Does Judo work without the gi?

Since its inception, Judo has been trained whilst wearing the gi. This is the name for the jacket that Judoka wear whilst training and as we all know, grips are everything in Judo. Without grips, many takedowns and throws can’t be started, let alone finished. Because of this, it’s understandable that Judo still takes place wearing the gi.

Having said this, there is a growing movement of training Judo without the gi. This is something that is used in BJJ and MMA and has also been used in wrestling for thousands of years. In fact, if you think about it, Greco Roman wrestling is quite similar in many ways as like Judo it doesn’t use lower body grips. So, if Judo is trained in a no gi setting, then why isn’t it trained like this in Judo – and more importantly does Judo work without the gi?

How to make Judo work without the gi

If you’ve trained Judo for years then the chances are that you love making grips. Whether this happens on the lapel or on the sleeves, making grips becomes second nature, and without thinking about it – you will rely on these grips massively. Having said this, the same techniques and tactics will also apply to your opponent.

With this said, training without the gi can feel like you’re almost naked at first and you may feel a bit. However, if you train without the gi enough then you will eventually get used to it. There are many ways to adjust to life without gripping clothes which can replace them – and still set up the same moves.

For instance, instead of gripping the back of the collar, you could opt for a collar tie. This is a wrestling term where you grab the back of the head with an open-cupped hand with lets you control their posture. Ultimately, this is mechanically very similar to grabbing the upper collar, without actually grabbing any material.

Another example is the Kata Garuma. This is a throw where you get on your knees and load the opponent onto your shoulders before dumping them to the floor. Again, this is also done similarly in wrestling under a different name. This is often called the Firemans Carry which involves the same kind of entry and finish, albeit using different grips that aren’t gi-based. Just remember, this style of grappling will be new at first and even if you’re a great Judoka, you’ll need an adjustment period where you slowly come to grips with a new setting.

Can you train Judo without the gi?

Sadly, most Judo dojos are very traditional and hold their traditions in high regard. In other words, the culture of Judo can be against change at times (aside from new rules that is!). Anyway, because of this, a lot of teachers and seasoned Judokas are unwilling to change against the status quo.

Because of this, if you go to the vast majority of Judo gyms, you will not be able to train without the gi. Interestingly, BJJ was also gi-centric but in recent times has moved towards no-gi as it’s often seen as more fast-paced and enjoyable. Ultimately, this proves that a similar martial art to Judo has changed and now most BJJ gyms teach both gi and no-gi.

This does give you some hope if you’re a Judoka wishing to train more no-gi, however don’t be too joyous just yet. The issue with this is that BJJ already had a chilled culture, to begin with. As mentioned, Judo is more rigid and less open to change. So, unlike BJJ the reality is that Judo probably won’t change its attitude anytime soon. In other words, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Judo gym offering no-gi. Still, if there’s one around then it may be a great fit for you.

How to train Judo without the gi in other martial arts

If you can’t find a standalone Judo gym that offers training without the gi, then there are several alternatives. Firstly, you could ask your teacher if it’s alright to train with a partner without the gi before class. Although this wouldn’t be a formal class – it can still be a good way of training without the gi. This could involve drilling, randori, and newaza as usual, but of course without the gi. If you’re already a skilled Judoka with years of experience, then you can probably teach yourself the no-gi alternatives anyway. Just remember to be creative and open-minded whilst training.

Other alternatives could include cross-training in other martial arts. For instance, there are now some BJJ gyms that train exclusively without the gi. An example of this is the 10th Planet network which is famous for ditching the gi. In this instance, you could improve your newaza whilst also starting from standing, which would force you into using Judo without the gi. This may not be the most optimal way of training but still, it would certainly be better than nothing.

Lastly, you could even join a wrestling club. As stated earlier, Judo without the gi is very similar to wrestling, especially Greco-Roman. If you live in a country where wrestling is commonly taught, then you can probably find a wrestling gym relatively easily. In terms of intensity and cardio, wrestling is actually quite similar to Judo and can get pretty hard at times. It also focuses on takedowns and pins, so there’s a lot in common. Arguably, this would be the best way to improve your no-gi Judo. Like Judo, it also focuses on grip fighting, foot positioning, and control on the ground. Although a different martial art, fundamentally wrestling is quite similar to Judo.

Using Judo in MMA

For use of no-gi Judo in fight settings, look no further than MMA. One of the greatest examples of this is Ronda Rousey, who is considered one of the best ever women’s UFC champions of all time. During her peak, Rousey would use her Judo to great effect, often using Uchi Mata throws to put her opponents to the floor. From there, she would often finish them by using Juji Gatame. Ronda Rousey is a classic example of Judo used in MMA who successfully transitioned from the gi to no-gi, even with strikes involved.

Another example is Karo Parisyan. Although Parisyan isn’t as famous as Rousey, he still had a solid record in UFC. During his run, he was arguably the best user of Judo in the men’s division. Whilst Parisyan’s striking wasn’t incredible, sometimes he could win fairly easily by using his Judo and little else. This is yet another success story of Judo working in an intense environment without the gi.

Where Judo fails in MMA

Remember, just because a move is efficient for Judo rules, it doesn’t always mean that it works in MMA either. Sometimes, Judo can score a match-winning Ippon whereby the winner ends up in a bad position. For instance, they could temporarily put the opponent on their back, only for themselves to be vulnerable in an MMA setting. Similarly, there are some Judo techniques that may be nullified by wrestling counters or moves.

Basically, the point is that pure Judo may not always be ideal for MMA. Instead, you’ll need to use common sense as an MMA fighter with a Judo background. This means that you can still rely on your Judo, whilst also being mindful that certain throws could get you in more trouble than they’re worth. It goes without saying that when there are strikes involved, Judos dynamic changes drastically.

Conclusion

As seen above, we can comprehensively say that Judo does work without using the gi. Although it may take a way to adapt to, ultimately a lot of the grips can be replaced without fabric and still work. As a result, if your trained Judo and made the crossover to no-gi Judo then you’d still be able to make it work and should be able to catch on pretty quickly.

Furthermore, Judo with or without the gi is proven to be highly effective in a self defense scenario. Because of this, if you truly want to learn Judo without the gi then it’s certainly worth looking into.

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