For Gi Users: When visiting another school.

[jjmuaythaiguy]

I tried searching for a similar thread on this before someone asks but came up with nothing. I was wondering what gi users think about showing up to another school with your competition patch on your gi.

On one hand people may think you are "showing the flag" of your school and being disrespectul of the school that you are visiting.

On the other, not to wear one and borrowing a school gi does allow a lot of people to sandbag and or not really say what rank you are or your competition level of that belt.

Still on another, well not hand, but interpretation is that you have no pride in your school.

I train with Relson and compete for the Relson Gracie Competition Team so it is on my jacket or top, but when I go to the judo school to train takedowns people point and stare but the blackbelt teaching me tells me its cool. I feel uneasy but would hate to buy a Professional Mizuno judo gi because with shipping to Hawaii its about $300! Holy cow!

I wonder what kind of reaction I am going to get when I go to Europe with my gi top and patch.

So gi users, please tell me of your experiences or feelings on the subject. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bubble Boy]

If you walked into my judo club with that patch I don't think anyone would bat an eye except to assume that you were pretty good. Now that patch coupled with cauliflower ears and a well worn gi might garner a little more respect!

Of the 6 judo schools I've spent time in, I'm pretty sure not a single one would feel you were being disrespectful. Most would expect you to get a non-patched out gi eventually I would think.

Still eye-ballin' that Mizuno gi? Me too. I want the one that is super think and stiff (difficult to get a collar grip on) just for tournaments; I need every little edge I can get! Gi's do make a difference.
I struggled once in randori to get a grip on this guy who had just purchased one of those super stiff gi's with the thick collars. I NEVER got a single good grip on him in 10 minutes of randori. Miserable, but a legal tactic!

 

[jjmuaythaiguy]

If you walked into my judo club with that patch I don't think anyone would bat an eye except to assume that you were pretty good. Now that patch coupled with cauliflower ears and a well worn gi might garner a little more respect!

Of the 6 judo schools I've spent time in, I'm pretty sure not a single one would feel you were being disrespectful. Most would expect you to get a non-patched out gi eventually I would think.

Still eye-ballin' that Mizuno gi? Me too. I want the one that is super think and stiff (difficult to get a collar grip on) just for tournaments; I need every little edge I can get! Gi's do make a difference.
I struggled once in randori to get a grip on this guy who had just purchased one of those super stiff gi's with the thick collars. I NEVER got a single good grip on him in 10 minutes of randori. Miserable, but a legal tactic!

Hahaha, oh BB, you crack me up. Thanks for hitting the thread.

I am trying NOT to get caulis so badly. I tell you. (shudders at the thought)

Yeah, I wouldn't mind a Mizuno that prevents people from choking the life out of me OR getting grips to thrown me.

Anybody got the hook ups for me with a Mizuno Professional Judo Gi please let me know. So far my Atama Double Weave Bleached A-6 is handling but I would like to fit in as much as possible at that judo academy.

 

[marine]

as long as the dude who is teaching you is ok with it don't mind them other dudes, they just hating on you bro, suck it up and learn all you can, don't let people get to you, if its ok with the instructors then your good.

 

[infamous mattyd]

visiting a school with your patches is on thing...attrending full time with out removing patches is completly another...your patch would be welcome at renzo's

 

[MMA-Persia-BJJ]

The best thing to do is to talk to the teacher before hand. If your very seriouse most people have both a training gi and a tourny gi. But i would check first, you wouldnt want to walk in to the BTT gym with a big ass Chute Boxe patch on your back

 

[Commissar]

Or a Karate black belt to a Jiu Jitsu class.

 

[Flibb]

The best thing to do is to talk to the teacher before hand. If your very seriouse most people have both a training gi and a tourny gi. But i would check first, you wouldnt want to walk in to the BTT gym with a big ass Chute Boxe patch on your back

There is no Chute Boxe Grappling team. Macaco and Schrembri are still with Gracie Barra and Macaco Gold Team.
A BTT patch in a Carlson Gracie academy could get you in some trouble.
Im cool with it. I had a guy with alot of Arona patches, looked kinda strange but its ok in my book. The judokas i train with wear thei judo-league gis for bjj training too.

 

[scorcho]

If the instructor says it is fine, then you should be alright.

 

[Terrier]

If possible I would try to avoid it (I always try to keep one Gi patchless for that reason) - but so long as you ok it with the instructor I don't see a huge problem

 

[guardpasser]

i think i may be the authority here omn this one.
i wear a riofightwear.com gi and a koral gi with brand name patches on them only when i visit othere schools. i have found that at a lot of places you become a target when wearing the patches of another chool.the instructors usually dont care at all, but some students are teritorial and will get a lillte crappy and not want to train with you or will go too hard with you.
i used to wear an alliance gi all the time, my affiliation with them is not that much any more, i dont have a home school any more, i claim two schools as my "home away from home" but i rarely get to train with them either.
i always thought the judo schools wouldnt like the patches at all, its good to here some of them are cool with it, that will help me to go to a judo class with out being worried about it now.

i buy a patch from every school i visit, or a t shirt when i leave the first class, some smaller schools give them to me also. its a way to show them you are not there to "steal" thier secrets, and to show that you appreciate the opportunity to get to train there, i have a large collection.

its really up to you, i didnt go out and buy gis to wear without school patches on them, and i dont think you should either, i just bought the gis for compitition and never got around to putting patches on them except for gear brand patches. i do like wearing my gi with a school affiliate on it when i compete though, its shows whom you rep and it allows you to take pride in your acadamy.

 

[Gsoares2***]

Guys will probably be friendly.. But will try to smash you a little.. to show their school is better.
Just be humble and youll be fine.

 

[Headache]

I doubt anybody would even care. Other than asking you about your school or anything that you could offer the class to make them better. I think for the most part, BJJ we are all brothers.
Maybe if you wore a Tito Ortiz patch and walked into Ken Shamrocks school, you might have some issues.

 

[jjmuaythaiguy]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I would hope that at Gracie schools the patches are fine. But I would still ask the instructor if it was alright. Because I am going to Europe soon and visiting Roger Gracie's school and others there maybe someone from there can shed a little light.

I have been training with someone from Canada for the last two weeks and he tells me that a lot of the schools are affilated with Hells Angel Biker gangs and other hard core guys that are territorial so much so that police officers stopped training there.

If I am just a visitor and probably buy patches and shirts, if allowed, to keep as memories of my visit and to donate money to the school. I think I am going to buy a Atama judo gi just to have one because I feel really bad about it when I train throws at the judo school.

But otherwise I was wondering if anyone had problems at a bjj academy with someone wearing a competition team patch. I personally don't and go out of my way to talk to the person and just get some information on where, how long, with who that person trains with.

But that is just me. I can see how some schools can not overcome the rivalries or have the territorial issues which is why I brought this thread to life in the first place.

Thanks to all for hitting the thread. Good ideas and thoughts. I appreciate them all.

 

[Spider Guard]

I doubt anybody would even care. Other than asking you about your school or anything that you could offer the class to make them better. I think for the most part, BJJ we are all brothers.

You would think that, but many times this is simply not the case...

 

[TheHighlander]

jjmuaythaiguy -- are you wearing a BJJ gi to Judo classes?

 

[chokingvictim]

I've been wondering this myself. I want to buy a patch for one of my gis to represent where I train now, but their classes may not fit my schedule in a few months when I take more night classes for college. I guess if I'm not competing I don't need patches anyways, but I figure it's a way to show I support the place I train at.

 

[jjmuaythaiguy]

jjmuaythaiguy -- are you wearing a BJJ gi to Judo classes?

Yes, I am because I am learning throws from a black belt there. At my age and weight, I don't think my body could take the punishment of throws on my head, shoulder, back and hips. Man, I hate saying this but I really started late in grappling and have been a striker my whole life.

I was good at muay thai and wanted to learn the ground game. My friend was a four stripe purple who invited me to train bjj at the Relson Gracie academy. I was like, "Well, who is the teacher?" My friend laughs, "Relson Gracie." I say, "No I know that is the name of the academy but who teaches?" He says, "Relson Gracie teaches at the Relson Gracie academy." "ohhh, okay" and the rest is pretty much history.

Been there ever since. At five months I competed and won NAGA white Super Heavy Division. Then five months later, I flew to Kauai for the Grappler's Paradise competition, won my Division again, the open white belt Division and came second in blue belt as a white.

Two months later, Relson Gracie promoted me to blue belt. I am still competing in gi and no gi. Won no gi once. I also got in two magazines and into www.bjj.org

I train for the fun of it all and the competition but being a muay thai guy its always against every being in my body to pummel or get entangled for throws or "grips". My instinct is to shin kick and punch immediately follow up with a knee and elbow but I am finally getting away from that. Basically I sucked at takedowns and throws.

So far as a blue belt , 2nd degree now, with only one year as a blue, I get thrown together with professional fighters, life long blues (you know the faded belts, cauli ears, can't even tell the number of stripes and color of belt, gi ragged to hell) that enter as blues over and over again.

Needing an edge, hopefully throws and takedowns, I asked my coworker for help and he asked the sensei of the dojo if it would be alright for me to come to the school and train. It was really cool looking at all the National Champion Judo pictures and newpaper articles on the wall. That #5 judoka that trained with us was a alternate for the olympics. He was AWESOME! If these guys could not train me and what works consistently and high percentage for my age and body I don't think anyone could.

I am not taking judo classes per se, just training after like an open mat. Still I respect judo and still want to get a judo gi but because I am training for bjj meets I don't want to get used to the extra arm / sleeve grips that are not in bjj gis.

I was also thinking of wearing my competition gi when I travel to Europe soon to train with Roger Gracie, Tiger Jiu Jitsu and the rest of the sherdoggers who hit my Euro trip thread and don't want to offend anyone by wearing my gi with patch so I was just checking.

When people wear their gis at Relson, we don't care and make friends with them no matter where they are from. Hell, I have been known to buy the first round of drinks or take travellers to the many "happy places" on the island - just to make friends. But as mentioned in this thread, sometimes people are territorial and may take offense.

Still may get a judo gi but whew those good judo gis run double the bjj gis. $$$ for that Mizuno. My Atama is holding up so far.

 

[The Black Cobra]

The best thing to do is to talk to the teacher before hand. If your very seriouse most people have both a training gi and a tourny gi. But i would check first, you wouldnt want to walk in to the BTT gym with a big ass Chute Boxe patch on your back

I agree...just run it by your instructor

 

[TheHighlander]

Yes, I am because I am learning throws from a black belt there. At my age and weight, I don't think my body could take the punishment of throws on my head, shoulder, back and hips. Man, I hate saying this but I really started late in grappling and have been a striker my whole life.

I was good at muay thai and wanted to learn the ground game. My friend was a four stripe purple who invited me to train bjj at the Relson Gracie academy. I was like, "Well, who is the teacher?" My friend laughs, "Relson Gracie." I say, "No I know that is the name of the academy but who teaches?" He says, "Relson Gracie teaches at the Relson Gracie academy." "ohhh, okay" and the rest is pretty much history.

Been there ever since. At five months I competed and won NAGA white Super Heavy Division. Then five months later, I flew to Kauai for the Grappler's Paradise competition, won my Division again, the open white belt Division and came second in blue belt as a white.

Two months later, Relson Gracie promoted me to blue belt. I am still competing in gi and no gi. Won no gi once. I also got in two magazines and into www.bjj.org

I train for the fun of it all and the competition but being a muay thai guy its always against every being in my body to pummel or get entangled for throws or "grips". My instinct is to shin kick and punch immediately follow up with a knee and elbow but I am finally getting away from that. Basically I sucked at takedowns and throws.

So far as a blue belt , 2nd degree now, with only one year as a blue, I get thrown together with professional fighters, life long blues (you know the faded belts, cauli ears, can't even tell the number of stripes and color of belt, gi ragged to hell) that enter as blues over and over again.

Needing an edge, hopefully throws and takedowns, I asked my coworker for help and he asked the sensei of the dojo if it would be alright for me to come to the school and train. It was really cool looking at all the National Champion Judo pictures and newpaper articles on the wall. That #5 judoka that trained with us was a alternate for the olympics. He was AWESOME! If these guys could not train me and what works consistently and high percentage for my age and body I don't think anyone could.

I am not taking judo classes per se, just training after like an open mat. Still I respect judo and still want to get a judo gi but because I am training for bjj meets I don't want to get used to the extra arm / sleeve grips that are not in bjj gis.

I was also thinking of wearing my competition gi when I travel to Europe soon to train with Roger Gracie, Tiger Jiu Jitsu and the rest of the sherdoggers who hit my Euro trip thread and don't want to offend anyone by wearing my gi with patch so I was just checking.

When people wear their gis at Relson, we don't care and make friends with them no matter where they are from. Hell, I have been known to buy the first round of drinks or take travellers to the many "happy places" on the island - just to make friends. But as mentioned in this thread, sometimes people are territorial and may take offense.

Still may get a judo gi but whew those good judo gis run double the bjj gis. $$$ for that Mizuno. My Atama is holding up so far.

You wearing a judo gi won't help your grips (except for chokes that involve gripping your own gi), but may help improve your grip defense. If, for some reason, you find that a judo gi helps you a lot you can always wear that to bjj...can be eye-opening. Going against a judoka in a judo gi may not be the best for developing your grip game vs bjj players but it's certainly not bad.

I would tend to have a judo gi for judo, but that's because i find judo to be harder on the gi than bjj. The Mizuno is a great gi, but you could probably do pretty well in a cheaper judo gi for quite some time.