Sizing Up The BJJ Kimono

Posted: Feb 05, 2011 |Comments: 0 |

The BJJ kimono is to a modern practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu what a fine suite of armor once was to an ancient warrior. Just as finely crafted of high quality materials, it is presented by an industry of professionals dedicated to supporting the athletes of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

The modern bjj-gi is derived from the more familiar keiko-gi which has its roots in the simple clothing of the early Japanese peoples. Both men and women wore clothing made up of two piece sets which allowed for ease of movement. Eventually, this style was adopted by the various martial arts schools where it came to be called keiko-gi.

The word Keiko is interpreted as practice while gi simply means clothing. Today, the Japanese word gi is used extensively outside Japan to simply refer to a martial arts uniform of any kind. However, in Japan it's used most appropriately as a suffix, that is to say, a partner with a preceding word. So, a judo-gi is a uniform for judo and in karate, a karate-gi. Bjj-gi is a characteristic uniform which serves the specific needs of a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It consists of a jacket, a pair of draw-string pants and a belt. In BJJ the jacket and pants have a closer fit than in other forms of martial arts to limit the opponent's ability to manipulate the fabric.


The modern martial arts uniform has evolved and undergone many changes. Reinforced underarms and rubberized collars are modern introductions. In addition, seams are reinforced, some pants have reinforcements below the knees, and the seamless back while more comfortable also adds to durability.

Quality gis are made from cotton which has been pre-shrunk. This is an important feature because cotton has a tendency to shrink up dramatically. Woven into a ripstop, sturdy canvas like fabric, the fabric is available in four "weights" of cloth. These are known as single weave, double weave, gold weave and platinum weave. However, these weaves are not standardised. Gold weave is not a different type of weave from the single and double weaves so much as a reflection of the quality of the fibre used in it.

When students are ready to take their commitment to the sport to a higher notch they may want to invest in a higher quality gi as well. The double weave cloth with its superior durability can take the increased practice sessions and hold up to competition. It is a sturdier and somewhat heavier garment than the single weave cloth.

Gold weave fabric represents a serious investment and hence a serious commitment to the sport. It is not so much a distinctive weave as a reference to the type of long stapled cotton fibre used in its construction. Platinum weave is its lightweight version. The higher quality cotton gives the fabric a luster and comfort not found in the other weaves. Yet its durability is comparable to that of double weave. Instructors and competitors often invest in this grade of fabric for their gis.

While BJJ kimonos can come in a variety of colors, competition rules allow for blue, black and white. Jacket colors must match the pants and of course the belt must be the appropriate rank color. For demonstrations in-house and practice sessions, some clubs have established their own colors which they may encourage their members to use.

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