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In a recent class, we touched on the subject of training gear. It's something that beginners often wonder about, but rarely get any insight into until they get a little further into their journey. Questions often include: "What should I be wearing?"
"Is it safe to wear this duffle coat?"
"Why does my instructor love wearing skin tight clothes?"
All great questions and to answer them we have created this guide. In it we will cover all the basics of grappling gear, what's safe and what's not, why competitions are a little different to day-to-day training and offer insight on where to get started with your grappling gear.
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In a rush? Find what you are looking for here:
Training gear for beginners: What you need to know
When you train at Borderlands Grappling, here is the bottom line on training gear:
If what you are wearing is safe to train in - we aren’t going to ask you to change. Â
This isn't the case in all gyms. Some gyms will require that you wear specialised grappling gear and some will even insist that you train in their branded training gear - which is often sold to you at inflated prices.
Here at Borderlands, our goal is to make grappling accessible to all.
Generally speaking anything without hard metal or plastic bits (zips/toggles etc) is pretty safe to train in. However, fingers and toes can also get caught in baggy t-shirts and shorts with pockets, making them potentially hazardous - especially during hard sparring.Â
Purchasing grappling shorts and a rashguard isn’t essential to getting started with grappling, but it is recommended.Â
Benefits of proper grappling kit
Better kit makes for better grappling, here is why:
No pockets or baggy materials that fingers or toes can get caught in
Rashguards offer a greater level of protection from mat burn and increased levels of hygieneÂ
Increased freedom of movementÂ
Clothing less likely to ripÂ
It looks awesomeÂ
Competing and wearing the correct grappling gear
If you want to compete the likelihood is that you will need to invest in a rashguard and pair of grappling shorts - although this does depend on the ruleset you are competing under. For example, the IBJJF tend to be stricter about training gear, requiring that individuals competing wear:
...shirt of elastic material (skin tight) long enough to cover the torso all the way to the waistband of the shorts, colored black, white, or black and white, and with at least 10% of the rank color(belt) to which the athlete belongs.
They also include strict rules about shorts and compression shorts, which differ between male and female competitors.
Other competitions, such as the ADCC, are far more relaxed about uniforms. Just ask the guy who wore a pair of speedos to compete at ADCC Canada or Magid Hage who often competes at the highest level in a baggy t-shirt.
It is important to check the rules on uniforms for every competition you decide to enter.
Tips on buying grappling kit
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If you train at Borderlands - buy whatever grappling gear you want! Â
If you train elsewhere, it is worth checking their policy before investing in all the Gucci kit, just to find you can't wear it.
We don’t yet offer Borderlands Grappling rashguards or shorts, but if/when we do they will be 100% optional.Â
Grappling gear ranges from mega cheap (and a bit crap) to ridiculously expensive. Here are a few good quality, entry-level options we can recommend:Â Â
Flo STATE
Owned by our Assistant Coach Danny, Flo State is UK-based and produces some of the funkiest shorts on the market. Hard wearing and super comfortable, you can't go wrong. You can also get an exclusive 15% discount off your order with code BORDERLANDS15.
Find Flo State gear here.
Tatami
Tatami can be found in pretty much every grappling gym across the globe and for good reason. It's the go to for those looking for quality gear at an affordable price. Rashguards and shorts range from about £25-£40 each.
Find Tatami gear here.
ProgressÂ
Progress offer gear that is of a similar quality to Tatami. Prices can be a touch higher, but not significantly. Some will prefer the simplistic designs offered by Progress.
Find Progress gear here.
Scramble
Scramble gear tends to be a little pricier than Tatami and Progress. Personally, I really like their designs and find the quality to be excellent.
Find Scramble gear here.
Getting the best price On grappling gear
Get Exclusive discounts
A mentioned above, we offer an exclusive discount code on Flo State gear (15% with code BORDERLANDS15).
Sign up for the mailing list
Pretty much all of them offer some sort of discount on your first order if you sign up for their mailing list (you can unsubscribe after if you want).Â
Keep an eye out for sales
You will also find that many will run sales throughout the year, although some (such as Scramble) tend to run far fewer sales than others (such as Tatami).
Leverage the blue belt curse
You can also take advantage of the blue belt curse (people giving up once they have received their blue belt) by jumping on sites such as Vinted, Ebay and Facebook Marketplace to find (sometimes brand new) grappling gear going cheap.
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Grappling gear for beginners: Summary
Our goal at Borderlands Grappling is to get people on the mats learning grappling and BJJ. We aren't concerned about what people want to wear when they train. However, it is our responsibility to do everything we reasonably can to ensure that everyone who walks into our club walks out healthier (and ideally happier) than they walked in. This is why we offer guidance on training gear.
If you want to start training martial arts in Ludlow we welcome you to join us at Borderlands Grappling. You can book a class now or drop us a message if you have any questions.
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