Gabriel Almada 
Grappling is on the rise and is increasingly becoming a trend among Jiu-Jitsu athletes. The emergence of grappling phenoms such as Gordon Ryan has boosted the development of nogi grappling and the migration to nogi has been natural for many athletes.
Faced with the growth of grappling, the VF Comunica team turned to three experts who explained the main challenges of the transition from gi Jiu-Jitsu to grappling.
Black belts Bernardo Passos, Ruan Alvarenga and Luciano Bernert analyzed the main adjustments to be made during this process.
Bernardo cites basic concepts to evolve
A black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and Luta Livre, Bernardo is a grappling gem in Europe. Bernardo has been racking up victories in France and could appear at ADCC 2024. Bernardo chose to dedicate himself to grappling due to the rules because his style is geared towards leg locks.
“Until I was a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu, I sometimes competed in the gi, but because I come from Luta Livre, the rules of the gi always limited my game a lot. I’d lose my whole system of leg attacks and that’s why I chose to focus only on the Luta Livre or ADCC rules,” Bernardo recalled.
Bernardo pointed out that it’s essential to train with grapplers to familiarize yourself with the sport and sharpen your nogi skills.
“They’re different sports, but with the right adaptations, you can be a great finisher in both disciplines. When you take off the gi, you should start training with grapplers. Many people don’t get good results because they don’t train with specialists. Training at a Luta Livre or grappling school is essential for your evolution. With this, you’ll understand the basics of grips, how to control your opponent from above or below. You’ll also develop quicker thinking, because you can’t lock your opponent in the nogi for long. Over time, you’ll learn ways to finish your opponent faster and gain favorable positions,” said the black belt.
Ruan lists tips for grappling athletes
Ruan Alvarenga is having a great time grappling and is one of the featherweights most adapted to grappling. Marcelinho Garcia’s pupil is a natural finisher and has become an efficient competitor. Ruan stressed that the athlete should prioritize training without a gi if he wants to become a professional in the area.
“I don’t see any difference in competitive spirit because both are competitions. What changes are the rules. So, you should train more without a gi or only without a gi if your focus is to compete in nogi,” reiterated the Alliance athlete.
Ruan listed three essential aspects for making the transition efficiently and gave advice to passers.
“I teach my students three fundamental pillars, especially those who come from the kimono. The first is that to make a guard, you have to learn to make connections. Since you don’t have a grip, if you don’t connect, the guy will get into a favorable position and crush you. To play on top, it’s essential to know how to use your body weight as pressure to cancel out the guard’s shields or any kind of leverage. The aim is to get to the side or another good position to hold and apply pressure. Gordon does this very well. You understand this concept best when you’re sweaty and slippery. Either you do that or you don’t pass the guard (laughs)”, added Ruan.
Bernert highlights finishing style in grappling
Leader of the Startdoing Project and a reference in teaching in the southern region of Brazil, Luciano Bernert is having an unbeatable season in Jiu-Jitsu. He won the World Masters and became Brazilian champion with and without a gi.
Bernert explained that BJJ is more about technical refinement, while grappling is more dynamic and less positional.
“Gym training plays a fundamental role in technical development and opens up a space for control points. In other words, the collars, sleeves and lapels provide the improvement of skills, where the sport demonstrates a more advanced technical level. In nogi, on the other hand, there is no grip fabric, which makes the game more open and shifts the focus to controlling the opponent and less on applied technique,” said Bernert.
Luciano mentioned that he adapted his style to nogi through repetition. The black belt stressed that, due to the absence of the cloth, the range of finishes in nogi becomes even greater.
“During the process of learning and evolving in gi training, with a solid base, the transition to nogi training becomes simple, as the technical level is higher in the gi. However, in finishing, the main difference is the absence of the cloth, which requires adaptations in the grips. But that doesn’t pose a problem for my game. For example, in the guillotine, the grips vary, but in a similar way. In addition, the possibilities extend to other positions, such as arm locks and foot locks,” Bernert concluded.
