agressive...

To be honest, it's kind of weird.. But I was the no gi guy in the class, meaning I always wanted to roll no gi as if that was there was a possibility... So some of my classmates just think I wanted to drop the gi and came out with an excuse...

 

[kenpeters8]

I train gi and no-gi, but i like no-gi more because more options with leg locks and neck cranks.