jeudi 30 janvier 2014

Gi, No-Gi & More: The World Of Jiu-Jitsu

By Nolan Barias


There are many different styles of Jiu-Jitsu, and while they do have some notable differences, many of the skills are extremely similar. You might see a gym that offers Gi and No-Gi classes, or perhaps you have seen gyms advertising Gracie Jiu-Jitsu or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

As an overview, jiu-jitsu originated in Japan as Jujutsu, a combat art where an opponent could defeat an armed opponent without using any type of weapon. The "ju" translates roughly to flexible or yielding, while "jutsu" means art. While each form of the sport is slightly different, the idea of defeating a stronger opponent with a flexible fighting approach is universal in all forms of the sport.

Sometimes you will see an MMA gym that offers both Gi and No-Gi classes on their roster. There are a few key differences. One of the main differences between the two is the uniform. In Gi Jiu Jitsu, fighters wear a traditional belted uniform while in No-Gi, fighters might just wear shorts and a rash guard or a t-shirt.

The differences in uniforms affect the fighting style, as grappling and grabbing onto the sleeves or pants of the uniform can be used to gain an advantage. In No-Gi, this is not allowed, so you have to use different strategies such as getting a solid grip on the wrist, knees, elbows and the neck. Of course, you can also use those strategies in a Gi fight, as well, so in that way, fighting with the Gi can offer a fighter with more opportunities to dominate a fight.

Taking both Gi and No-Gi classes can be very beneficial because you will learn different techniques. As with anything in MMA, the more techniques you master, the better you will be able to adapt to any opponent. No-Gi tends to work better as a transition into mixed martial arts fighting, simply because the Gi is not allowed in the cage, so you cannot use some Gi skills anyway.

Brazilian and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are extremely similar and some argue that there really is no difference. Of course, the Gracie family was the founding family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and while the techniques are the same, the philosophy is a bit different. The Gracie's focus lies more in the teaching of Jiu-Jitsu as a form of self defense and also a way of life. A regular Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class might focus more on the competitive aspects and less on using Jiu-Jitsu as self defense. Keeping that in mind, the skills taught are the same, so if you prefer the Gracie method, you can still be just as strong a fighter as a non-Gracie student.




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