Martial arts are encoded into our DNA. Fighting is a natural thing that occurs everywhere we look around. Different species have different fighting strategies.

Wolves attack each other by biting, and bears do the same thing. Deer and elk, on the other hand, use their antlers and butt their heads toward one another. The same thing is true for humans. When we did not know how to use tools, sticks, and stones, we fought with our hands.

As time went on, people started to perfect their striking, kicking, and takedown techniques. From all the martial arts, one prevails and that is jiu-jitsu. Using techniques from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will take care of an opponent quickly. It is the most effective martial art since you can outperform and defeat an opponent much heavier and stronger than you. View this link for more info https://evolve-mma.com/blog/7-reasons-everyone-train-brazilian-jiu-jitsu/.

Why is BJJ so effective?

Back in the 90s, people had tons of questions about which martial art was the best. Before that, there were years of boasting that Judo, aikido, karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai, sambo, or wrestling being the best. But none of those martial arts were put up to a test. The UFC started as a competition between fighters from different backgrounds.

There were no weight limits, and anyone could fight anyone. For everyone watching, the first event was like magic. Royce Gracie was a student of jiu-jitsu, and he won the tournament, even though he was a hundred pounds lighter than all his opponents.

It was like watching a movie directed in Hollywood, but it was real life. It was the first time that people saw how technique beats brute force. Ever since then, the dominating background for many champions has been jiu-jitsu.

You cannot expect to succeed in the sport of MMA without advanced knowledge of chokes, holds, and transitions. A few years ago, Conor McGregor was the face of the MMA world, and he was a fantastic striker. He climbed to the top quite fast with his knockout power, but then he faced tougher competition.

When he faced Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov, he lost due to their superior jiu-jitsu techniques. Even if we transfer this to real life, most fights on the street end up being on the ground. If you face multiple attackers, their main goal will be to take you down and kick you.

If you are good at defending takedowns, you will be able to run away or keep the fight standing where you might have more of a chance. If it is a one-on-one fight, then you will be in control since you’ll have more knowledge about how the situation might progress.

What about the Gi?

Gi has a rich history. It was adopted from traditional Japanese martial arts and transferred into Judo, which is the basis of BJJ. It is a white uniform that is made from heavy cotton. It serves many purposes and every student in a jiu-jitsu class wears one.

When everyone wears the same thing, it brings you closer. You are all part of the same group, and that creates uniformity. Everyone is in the dojo to learn, and you leave the ego at the door. The white color symbolizes simplicity, purity, and the integrity of the art.

Everyone starts from a white belt, and as you demonstrate your proficiency in the art, the colors get darker and darker, all the way to black. This brings in a hierarchy in training. Those who are a higher level than you show you that you can be in their place if you devote time and effort. Everyone wants to become a black belt one day, but it takes years and sometimes even decades to get to that spot.

Why is wearing a Gi practical?

The Gi is standard fashion from 19th century Japan. That is how people walked on the street. If you look closely, it resembles a suit. You can check here for more info. The Gi consists of a woven cotton jacket, pants, and a belt. It restricts movement, and it was made from tougher materials to withstand all the throws and pulls that occur during training.

People often wonder whether they should buy a branded Gi. That depends on how much time you have been training. If you are a complete beginner, it pays off to start with something that will help you train. It is natural for your first one to get torn apart. However, if you have been training for more than a year, it makes sense to invest in something from Hyperfly, Howard Combat Kimonos, or Shoyoroll. These brands are the BJJ equivalents of Nike, Adidas, and Reebok.

Additionally, it has become standard practice for some schools to train without a Gi, that is called No-Gi. The basis behind this transition is that wearing regular clothes will be a better simulation for when you get attacked on the street. That is simply not true.

In these sessions, people come in wearing shorts and tight shirts. These do not allow you or your opponent to use the clothes that you might be wearing out in public. It is much more logical to be in jeans and a coat in the street, rather than shorts and a tight shirt.

The coat and jeans restrict your movement much more than a pair of shorts. When you think about it, coats and Gi’s are pretty much the same, and only the former is a bit more modern. The same throws that work when an opponent is dressed in the traditional uniform will do if they are wearing a jacket.

If you plan on competing, then wearing white cotton is a must. You cannot compete if you don’t have a full uniform. The only place where No-Gi is useful is in the MMA ring.

The tradition

Many new students start to complain that white Gi is not fashionable. That is good because fashion never was the foundation upon which this martial art was based on. Whenever you see a team in sports competing from a country, they all wear the same clothes.

It is not about fashion. It is about uniformity. You know the place where you belong, and that is with your team. Additionally, these uniforms represent purity. White is the color that means living a clean life, and it also represents progress.

It puts you in the spotlight where you want to become the best version of yourself for your family and your friends. Also, it helps you to avoid communication with your ego and keep it in check. It is constantly reminding you that you started as a beginner.

It is the same uniform that a white belt and black belt wear. Even if you have a high rank, there is always going to be someone better than you. The Gi represents tradition, realism, and the history of the martial art. Everyone from the same school aim to become better in some way.

You learn how to handle defeat, and that is extremely important in life. In BJJ, you will get choked out by people, both better and worse than you. It is essential to know how to shake their hand afterward and learn from the experience. Life is going to do the same thing to all of us, but we all need to rise to the occasion and handle it with grace.