Like mixed martial arts, muay Thai, boxing, etc., Brazilian jiu jitsu has its own gear specially designed for grappling and rolling.
You can’t wear your usual clothes for a BJJ class as friction, sweat, and germs can cause multiple problems during sparring. Besides, your training partners would be in for a treat after seeing you unprepared for the class. They would be ready to subdue and hit you to submission.
So, we have created this BJJ gear guide to teach you about the Brazilian jiu jitsu essentials, like training and rolling gear.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Essentials
Some of the essential Jiu-Jitsu gear you can’t do without are listed below.
1. Gi
Planning to wear your shorts and T-shirt for Gi Jiu Jitsu? Well, you'll be grappled before even starting! BJJ Gi is the basic training uniform for BJJ, except no-Gi BJJ, where you're taught about control and how to subdue an opponent without being taken down.
It's defensive and all about throwing your opponent into submission through clothing, and it's impossible without a quality BJJ Gi on. Here, Venum Absolute Gorilla BJJ Gi, made with premium materials, is great for resisting grips and to better counterattack your opponent.
2. Belt
A belt in BJJ isn't only to hold Gi in place but also to signify your rank. All BJJ newbies start with white BJJ belts and go higher up in ranks with blue, brown, black, and other belts. So, you can't roll on the grappling mat without showcasing your rank to the opponent, and that's what the BJJ belt will do.
If you recently stepped out of your white belt, you should go for a premium blue belt. But not any belt can do the job here! You'd need a comfortable yet durable belt to outlive sparring sessions and thrash all your opponents. A BJJ belt like the Viking BJJ Belt can help achieve that.
3. Rash Guard
Another essential jiu jitsu gear that you can't forget during your training session is a rash guard. Rolling in BJJ equates to sweat, tears, and, worst case scenario, blood. You bleed, cry, and sweat buckets on the grappling mats and to avoid mishaps like scraping or bruising, a BJJ rash guard is important.
Rolling on mats can easily cause rashes and bruises, and rash guards with long sleeves help prevent that by absorbing sweat, preventing bruises, and cooling down the body. Some people like to wear rash guards underneath their Gi for better performance, and it has become quite a norm to wear them in no-Gi training sessions too.
Though it isn’t necessary, it’s highly recommended to better suppress your opponent without being held back by your own sweat. Venum AMRAP Rash Guard made with Venum compression technology would be great to train BJJ without worrying about sweat and injuries it could lead to.
4. Spats
Spats are the counterpart of rash guards, but they’re meant for your legs. Spats are worn underneath Gi pants during sparring for better flexibility and unhinged movement. In a no-Gi BJJ match, spats are worn individually, and unlike simple BJJ shorts, spats wick moisture and provide breathability. They keep your legs warm enough to hit submissions without being taken down.
Though standard fight shorts or other MMA shorts can also be worn during no-Gi BJJ training, grappling spats are way better. So, if you want to choose excellent spats, the highly elastic Tatami Global Grappling Spats are wonderful for BJJ training.
5. Protective Gear Guards
BJJ fighters tussle and spar a lot to suppress their opponent, and thus, safety during rolling sessions is extremely important if you want to move up in the ranks. There are over 600 jiu jitsu techniques, and you never know what place your opponent is eyeing for his next attack. So, it’s better to be prepared with the protective gear guards mentioned below.
A. Knee Pads
An intense BJJ session can take a heavy toll on your knees, keeping in mind the frequency of grappling and takedowns associated with the sport. Accordingly, protective gear for knees, like knee pads, is crucial to reduce the impact of a fall on your knees. You can’t possibly last long and will be forced into submission without knee protectors.
Some people argue its importance if grappling doesn’t take up much space in your BJJ training. However, it’s better to be safe and prevent long-term damage to the knees. And as such, getting comfortable knee pads like the Viking Viral Knee Pad is a great choice.
B. Mouth Guard
Grappling can sometimes be unpredictable, and you never know if an elbow or leg will find a home on your face or jaw and leave a big trace on it. You don’t want to chip your teeth or end up bleeding gums, right? Wearing mouthguards during intense jiu jitsu training can prevent such an ordeal.
Even though such mistakes aren’t frequent, you might just be an unlucky fellow who keeps getting hits on the face. A mouth guard like the Viking Elite Mouthguard with integrated shock pads becomes vital.
C. Ear Protectors
You might have already heard about cauliflower ears, a tragic accident that happens after taking a direct hit on the ear. It damages the cartilage leading the upper ear to be filled with liquid if left untreated. That’s why protective gear like ear protectors become important, if not necessary.
Here, adjustable ear guards like Vikings Ear Guards, which effectively absorb and disperse shock and provide excellent protection, are great.
D. Groin Guard
The banana split jiu jitsu technique or others that primarily focus on the groin and pelvis to subdue the opponent need protection to stay strong. Even a simple hit to the groin makes a grown man bowl and sob, so imagine a direct hit to the groin during intense rolling. Horrifying!
Errant shots in the groin aren’t unheard of; thus, it’s better to get groin protectors like the Sting Pro Leather Abdominal Guard for extra abdominal protection and injury prevention.
Getting Ready For Your First Jiu Jitsu Training Session!
Martial art training like BJJ rolling is not child’s play; thus, you must be ready for everything. As such, training and protective gears become important before stepping into the grappling mat, and we hope we were able to teach you a little about them.
However, you should note that this isn’t even half of jiu jitsu gear, and there are a lot of others like athletic tape, elbow pads, jiu jitsu gym bag, etc. But they aren’t as important as the ones that found a place on our essential BJJ gear list. Remember to check out MMA Factory before you start training for all your Jiu Jitsu gear.
We hope you enjoyed our essential BJJ gear guide. Until next time!