Pros/Cons of Shorts vs. Gi Pants for NoGi?

[HockeyBjj]

I've got a submission only tournament, nogi with all leglocks allowed except for heel hooks coming up. Wondering if there's a consensus for wearing Gi pants or shorts for it? Pants would give me more friction to hold onto and secure armbars, kneebars, and straight ankle locks I feel. But would make it harder for me to pull a leg out if he goes for that against me.

Preferences guys? I know it won't make much of a difference at all, just curious

 

[Harukaze]

How about high-water gi pants? 3/4 cut like the old school judo guys! It will offer more friction for your subs but will still be short enough to avoid getting your legs caught as easily.

You could buy a pair of undersized Mizuno brand judogi pants to get the same effect (it'll be like 3/4 cut MC Hammer pants).

 

[jasonbass]

Not much of a preference but the gi pants will add more friction/surface area to your lower half. I tend to wear both throughout the week to mix up my training. I will admit though most times I wear pants, someone always grabs them lol.

 

[Higus]

They make some nice mma shorts that have textured panels in the inseam/crotch to increase friction.

Anyway, my thoughts are that its no-gi, so you should follow the spirit of the rules instead of just the letter.

 

[Marfa]

What about spats?

 

[cms9690]

Besides friction (which is a pro and a con), gi pants are a bad choice because your opponent may instinctively grab them if they're used to training in the gi consistently.

 

[HockeyBjj]

Thanks for the replies guys. Wanted a variety of opinions here. Keep em coming, especially those who have used them in comps. I just had shorts my two no-gi tourneys, but none of those allowed leg locks. I'm still a white belt, but this one is small and doesn't have skill levels split up (which is nice for me, I would've felt like a sandbagger entering a white belt thing as I've bounced gyms for a while and haven't gotten a blue yet) and sounds like mostly blues with maybe a purple or two. I'll actually be going for the legs myself, especially from my open guard, if it goes there or the guy seems definitely better and more experienced

What about spats?

No one wants to see me in leggings. 170 pounds, but still...

 

[Bjoern]

I train my whole life with Gi Pants. Maybe I had a few days in summer where I trained with shorts but 99% Gi pants.

Pros:

You will have and keep a sharp guard because you can get grabbed. It is easier to play guard with shorts but if you want to keep a high level just wear Gi pants and your training is harder but makes you better.

Better triangles, armbars & oma platas with Gi pants

Better Mount control with Gi pants

Cons:

People can put you easier in leglocks and hold your pants but you will learn to deal with that.

I would say. If I had to fight a guy who is much better than me and I just want to survive and not getting tapped I would wear shorts.

But if I have the intention to win and tap the guy I would always wear a Gi pant

 

[Drew Foster]

I wear both often for nogi (shorts and gi pants.) A lot of times I do nogi after I train gi, so it's easy to just leave the pants on. I honestly can't tell a huge difference. I will say that a lot of people will grab your pants no matter what. Even if they immediately realize it's nogi and they let go, I still notice that it happens a decent amount, probably out of instinct. For that reason you may not want to compete in them. At the same time, you mentioned some foot locks? If you have a leg lock heavy game, it might be nice to have a little bit more friction to go for those. At the end of the day I don't really think you'll be much more or less successful because you chose to wear gi pants or shorts.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

spats are the best choice, if looks is what you are worry about, just wear shorts on top... You have to pick the right spats though, and let me tell you something, its not about which one is more expensive. Ive bought 2 pair of scramble, both added zero friction, more likely, once you start to sweet, they become more slippery than just pure skin. Ive bought a much cheaper one the last time from amazon, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OLF5R4O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, 16 bucks, best spats Ive had, good friction, good material and they are not hot at all, so I can wear them comfortably even in the summer...

Ideally for friction you want to look for something with lots of cotton in the composition, problem is too much cotton and the stuff breaks a part after some use, Ive bought some 10thplanet ones too, the cheap stuff, 20 bucks, great for friction, but lasted no longer than 3 months.

 

[Se4n]

challenge yourself and stop looking for petty advantages

 

[jack36767]

One of the few things I completely agree with Eddie Bravo about is that just because it's nogi...doesn't mean it has to be slippery flop fest between shirtless guys. I think having the extra friction of gi pants is a good way to help make the nogi rolls more technical and tight and still be the nogi game, especially when you consider the fact that most bjj guys don't know how to clench and stay tight the way wrestlers do, due to mostly playing gi grips.

Just because you're wearing gi pants doesn't mean they have to be grabbed... Wrestlers practice all the time in sweatpants and a t-shirt or rash-guard (In fact, I always wear sweatpants nowadays when wrestling, it's comfortable). Also I personally think that wearing gi pants with a short or long-sleeve rash-guard (like what Eddie wore at Metamoris) is a much cleaner look than the full body condoms you're starting to see at stuff like EBI

And btw, I'm not a 10th planet guy. Half the time I roll nogi in shorts and half the time in gi pants mainly because they're comfortable and I'm used to wearing sweatpants. Honestly, I think Eddie has a point that you can eliminate many of the negatives gi oriented guys complain about nogi by making it a little tighter

 

[yetanother]

Some nogi rulesets allow grabbing your opponents gi pants.
If that's the case don't wear them.
You will gain a little friction but you will gain a much of crazy gi jiu jitsu attacks.

 

[metallifan3091]

I agree with yetanother. Check the rules before you make this decision. A number of the tournaments that I've competed in specifically stated in their rules that if a competitor wore gi pants for no-gi, their opponent was allowed to grab them. You probably don't want that.

 

[Dirty Holt]

If gi pants were beneficial in no gi competition, you would see a bunch of dudes using gi pants in ADCC. You dont see hardly anyone doing that.

For lock down and deep half, if your entire game is built around that, you will get an advantage. Not many guys have that style though.

The guys who are the best in the world, their grappling IQ is way higher than yours. Dont try to outsmart the genius' of the sport; do what they do.

 

[Deoxy]

Agreeing with most: Go spats with shorts. And as has been mentioned, if you want friction, you need spats that aren't rash guard type material. I have a pair of the cottony 10p ones I wear during competition for that very reason.
My advice, above all else, is to compete in what you train in because that familiarity will help you in high pressure situations.

 

[Bret Griffin]

If gi pants were beneficial in no gi competition, you would see a bunch of dudes using gi pants in ADCC. You dont see hardly anyone doing that.

For lock down and deep half, if your entire game is built around that, you will get an advantage. Not many guys have that style though.

The guys who are the best in the world, their grappling IQ is way higher than yours. Dont try to outsmart the genius' of the sport; do what they do.

This post, especially the highlighted portion makes me wish there was a rep system.

 

[HockeyBjj]

challenge yourself and stop looking for petty advantages

I'm already competing a belt level above where I am (been a white for a while, but due to changing gyms with internships and school only being a club no promotion, but I entered the essentially blue belt) and I hear there may be a purple or two in our division. Definitely challenging myself with this comp. Am just looking for what is status quo and don't see a reason to unnecessarily handicap myself if there was a clear benefit to one or the other.

If gi pants were beneficial in no gi competition, you would see a bunch of dudes using gi pants in ADCC. You dont see hardly anyone doing that.

The guys who are the best in the world, their grappling IQ is way higher than yours. Dont try to outsmart the genius' of the sport; do what they do.

And that was answered here. Thanks. I didn't even know gi pants were allowed at ADCC (I don't pay much attention to competition Bjj besides Metamoriss every now and then)

Also I'm stealing the premise of that second part there. Nice. True in Bjj to kickboxing to weight lifting (where everyone thinks they know more than everyone else)

Some nogi rulesets allow grabbing your opponents gi pants.
If that's the case don't wear them.
You will gain a little friction but you will gain a much of crazy gi jiu jitsu attacks.

Don't know if grabbing pants is allowed. I had assumed it wasn't, but if it allowed no way am I wearing them.

My advice, above all else, is to compete in what you train in because that familiarity will help you in high pressure situations.

We sadly only train once a week without the gi here, and it's a Friday so 50/50 if I make it although I'll be trying much harder now that I signed up for the tourney, and prof hasn't mentioned leg locks since I moved to this town 2 months ago sadly. We have a Sambo/Judo black belt at the gym, but he won't show his locks or defenses because of the reaping the knee rule and the gym wanting to stay consistent to IBJJF and NAGA rules unfortunately

Although I have been just wearing shorts for that except the day I forgot a change of clothes and borrow the gym's gi pants and kept my polo from work on lol.

 

[IceWolf]

I wear both often for nogi (shorts and gi pants.) A lot of times I do nogi after I train gi, so it's easy to just leave the pants on. I honestly can't tell a huge difference. I will say that a lot of people will grab your pants no matter what. Even if they immediately realize it's nogi and they let go, I still notice that it happens a decent amount, probably out of instinct. For that reason you may not want to compete in them. At the same time, you mentioned some foot locks? If you have a leg lock heavy game, it might be nice to have a little bit more friction to go for those. At the end of the day I don't really think you'll be much more or less successful because you chose to wear gi pants or shorts.

I gotta agree with this. I mean, if the difference between holding onto an armbar or kneebar is the texture of your pants/shorts...something is wrong heh.

I go shorts when I can because they are so comfy