Whats harder going from GI to no GI or the other way around?

[mmyers]

Real newbie question, whats harder? going from no gi to gi? or vice versa?
I would asume going from no gi to gi has the advantage of something to grip, but you have to learn where/how to grip it, and then going from gi to no gi you lose that advantage of having something to grip and have to learn where to hold on to the body and how to lock holds up.

Which is a harder transition?

 

[El Ninja]

Definitely going from no-Gi to GI.

 

[spirez]

nah depends on the person. i found it ok going from no-gi to gi as you can still use your whole game.

However when i've fought gi people who've entered no-gi, it's taken them longer to adjust to the lack of grips.

 

[El Ninja]

nah depends on the person. i found it ok going from no-gi to gi as you can still use your whole game.

However when i've fought gi people who've entered no-gi, it's taken them longer to adjust to the lack of grips.

That's true. Although there are a thousand more ways to get submitted using a gi. You have to worry about lapel chokes, sleeve chokes, and you can't slip out as easily (no sweat). That's just my opinion.

 

[mmyers]

Thanks for the quick replies, gives me something to do early at work. It seems this might be a question that doesn't have a difinitive answer and can only be answered for each individual. Im definetly curious to hear everyone elses opinions.

 

[blanko]

nah depends on the person. i found it ok going from no-gi to gi as you can still use your whole game.

However when i've fought gi people who've entered no-gi, it's taken them longer to adjust to the lack of grips.

i disagree. unless you know how to pass guards that rely on grips (spider/ sitting) ect you will get tooled.

 

[vince89]

NoGi to Gi. Both are difficult, but you feel the skill difference if there is one in Gi more than NoGi.

 

[Gsoares2***]

I do both - always suggest everyone do both.. but still these threads pop up.

As far as moving from one to the other - training Gi and switching to no gi is going to be a smoother transition.

Switching over to the gi from nogi is going to be frustrating.

When i first started in the gi i hated how guys could grab every where and do weird spider guards that were based totaly on grips.

The majority of the principles are the same in both. Gi just has a lot more to deal with.. and nogi has more speed to deal with, and lack of grips.

 

[green_machine]

I think it depends on the person, but my opinion is that going from no-gi to gi would be harder. I feel like training gi consistently makes me a little more technical, so when I'm in no-gi I know what parts of his body I should be controlling.

 

[wildcard_seven]

I think Rickson said something like people starting in no-gi will grasp the fundamentals sooner, but may not wind up being as technical in their progression.

I think that is somewhat true, no gi is definitely an easier "problem" to grasp to begin with.

I've made the transition to gi after about 5 years no gi, and I've done pretty well, but now that I've started to get defense to certain gi-based moves down....my "gi-based" offense isn't coming along as well.

It still feels like cheating to use gi grips even though I don't mind defending them. I think it would have been better to start with the gi and have gotten the whole package, and then when I got to no gi I could come up with new grips and I wouldn't feel like I'm using an "extra, cheating" tool on the offense. I'd be using the only damn thing I have.

It's just a habit that is hard to break for me.

 

[LordarshynBJJ]

I think Rickson said something like people starting in no-gi will grasp the fundamentals sooner, but may not wind up being as technical in their progression.

I think that is somewhat true, no gi is definitely an easier "problem" to grasp to begin with.

I've made the transition to gi after about 5 years no gi, and I've done pretty well, but now that I've started to get defense to certain gi-based moves down....my "gi-based" offense isn't coming along as well.

It still feels like cheating to use gi grips even though I don't mind defending them. I think it would have been better to start with the gi and have gotten the whole package, and then when I got to no gi I could come up with new grips and I wouldn't feel like I'm using an "extra, cheating" tool on the offense. I'd be using the only damn thing I have.

It's just a habit that is hard to break for me.

I had that problem at first with the Gi too.

I didn't have any official training before hand though, just rolled around with some wrestlers I knew from High school.

 

[MagnumCT]

I rolled gi for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and man, there's so much more to think about! Guy was close to an armbar, and I'm all, "Fuck this, I'm out!" And I was, but I didn't realize he had half my jacket around the back of my neck. I got choked by a choke I'd never even heard of!

 

[Mr. Switch]

I don't train No-Gi formally- just me and a Judoka I know do a little no gi work once a week- both our formal training is Gi. I know it's not going to make me amazing at no gi- but I'm leaving formal No Gi until I get blue in Gi (I.E. Until I cease to suck).

Generally I find it's easier to slip out of stuff in No-Gi and easier to nail techniques in Gi. That and training Gi's made me more technical and slow where as No Gi is more about speed and strength (it's not totally speed and strength- just more... and you'd be an idiot to say Strength isn't AT ALL important in either).

 

[EE6_TBOIO_MATb]

Well...define harder...

U can do a double leg with a gi more easily than a seoi nage with no gi.

So a no gi guy will have a wider portfolio in gi sparing than a gi guy in no gi sparring.

However, I think that Gi training is more brutal than no gi, at least on the fingers and wrists...+ being thrown around by a guy using ur guy as grip hurts more than with no gi, i find.

 

[MagnumCT]

Also, gi burn to the face.

 

[Zankou]

I entered a no-gi intermediate tourney last month. I'd only rolled about an hour total no-gi my life.

It's a freakin' cakewalk. Like going from chess to checkers. Only if you don't know how to use underhooks or overhooks are you going to have an issue going from gi to no-gi, but if you don't know how to use overhooks and underhooks, you've gotta be seriously newb.

But going from nogi to gi is quite a different route.