What is no-gi jiu-jitsu? The differences between gi and no-gi
Uniform, grips, rules, weight classes and the main tournaments: what changes when athletes trade the gi for shorts and a rash guard
No-gi is jiu-jitsu practiced without the gi, the traditional kimono. The name says it all: “gi” is the uniform, and “no-gi” means training or competing without it. You will also see it called submission grappling or just grappling. The base is the same as traditional jiu-jitsu, with takedowns, guard passes, sweeps and submissions. But taking the jacket away changes how athletes grip each other, the pace of the match and some of the rules.
The uniform
Instead of a gi and a belt, athletes wear shorts with no pockets and a tight shirt called a rash guard. Women can also compete in leggings. At tournaments run by the IBJJF, the main jiu-jitsu federation, the rash guard has to show the color of the athlete’s belt rank, since there is no belt tied around the waist.
The grips
This is the biggest difference. In the gi, athletes grab the collar, the sleeves, the lapel and the pants. In no-gi, grabbing the clothes is not allowed. Control comes from holding the body: the wrist, the back of the neck, the waist, the ankle, and underhooks, which is when you slide an arm under the opponent’s arm.
That changes what works. Guards that use the lapel do not exist in no-gi, and chokes that use the collar are gone. What stays are moves like the rear naked choke, the guillotine, the triangle, the arm triangle, the armbar and the kimura. Sweat also makes everything more slippery, so matches tend to have more movement and more escapes.
The rules at the IBJJF
The points are the same as in the gi: 2 points for a takedown, a sweep or knee on belly, 3 for a guard pass, and 4 for mount or back control.
The main difference is in the leg locks. Since 2021, the IBJJF allows heel hooks and knee reaping for adult brown and black belts, but only in no-gi. In the gi, both are still illegal.
The weight classes
The weight limits are lower in no-gi because athletes do not step on the scale wearing the gi. In the adult men’s divisions, middleweight goes up to 82.3 kg (about 181 pounds) in the gi and up to 79.5 kg (about 175 pounds) in no-gi. At roosterweight, the limit drops from 57.5 kg (about 127 pounds) to 55.5 kg (about 122 pounds).
The main tournaments
The IBJJF has its own no-gi calendar, with the No-Gi World Championship, the Pan No-Gi, the European No-Gi and the Brazilian No-Gi Nationals.
Outside the federation, the biggest tournament is ADCC, held every two years with its own rules: there are no positive points in the first half of the match, pulling guard costs a negative point, and all leg locks are legal. Professional shows built around single matches, like UFC BJJ and WNO (Who’s Number One), are also no-gi.
Is it easier or harder?
Athletes do not agree. Marlon Tajik, the ADCC 2026 silver medalist, did not hold back: “I believe gi is harder than nogi.” Claudia Gadelha, who runs UFC BJJ, complains that there are too many leg locks in no-gi.
What about you: do you prefer to train in the gi or no-gi? Tell us in the comments.
