to gi or not to gi

[phillyman]

Question for a smaller body type (5 feet 7 inches tall and weigh 140 pounds) for street self defense is it better to train BJJ with a gi on or without a gi. Also for sparring is it better to box or train with someone throw high karate type kicks please give an explanation for your reply thanks.

[KenJeet]

In the latest Grappling magazine, Royler Gracie gives a good explanation as to why it is probably even more important to train with a gi. I think that you should train with a kickboxing mindset. You should do focus mitt training and eventually start sparring in a progressive fashion. Just my two cents

[Hookah Smokin Caterpillar]

Difinitley Gi

Its better, trust me you'll get better than the guys that do No Gi in the same ammount of time. They can't beat you in Gi or No Gi competetion and you'll be very fast without the Gi on. Just what I noticed in my little time training

[Maxximus]

As all my grappling training has been from Shoot Wrestling, I've never grappled with a gi on so I can't personally give much advice about that. But by and large the advice I have gotten from people more experienced than I am is that learning Bjj with the gi builds much better basics. So I guess i'd start out that way (and I do plan on starting formal Bjj training soon). With regards to sparring, I think it would be essential to get coached in boxing or a muay thai program that puts an adequate influence on developing boxing skill. Personally, I don't feel that the tappy kick point sparring will really teach you anything about fighting.