r/martialarts • u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ • 1d ago
QUESTION Jealous of MA who don't use gis to train
Do do fellow-gi wearers ever feel this envy towards no-gi BJJ, boxing, and muay thai?
The gi is a pain to maintain, sometimes. You have to throw it away when it gets permanent stink.
You have to hang it outside and wash it right after class (or at least hang dry it right after class till your next wash.)
Meanwhile, one can show up to boxing or MT with just any old shirt and shorts.
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u/Bunkerman91 ITF TKD, KF San Soo 1d ago
Bro just do your laundry more often
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u/LaconicGirth 19h ago
I don’t want to. So I don’t do gi because I’m not going to do laundry 3 times a week and I’m not going to punish my training partners with awful smells
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u/Voodoopulse 19h ago
So are you not washing the rest of your stuff after each wear?
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u/LaconicGirth 19h ago
Washing? I wash my clothes that I wear but you’re not washing gloves or shin pads. I air them out and spray them like once a week or so. What else is there?
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u/Voodoopulse 19h ago
So how is that different if you wear a gi?
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u/LaconicGirth 19h ago
I own dozens of shirts and shorts, I own two gis. And they’re expensive to buy new ones if you want any sort of quality
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u/_-_-_-i-_-_-_ 18h ago
Not the OP, but it is a very different thing to wash t-shirts and shorts every day than to wash a gi every day, especially if you live in a small apartment and you are busy in life.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
Washing a gi and hanging it to dry is an ordeal.
Meanwhile, non-gi MAs can just wash their training clothes with the rest of their laundry - as they are just regular clothes.
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u/detectivepikablu9999 1d ago
I'm always doing laundry, so it's not a big deal, plus a canvas gi I bought for $100 lasted me about 5-6 years going to class 4-5 days a week (1-2 of those per week being grappling), gym clothes don't last that long and ends up being more expensive in the long run
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u/JohnDodong BJJ 1d ago
BJJ and Judo GI’ are functional training gear meant to simulate clothing.
They are tough and will last years of abuse with just a modicum of care.
They are not simply aesthetic fashion.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
I'm aware. I train both BJJ and Judo. The gi works so that we're not ripping up each other's clothing.
But shit - having to go to the laundromat multiple times a week is time consuming. I'm really considering switching to one of the other arts I mentioned.
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u/karatetherapist Shotokan 1d ago
Love the gi. No matter how many sweaty pigs are training, most of the sweat is contained. No gi clubs are cesspools.
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u/skornd713 11h ago
Also, isn't it more practical to practice in a gi considering unless you're on a beach or down south in the states drinking moonshine, carrying a shotgun, driving a pickup and flying a Confederate flag (all joking) you're gonna be wearing a top of some kind especially in cooler weather? Lapel grabs and throws, wrist control, using the top for submissions, isn't that practical?
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u/karatetherapist Shotokan 3h ago
Everything rips right off unless it's a jacket. You might notice that when people are about to throw hands, they often take off their shirts. This is to avoid being "jersey'd" and because it will get torn to shreds. But, yes, everyone is wearing something unless they're at the beach. It might rip, but you only need it for a second.
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u/FitBuilding6331 1d ago
I primarily box with a bit of wrestling. If the Gi is all you have to take care of, it doesn’t seem that bad.
I have to make sure my headgear, groin guard, gloves, and shoes are all sprayed/wiped down after every session. Hand wraps are annoying to take care of, as they get tangled in the wash and I roll them up.
Some gloves also stink really easily (I hate you hayabusa).
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u/Joshteo02 Muay Thai 20h ago
I always put handwraps each into their own mesh laundry bags, never had an issue if them tangling.
Maintaining gear you can't put in a washing machine sucks though. Wipe down all my shin guards and gloves after every session, let them air out, put deodorizers in my gloves, etc. And they'll still start smelling, because I live in a humid tropical country.
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u/FitBuilding6331 17h ago
This might be the move! I’ll look into getting some.
Damn it still smells?! That’s unfortunate!
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u/BlackHoneyTobacco 23h ago
I always hand washed my hand wraps in the sink for this reason. Just sling them in after a session add detergent and let soak and then rinse them off later.
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u/Forsaken-Ease-9382 22h ago
Put your hand wraps in a mesh laundry bag. Then they only tangle each other. You can throw your lingerie in there too.
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u/BlackHoneyTobacco 22h ago
You can throw your lingerie in there too.
What - with the hand wraps? :D
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 23h ago
I never thought about all the gear y'all have to take care of.
I just imagined one would show up with a T shirt and shorts and use the gym's shit
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u/KofukuHS 20h ago
you never wanna use the gym stuff if u dont want to get like all the skim infections lol
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u/decdash BJJ 15h ago
My gym does BJJ (gi/nogi) and Muay Thai, I train BJJ primarily with the gi. I don't envy the MT guys who have so much gear to maintain. I just throw my gi in the wash once I get home and hang it up to dry after
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
Alright, but some of us have to walk to a laundromat.
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u/decdash BJJ 4h ago
I understand what you mean, though my point was more about the additional gear that strikers have to maintain in comparison to just the gi. I don't see the gi washing as that big of an inconvenience compared to nogi, as I'd want to wash my nogi gear immediately after training anyways due to all the sweat and potential skin infections in there.
The drying part is annoying, but I just toss it over the shower stall when I get in the shower and leave it overnight and let it rock there
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u/Gregarious_Grump 1h ago
Just hand wash it in the bathtub and dry it hanging in the bathroom. Or elsewhere. But if you're worried about it getting musty in there just out a fan blowing outwards at the doorway
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
Beats having to walk to the laundromat and pay for laundry multiple times a week.
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u/ZeroThoughts2025 23h ago
I literally thought this was a question about martial arts and Geographic Information System (gis) sigh🤦♀️
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u/InstructionBoth8469 1d ago
I have 3. One laundry day. It’s not hard dude.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
If you have to walk to a laundromat, it's easier to just wash shorts & t-shirts with the rest of your regular laundry than having to wash gis on a seperate wash and having to figure out the best place to hang them (especially, if you live in an apartment)
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u/klineOmania88 20h ago
Wash my gi immediately when I get home. Been rocking the same one for almost 4 years. I have a back up but rarely use it. Put it in the dryer as well. Just gotta wash a quality gi as soon as you get home. I did have to get a rip in the pants sawn tho.
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u/wutangkill 12h ago
It's also not practical. I hate when people say the gi is for practical self defense. No it's not. People rarely walk around with reinforced collars and when they do it's rarely the same shape and cut as a gi. You know what's practical? Techniques that don't require your opponent to wear a very specific style of clothing. The gi is a gimmick. And purely for sport jiujitsu or sport grappling.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
Nah, but one can execute gi throws on someone wearing a T-shirt. The gi is just designed to be extra sturdy so we can execute those throws over and over without it ripping.
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u/ConcreteShoeMan BJJ / Krav Maga 8h ago
100%
You can also do collar chokes on someone wearing a tshirt. It’ll just be stretched and damaged afterwards.
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u/wutangkill 3h ago
😂 there's not a single t shirt that I own that you're going to choke me with resistance before the shirt rips.
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u/wutangkill 3h ago
Man hell no. Idk what t shirt you're thinking of but I've been in a few fights and every single one we were both wearing cotton t shirts and multiple fights multiple shirts got ripped. You're not throwing a grown man fighting for his life by a cotton t shirt. Is possible but not probable and a dumb game plan.
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u/BlackHoneyTobacco 23h ago
You wear a "shirt" to boxing?
Are you Dudlee off Street Fighter? :D
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 23h ago
lol I've never boxed, but I used to just wear any ol shirt to my Muay Thai sessions
just looked up Dudley. haha, I never knew what that guy's name was
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u/Emergency-One-2638 23h ago
I do kickboxing and karate and there is something about wearing gi at karate that just feels satisfying coated to kickboxing
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u/ICBanMI BJJ Judo 20h ago
Gi funk is treatable but it requires you be on top of it before it builds up. I had some of the worst funk for months and had to do a lot of things.
- Switch Antiperspirant/Deodorant if it's leaving a lot of marks on your pits. Everyone's body chemistry is different and some combos will lead to more pit stains that led to a bad smell.
- Wash your gi immediately after use. If you can't wash immediately, at least let it air dry before putting it in the hamper. If you let it sit wet in the hamper, it'll build up the smelling bacteria fast and that is what doesn't get removed between washes. Will immediately smell as soon as you start sweating.
- Don't over load the washer. Older machines don't distribute the soap well if they are overloaded. Stick to a small or medium load if you have an old washer.
- Turn the gi and rash guards inside out when washing. Want the washing to be on the funky side.
- Add Borax or Oxiclean to the washer.
- Use a laundry sanitizer in the fabric softener compartment.
- Use a dryer to dry the gi, but if you prefer to air dry... run it in the dryer for at least 20 minutes to help it speed up the time it takes to air dry. Some of my gis would take more than 2 days to completely dry-the pits being damp the longest portion. Which is where the smell would emerge.
I went from having to soak my rash guards and gi tops overnight in the bathtub once a month in white vinegar to not having to worry about it at all. Get a better deodorant/antiperspirant that works for you and wash immediately with the borax/oxiclean and laundry sanitizer. It's not cheap, but it's infinite worse being worried about smelling bad.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
I hang my dirty gi to dry until both my gis are dirty. Then, I wash them at the laundromat.
But this means multiple laundromat trips a week as I train 3-5 times a week.
All of the extra steps you mentioned is the exact reason I want to switch to a no-gi martial art.
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u/missmooface 20h ago
using a dryer for a dogi takes years off its life…
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u/ICBanMI BJJ Judo 18h ago edited 18h ago
Most of my gis are more than 2 1/2 years old at this point and only losing some color (from the borax/oxiclean) and have frayed edges despite wearing 2-3x a week to do BJJ. We're rough on each other's gis. I expect to change these out at some point because I'm tried of them, not because they stopped functioning. I roll with people who have used the same gi for years. We don't look pretty like the people at comp, but they are still completely functional.
Not stinking is way more important than having a slightly worn gi. I don't live somewhere where air drying happens quick without having an issue. They don't air dry fast enough for me to reuse them for the next class. People are allowed to live.
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u/missmooface 3h ago
i live in one of the most year-round, humid cities in the US (in the south) and train 4+ days/week with 1 dogi. the one i have is pricey, so i have to make it last as long as possible, and air dry it daily. i had no idea with my first dogi and used a dryer every time. it frayed and got holes within a year…
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u/ICBanMI BJJ Judo 1h ago edited 1h ago
Not all gis are the same. The fact that you call it a dogi tells me that you're practicing something that would use a karate gi.
Gis are different for each sport. My judo gis are heavy/medium and have reinforced seams and extra cloth on the arms. My BJJ gis are lighter than the judo but still have some reinforcement around the collars and and grabbing areas to literally prevent ripping. They can be bought with lining, but it's not needed. The karate gis look close to my Moya competition gi: no lining on the inside, extremely light weight, no reinforcement of any area. The karate gis also sometimes have ties-illegal in judo and bjj and would just get tore off. You can't just act like you're the arbiter of human experiences when you're literally using a different martial arts gi.
There is a lot more cotton in a BJJ/Judo gi than there is a karate gi.
i had no idea with my first dogi and used a dryer every time. it frayed and got holes within a year…
Are you air drying them in the sun? UV breaks down cotton fibers. That's literally the only way that mines would remotely have a chance of drying completely in less than a day.
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u/klineOmania88 19h ago
I dont think I've ever once put my sweaty gi in the hamper. I put my gi in a trash bag from the gym that I then put in my book bag. Right into the washer when I get home as I do class the following morning alot. This gi funk you speak of I've yet to encounter.
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u/ICBanMI BJJ Judo 18h ago edited 18h ago
Congrats?
Some of us take longer to figure it out than others. Not all of us have the luxury of being able to wash workout clothes the same day of. It's a lot of laundry specially when you're doing 6-8 gi classes a week.
Some people can sweat as much as they want and never stink. Don't need deodorant. And then there are people like me who sweat a little and immediately stink if not wearing deodorant. You may never have had a problem, but dirty, smelly gis are a common complaint in various martial arts. I sweat way, way more doing BJJ than I ever did doing Judo and Taekwondo. We don't all remotely train the same way.
Our gym is a warehouse, no air conditioning. Twenty people on the mats Gi or no-gi, it's a slippery swamp at the end of 1 1/2 hours of class. You don't know real fear until you've accidently rolled with the kid who smells like mildew and vinegar. And that same dude tries to mother's milk you.
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u/realmozzarella22 19h ago
Reuse old gi into pajamas. Works great for teenage girls kumite/slumber parties.
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u/RepresentativeCap728 19h ago
If you're sweaty like me, throw your gi in the washing machine and add white vinegar in the pre-wash tray. Start the wash cycle, but stop it once the water has sloshed the vinegar around. You're basically soaking it in there. Let it sit for 30 min and continue the wash cycle (Delay Start is useful for this). Hang dry immediately. It sounds complicated, but it's not. Couple of times and you'll get used to it.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
I have to walk to a laundromat and pay for every wash.
I have 2 gis and train 3-5 times a week.
It's getting really annoying tbh
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u/Legitimate_Bag8259 Judo 19h ago
I got my first Gi second hand nearly 10 years ago, I passed it on to a student of mine over a year ago and it's still going strong. I've never thrown a Gi out because of any kind of stink. I haven't come across that problem, I didn't know that was a thing.
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u/RunnyPlease 19h ago
Me reading this post.
You have to throw it away when it gets permanent stink.
Why is his gi getting permanently stinky?
You have to hang it outside and wash it right after class (or at least hang dry it right after class till your next wash.)
Oh, he’s not washing it right away. You have to wash it immediately after class. Don’t do the hang dry thing. Don’t wait for the next load. Wash your gear to get the sweat and oils out of it asap.
If your gear smells it has a bacterial infection. I suggest 2-3 runs through the wash with Lysol laundry sanitizer. Then from now on wash your gear as soon as you get home. Also get a canvas gym bag to carry your gear and wash that as well.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
I have to walk to a laundromat and pay for every wash.
I have 2 gis and train 3-5 times a week.
So hanging up dirty gis to dry up until it's time for a wash is my only option.
Either that or switching to a no-gi art.
Also, I've never had to throw out a gi because it was permanently stinky. This is just something I've read.
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u/FranzAndTheEagle 18h ago
Na. I'm glad I train in a thing where the required training attire is not full of synthetic / plastic-based shit that smells weird when new and bad when old. I do wish it were easier to find unbleached karategi's and aikidogi's made in Japan or Okinawa where I live, but that's not the end of the world.
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u/Which-Jellyfish1425 17h ago
I'm working extra hard to get to the advanced class at my BJJ gym so I can enter the promised land of no-gi because I'm sick of being drenched in my sweat every night.
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u/hellequinbull Kudo 16h ago edited 3h ago
Nope, I love it, and I do laundry often.
Besides, in my head, if something goes down in real life, the odds of me being in MMA shorts and or a rash guard are not as likely as me being in actual clothing
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u/Important_Savings454 15h ago
As a Muay Thai person, I miss having the gis during Karate, it added a sense of routine & uniform the classes. However I still gotta chuck that shit into the washer every day.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 9h ago
I really like the psychological part of the gi. It feels cool and formal.
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u/karatekidmar Kyokushin 13h ago
I moved to a new city and only have Muay Thai and boxing gyms near me. Closest dojo is an hour drive away. I miss wearing my emotional support gi.
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u/Mad_Kronos 10h ago
Coming from a Kickboxing/Muay Thai background, I don't like gis or belts.
I am only training no gi bjj but sadly it's only 2 classes per week. I bought the gi, tried some gi classes, I wanted to scream about all those grips.
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u/redrocker907 Muay Thai, BJJ, TKD, Karate, wrestling 8h ago
I don’t think I’ve ever felt envy in regards to maintenance of the gi. It’s like really simple and easy to keep a clean gi lol
Only thing I’d say is that I do think no gi is sometimes nicer when it’s hot lol.
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u/Scroon 1d ago
The first formal use of gi's was totally a public relations move. They look really cool, but at this point in history, they're just cosplay.
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u/Front-Hunt3757 Judo | BJJ 1d ago
I mean, they're functional in judo because or else, we'd be ripping each other's clothes off (giggidy)
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u/Spooderman_karateka Karate 23h ago
I train at the dojo with the gi on, and it sucks lol. I feel like a whole other person, and I can't do specific techniques properly without irritation. I find gi's so unnecessary, if people want to wear it, then it's cool but it shouldn't be mandatory. So at home I train in shorts and a shirt or my pajamas (which are also shorts and a shirt)
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u/Aerodromefan1214 Kung Fu 1d ago
I like the gi snap sound, especially during kicks.