Items to kick-start your Jiu-Jitsu journey
If you want to conquer BJJ – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, decent (not necessarily expensive) gear is certainly essential. Let’s tackle the list of items one at a time – here’s our list of indispensables and good-to-haves that will set you up for success:
Gi
A gi is a traditional outfit worn in BJJ and an essential part of training. At a basic level, you learn how to control your opponent and avoid being controlled with the gi you have on. While focusing on no-gi grappling techniques is possible, most people prefer a mixture of both, hence a good and well-fitted gi is necessary. During BJJ training, you want to give your opponent as little as possible to hold on to—this explains why a well-fitted Jiu-Jitsu gi is usually form-fitting. There are different considerations that goes into the making of a gi, but no matter which level of expertise you’re at, you won’t go wrong with something that’s made from a cotton-weaved material. Sleeves that terminate with more stitch lines will also help with grip-breaking during training. Here’s in-stock an example: Bow and Arrow Kimonos or custom make one to fit if you want to get something more specific.
Rashguard
The sweat-wicking properties and how it sits on you is everything about the rashguard you get. A long sleeve rashguard that comes with muscle-compression properties will reduce your chances of injury and will be better at preventing nasties like staph infections, ringworm, or mat burns. We love that this one really fits the bill for us, including the cool bonus of an inner silicon no-slide rubber on the waist and wrist portion: Whiteknuckle Long Sleeve Rashguard
Spats / Compression Shorts
Why not regular shorts/tights? Because the compression properties in a decent pair of spats will go a long way in keeping your muscles warm, preventing premature fatigue and strain, on top of promoting recovery of force production. Get one with a groin cup insert pocket and an inner no-slide silicon strip on the waist and thigh area. Our Pick: Whiteknuckle Slide Proof Vale Tudo
Belt
Get one in a size well-matched to your BJJ gi- you don’t want to have your belt ends grazing your kneecaps after it’s tied. We like a classic and durable one like this, that comes with a black rank to add your degrees: Atama Jiu-Jitsu White Belt
Mouthguard
Even though direct strikes to the face or jaw don’t occur regularly in BJJ, accidents still happen at times and a mouth guard will minimise injury to the teeth, lips, and gums. A good mouthguard redistributes the impact of accidental strikes on the jaw/mouth to the entire jaw area instead of one region. Here’s one we really like because of how protective it is, yet thin and comfortable—not an easy combination to come by if you’re looking for a mouthguard: Sisu Aero Mouthguard
Mouthguard Case
This may be something not everyone will deem necessary, but please get a mouth guard case to keep your mouthguard in not just for hygiene reasons but also to prevent it from being squashed out of shape. This is a perfect fit for the mouth guard we recommended above: Sisu Mouthguard Case
Groinguard
We would like to point out that even though no groin guard will guarantee a 100% injury-free session, having one on will still make all the difference in the world if you’re accidentally kicked in that region. A good groin guard is one that is not overly bulky, and has a jockstrap that will allow you to wear it comfortably with your favorite spats. This is what we use: Whiteknuckle Groincup with Jockstrap
Ear Protectors
Ear injuries, in extreme cases, may cause one’s hearing to be affected even permanently, on top of physical deformities resulting from severely damaged ear cartilage. Get one with a multiple-strap system for maximum adjustability and stability like this: Brute Quad Earguards
Knee Pads
As optional as it seems, knee pads really do help prevent injuries from happening during your training by providing your knees with support on top of absorbing impact (even partially) from collisions, minimizing the amount of damage received. We love how comfortable and supportive these knee sleeves are: Gangsta Knee Sleeve
Athletic tape
So you’ve seen some BJJ trainers walking around with taped fingers, but what does finger tape do? The most common purpose it serves is to provide extra support and stability during training. BJJ finger tape differs from regular sport strapping tape in the way that it is cut much slimmer for better finger fit, as well as its better sweat-resistance that will enable the tape to be firmly fixed during training even if you’re drenched with perspiration.
For some, finger taping has become part of their personal ritual—the act of having extra protection against a crucial body part (fingers) in itself will already calm an anxious mind and give the user the confidence boost they need. We recommend: Strappal Rigid Strapping Tape
Water Bottle
A foam roller AND a water bottle in one…Just take my money now!—Mobot Big Bertha
Nail Clipper
Stepping onto the mats with sharp and untrimmed fingernails or toenails is just not cool. So do yourself a favour, and keep a small pair of nail clippers and/or a nail file handy in your gear bag, so that you can trim your nails in a pinch when needed and avoid injuring yourself or your training partners. Cool and hardy option: Japanese Samurai Nail Clipper
Antibacterial Soap
One of the best habits you can form early on is using soap that is specifically formulated for jiu-jitsu training. There are more than a handful of brands of soaps and shampoos that target and kill all sorts of microbes that you pick up on the mats including bacteria, fungi, and surface-borne viruses. So keep yourself free from Ringworm, HSV, Staph, MRSA, and whatever else you don’t want to settle in your epidermis, simply by using some jiu-jitsu-specialized soap! Be sure to look for anti-microbe formulas that contain active ingredients such as tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils. We really love how this smells, washes and look: Armbar Soap