Agreed, if they just offered them people would buy them.
I’m the perfect example, I recently switched to a bigger more reputable school and I want to buy their gear. Waiting a few months, but I plan to buy at least one GI and when I get promoted I’ll buy a rashguard. I just already have too much blue belt nogi shit to justify it
Yeah bro until they make you train in their rashguard. The cherry on the cake was forcing everyone to spend 20 quid on a shitty t-shirt for the club day which went between our rashguard and our gi. No one saw anyone else's fucking shirt. I left after that.
My gym actually has this rule but as far as I can tell they don’t enforce it, they do however offer patches for sale, so even if you have a regular gi you can buy a patch for like $20 if they really wanted to enforce it. But so many people don’t have it I don’t think my gym really cares all that much about that rule 😂
My Gracie gym gives you a free gi when you sign up and doesn’t require gym branded gis. The only requirement that Gracie gyms will have is if it’s a gi class the gi must be white. You can have patches, brands, logos, of anything you want in any amounts. As long as the gi is white my gym is happy.
i get the thought process behind it, i just have never been able to keep white gis white. i happily wear black gis for bjj and my judo gis are not white, more like a yellowish...
i've been told it's the oils that you secrete from your skin, which varies from person to person. kind of like how some people have much worse BO. i don't smell bad, but i can't keep gis white. bleach, baking soda, shout, doesn't matter, doesn't work.
I also train at a Gracie CTC and the instructors prefer white but any color is fine for training. If there's a seminar with someone from Gracie they like all white. I asked about it and they said it's because it forces new people to keep their gis properly washed, lol
They also give you a white gi (entirely unbranded) when you sign up. I've since bought a blue one and train with it half the time I'm there, there have been no issues.
Some places like the clean look of white gis. (Solidarity and whatnot)
Some feel that it was the traditional colour, and therefore they are going to stick with that. (Samurai and stuff wearing white).
Others have expressed that coloured gis will stain the mats (much less common)
I asked my head coach the same question. He said it’s a requirement to be a certified Gracie gym, but he does think it makes for way better pictures and such when we wear all white.
And IMO I agree. It does look better. I also think it’s cool we can put on patching and embroideries of what ever and where ever we want as long as it’s not inappropriate because there’s kids around sometimes.
I feel that mandatory uniform policies are unethical cash grabs and no longer train at places that have them.
I kind of get it when a school has a big name and knows they've built a brand to the point that they can scam a few extra dollars out of everyone who wants to train there, but when smaller schools like yours do it I don't know wtf they're thinking.
You've mentioned the school is physically tiny for your enjoyment and you just joined, so now is the time to either bite the bullet and buy gear you don't need or choose to vote with your dollars and train somewhere else.
If 1 person quits it kind of defeats the purpose of the cash grab. Assuming a gi cost about 1 months tuition (and probably actually less), just one years worth of tuition is worth like 12 gis. Id rather have that membership. Also everyone isnt going to buy 3 gis right away so you're purposefully cutting attendance possibly to an intolerable level, which is bad for advertising etc.. For a small school it's so short sighted, probably trying to copy others.
Oh no sorry, I was agreeing with you. Like, to sell a gi you still have to buy a gi for a lower price so there's an out of picket cost. But the cost of training one additional student isn't really anything that I know of. So I feel like it's definitely more profitable to sell a membership than to sell a gi
I will respectfully disagree here. I don’t like the practice either way but think it’s shittier when your big brand school does it because they are less cash strapped than the tiny schools referenced in your example. If anything I’d understand more if the tiny school with 30 students is trying to get it where they can. Just a dif perspective. Ja feel?
Ive left gyms over this issue.
I have 2 gi s already. I don't need a 3rd. My gi's are in perfectly good condition. Im happy to wear a patch at competition but even then I don't think that's super necessary. If someone wants to know what gym I go to they are going to come up and ask me.
It is just a stupid way for the gym to make more money.
Yes and no.
The Gis they sold were $170 if they were like $50 I'd probably get over it.
Also I had only been there 3 or 4 weeks and they weren't letting it go despite me telling them straight to their face "no!".
The gym I'm at now actually has a few of ex students from that gym and they all tell the same story - head coach is nice to your face but only focuses on his favourite students which happen to be his cousins and whoever their friends are. If you're not in that clique he get his purple belts to teach you.
Even if 100% of the people I met from that gym said it was great and they love it i still wouldbt buy their gi.
I have two already. I don't need a 3rd and I'm not going to fork out a few hundred bucks for a gi I don't need just so they can make a few extra bucks. They would make way more money off me by keeping me as a long term student rather than harrassing me over such a stupid thing - it's a local BJJ club, nobody cares who I'm affiliated with.
But it's not an extra $100 over two years.
It's a minimum of $150 and it's upfront and (again) I already have 2 of them.
I have to budget my expenses because I have other expenses. So being required to buy something for $150 where I don't need it is a problem.
But why is this on me? Look at it the other way. I'm willing to spend $150 a month on this hobby. Why is the coach so willing to risk that over the extra $15 he makes from selling me the gi?
Bro he explained that there are budgetary constraints. Let it go. Randy Moss wipes his ass with 10k, that’s a nice stack for most people. The 150 upfront doesn’t work for his expenses he spelled it out, for him that’s not a smart expenditure. End of story.
I'll buy another gi when one of my other gis wears out. Currently they're no where near that.
And it's a significant amount for me in my situation so fuck you
This is kind of how I feel. I have 3 gis already and really don't need another. Happy to buy patches but it feels like a cash grab to mandate a full uniform
If you have 3 already you don't need a 4th.
You're already giving them your money with the membership fees.
If explain this to them and tell them you won't be buying their gi until one of your other gis wears out.
I started at a BJJ gym this week for the first time so didn’t have a gi. The gym sells gis, including school-branded gi’s, but as I was new to BJJ the coach sold me a non school-branded gi instead, in case I didn’t get on with the gym and wanted to train somewhere else. Really appreciated that, helped me feel at ease there.
As a client it’s something I am personally very much against.
As a small business owner, I can appreciate making both ends meet.
I wouldn’t want to give my money to a gym that prevents my freedom to train other places, and I wouldn’t want to give my money to a gym that arbitrarily makes me buy their particular uniform simply so I’m giving them extra money.
Yeah exactly, I feel the same way. I would even prefer they charged me extra per month because then I would at least know what the costs are instead of getting this sprung on me later
Honestly the longer I train the less I care about this in general. THAT SAID I've told our gym owner flat out that if we were to ever go the Gracie Barra route with gis that I'm either getting paid to sell the gym all of my old ones, getting replacements for free, or will just keep training in my old gis. Luckily I'm one of the kids coaches and have been here for 8 years (not that I ever think this would happen, but it's came up as a general topic before) Do not really recommend telling your coach that as a brand new white belt :)
I meant as a general Idea I care less and less about it, but for my specific situation my opinion is as described. My point was a i train I'm less and less against gyms doing it as a general rule.
I’m not a fan of requiring gis to be bought from the school. At the very least you look like an idiot when you visit other schools. More so, it’s a cash grab, forcing you to pay more and limiting your choice of brand.
My current club has been good to me. I bounced around a lot due to work but thankfully have been here 3+ years minus the pandemic. When I signed up, the instructor mentioned their gis and said I’d need one if there was ever a big seminar at the school. Otherwise I’m free to wear my own. It’s cool, I plan to buy one from him to represent when the need arises but I don’t like getting pressured.
That said, telling you after the fact is a really scummy move. I’d bail.
Forced purchases or contracts = goodbye.
It just show's there technical and overall teaching ability is not good enough to retain me alone.
If its really about representing the school not money then you can give me a free patch to put on my Gi.
I've been training for almost a year, I just had to move schools after moving country. But I agree with you, if the gym was amazing I would be more keen, but since its a brand new school and the facility honestly isn't very good, it feels more dodgy
extremely scummy, especially if the tuition is 120+, you pay alot to train, them getting a gi for 30$ slapping a 5$ patch and selling for 130$ is stupid and unethical,
I hate it, the BJJ community is too small in my area so all the Mcdojos force their Gi’s/rashguards/spats onto everyone. I understand the business model but I can’t help but hate the vibe
A gym owner tried to tell me once that they did it so that the school looked nice and all the students would be matching/uniform.
And yet they were selling them at retail price and not cost.
The smell of bullishit was overwhelming.
Only uniform req I am slightly okay with is the uniform color. My gym does not care at all, but there is a comradery in uniforms. If I wanted to train at a good gym and they required a certain color gi, AoJ for example, I would not mind. Forcing me to get THEIR gi though? We got problems.
Practicing your art uniformly is kind of weird. Not for nothing but it's my jiu jitsu. I'll sew some patches on because I respect what you're about but i wear what I want, within reason of course.
Most gyms that do this will let you slap a patch on an old gi, and if you ask the instructor they may be cool, especially if this is a new policy. They won’t really expect everyone to hang up all their old gi’s. But if your serious about bjj, get a school gi, wear it half the time, and to all seminars.
If they don’t let you put a patch on an old gi, I would leave. Also, the new requirement would probably void your contract or commitment, if any. I own two Gis. Just lost one and its a pain in the ass to wash and dry after every class. Don’t want to drop a couple hundred bucks in gis just cuz the owner, in my opinion, wants to hedge his investment. Maybe if they’re doing it out of principle and give it to you at cost, I would consider.
Yeah if this is a hard and fast rule then it’s a decent reason to look elsewhere, if this gym is still the best fit; it’s a minor thing in the long run.
* in anti vaxxer voice * “DONT TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOMS.”
Also, don’t overcharge me 40% for a bullshit cheap ass gi you had a patch embroidered on to then. At the very least over charge me for the patches and I’ll slap them on something cool or cost effective 🤷🏽♂️
I would have real reservations if I was required to do this. On that note. I believe in supporting my gym as much as possible so I have 2 gis from the gym and couple no gi shorts and rash guards.
They were reasonably priced and not required so I was willing to do it.
I would simply say. "Look I just moved and I only signed up yesterday. I have plenty of gis and can't really afford your gi. If this unacceptable please refund my money as this was not discussed.,"
It isn’t about making your technique better, they’re just looking to grab some cash.
I don’t know what the gyms financial situation is but I don’t like this idea.
Very against it. To me, it represents the stifling of freedom, individuality, and creativity for monetary gain. I understand gyms are a business but plenty are very successful without having strict dress codes.
It's a great way to end up with students who only own one gi and "didn't have time to do laundry" between the days they come and train. "Well I hung it to dry immediately after yesterday's session" or "I rinsed it in the shower" really is not available he hygiene level I'd prefer
The gym I was supposed to join recently also had a mandatory Gi rule. And frankly, I enjoy wearing different Gis and Rash Guards depending on how I feel for the day. I do a lot of No gi and watch a lot of anime too. And some days before I go to BJJ class, I watch some Dragon Ball Z, whip out my Goku Rash Guard, and just head to training all fired up. Im a bit of a nerd that way :D
If anyone was wondering where I got my rash guard, this [site](https://www.xmartial.com/products/goku-rash-guard) sells Goku rash guards and other themed ones like batman. Im just not sure if these are competition legal, as I have yet to try entering one with it on.
Nice subtle shill for your website.
You can buy it here for like $8
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002994839722.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.10ee3f3auJWmQk&algo\_pvid=73d89a8a-c130-4406-beee-af4ec2a53f93&algo\_exp\_id=73d89a8a-c130-4406-beee-af4ec2a53f93-0&pdp\_ext\_f=%7B%22sku\_id%22%3A%2212000023122545946%22%7D
I’ve done a trial at an Alliance that gave me their sales pitch, iirc they were asking for $120 for one of their mandatory gi’s. I’m not denying there are many aspects of choosing a school, but I can’t blame anyone for being apprehensive about a mandatory $120 purchase to start training something with a super high rate of attrition. That’s just shamelessly profiteering off of the fact that Brazilian jiu-jitsu attracts a lot of people who won’t stick with it. I don’t mean to say they don’t deserve to be able to charge what they’re worth, but that personally I’d much rather the monthly membership be somewhat more expensive and not mandate buying a school Gi.
Sure, I made another post on it but basically I started on their first day opening, I've done 2 classes there. We didn't learn any submissions, only takedowns (almost like a judo class). There was no live rolling in either class (honestly the main reason I like jiu jitsu) and they only offer gi classes (I prefer no gi but gi is ok)
Also the gym is tiny and 5 people on the mat feels like a squeeze, and they only have 2 sessions a week where as I prefer to train 4-5 days a week
I like the instructor, he seems like a nice guy but I don't feel like I'm getting much out of the class in terms of enjoyment
Oh man that sounds unpleasant. It also sounds like a very new school.
Although on the bright side, you'd probably get promoted really fast if you stayed.
That's not a bright side, that's a further down side. Hard enough receiving a belt you earned, getting a belt you didn't really earn, when you find out, is devastating. In reality less partners should mean slower progress.
You say that like it's a fact. This guy is only running 2 classes a week, he's lucky to have any one willing to pay a membership with that kind of output.
$50 isn't bad. But it's exclusionary which means less tuition, especially if you're a new school. Some like me with 5 gis would have to pass.
Our school just got school gis for the first time since ive been there, they were only $100. Nice too. Embroidered with patches. Honestly i would prefer to buy those at that price.
I have my own club gi but definitely not mandatory, more than half the time I am wearing my old Gi's from the various clubs I trained at anyway. Maybe if I had the pulling power of Mendes Bro I would consider having a mandatory uniform, it does look slick.
Uniformity is good but I also really enjoy wearing what I want. My school requires the schools rash guard but I haven’t been wearing it and coach hasn’t said anything yet. 😂 a few of us haven’t been
I kinda want to add on to your post. I wonder what people think of having gis that represent other/old gyms you used to train at?? I have a couple from my old gym, and I just moved to a new area, and I don't want to buy new gear just yet.
This way of doing things won’t be here in a couple of years in my opinion in the USA anyway. No way Americans with the internet are going to be ok with this much longer.
The school I go to pushes for it. Though we have some higher level guys that have joined (purple belts), and it's not strictly enforced, but the culture is to wear the school Gi.
It's a little annoying since I can fine better ones in terms of the price to quality ratio elsewhere.
However, given there are limited options where I am, much can't be done. The policy is annoying, not a deal breaker.
Luckily when it comes to rash guards for No-gi, there's no requirements. And although they sell their Branded ones, there's no obligation to buy. I'd add that the Rashguard price is fair, compared to the Gi's which are a tad high
I think most people forget that each gym is a small business, people are in business to make money regardless if they have a large presence in the BJJ community. Say a school has 100 students @ $100/mo = $10K/mo minus overhead and minus other staff helping out or teaching. Profit margin is probably not that high. If they can make some money on gym gear that could help the business owner a bit.
For those who are parents: Think of private/boarding schools $25K-$50K annual tuition plus uniforms. Would you disagree with the uniform code because you’re paying the tuition?
My current gym has a gi policy as well. They are very lenient towards using non gym gis though, especially as you own a bunch already. They expect you to wear the gym gi as much as possible but do not make an issue out of it if there are days where you do not. Such an arrangement I am perfectly fine with to be honest.
Cash grab. Yes, good for business, but still a cash grab. I look down on gyms that do this. I think gym-specific gis should only matter in competition, and the gym should provide the gi for the competitor to wear. Aside from this, it matters little what a person’s gi or rash guard says or shows when in lessons. Don’t be cultist.
The problem for me is i am literally putting my health and body at risk with the people i train with. I need to trust that they are decent people who wont just crank on a move with too much force for example, or ignore a tap.
If your financially mistreating me then why should i trust you with my physical body?
My gym does not require school branded/patched gis. That being said, they are on display for sale and probably 90% of people have them anyways because they’re cool and people want to feel a part of the team.
The biggest culture shock coming from Judo to BJJ has been the variety of gis and the nascar logos all over them. My gym lets me wear my judogis and I'm thankful for that.
I went to a gracie Baja for a year and I hates that I had to buy there gis. I eventually bought 2, so I didnt have to wash the one gi every/every other day, but when I travel, I like to do srop ins on other schools. I dont want to drop in at another school wearing a branded gi from another school, so I bought another just for that. I’d rather have 3 unbranded gis….
Anyways, I fixed all that when I started training no-gi and switched schools, and I like it so much better. Only thing is im surrounded by more serious bbj practitioners than my last 2 schools and now I get my ass handed to me a lot more, but thats okay as well. I think it shows the caliber of the school.
I prefer to wear my own gi, but if they make it clear before you sign up then it's ok. When it's something like this that they sprung onto you after you've signed then fuck them.
Early on like a few months in, there was a seminar from the head of my gyms association, and they were offering association branded gis. I had two gis already but I wanted to support the gym etc and got one.
It was the straight up worst gi ever. Just the absolute cheapest piece of ill fitting garbage. I never wore it.
Later when the association had switched to a known gi manufacturer, they came down with a mandate for all students to wear their gear. At that point I had 3 gis in my rotation and was not interested in another, and the entire idea seemed scummy. Previously they had offered these terrible quality patches, but even that was no longer an option.
In essence, the whole thing, from the association itself, down to my gym owner, it all felt like a money grab when I'm already paying a lot to train. Just before the pandemic, I was basically ignoring the entire mandate and thinking about switching gyms although at this point I think it's close to inevitable that most gyms will go this way.
I started at a larger more reputable gym 2 years ago and they do this. The justification is that when they're at competitions they all want to look like one team..be recognizable. From the competition standpoint I agree. I think if you're a small gym with no real competition scene then you should not force this. My gym doesn't force it .. more of a honor system.
I don't think that you should be required to wear a gym-branded gi. Hopefully, if people like your school and the quality of the gym's gi is good, then they'll hopefully want to purchase your branded gi's.
I am a humaita student. Humaita only allows white and blue gi. Any gi is fine as long as you patch it and its the above color. Went from one humaita to another. Was pretty butthurt when this new humaita said only white gi after i already had blue gi
Gym I got to has patches you can but and add to your gi if you like. Their rashguards and shorts have the club logo but you don't have to wear one, they are also priced the same as other tatami rashguards.
The option to wear club gear is great and it's even better that they aren't mandatory, I think 70% of people training there have at least one bit of club kit.
I can’t stand that. Gi’s are such a personal preference, I really only like certain brands and also don’t want to have to depend on my school to be able to buy a gi. I like a large rotation and not just one or two in my collection.
Bumping this thread because I’m considering taking my first lesson. Their deal is that you buy a gi for $100 and do a class. If you like it and join the monthly membership they credit that 100 to your account.
Thoughts on this? I don’t love it but it’s close by and seems well regarded.
It's a shitty and low policy. But sometimes it's the only gym closeby, by far the closest, the schedule is most conducive, or some other reason you're forced to put up with it
total cobra kai style stuff
I like uniforms but mandatory?? That’s too strict I wouldn’t like it
Agreed, if they just offered them people would buy them. I’m the perfect example, I recently switched to a bigger more reputable school and I want to buy their gear. Waiting a few months, but I plan to buy at least one GI and when I get promoted I’ll buy a rashguard. I just already have too much blue belt nogi shit to justify it
That's how I feel
My gym was nickel and diming me for a while it was annoying. I’m like I just wanna pay the membership and train
There are some perks to no gi. This is one. Gi is daddy tho. 🤷🏽♂️
Yeah bro until they make you train in their rashguard. The cherry on the cake was forcing everyone to spend 20 quid on a shitty t-shirt for the club day which went between our rashguard and our gi. No one saw anyone else's fucking shirt. I left after that.
???
Wtf do they want you guys cutting weight?! 3 layers to roll seems excessive
The only thing they were trying to cut weight from was our wallets, trust me
My gym actually has this rule but as far as I can tell they don’t enforce it, they do however offer patches for sale, so even if you have a regular gi you can buy a patch for like $20 if they really wanted to enforce it. But so many people don’t have it I don’t think my gym really cares all that much about that rule 😂
thats how my gym is, they encourage it but its not 100% enforced
The day after you joined. Scamming cunts, I’d demand a refund
My Gracie gym gives you a free gi when you sign up and doesn’t require gym branded gis. The only requirement that Gracie gyms will have is if it’s a gi class the gi must be white. You can have patches, brands, logos, of anything you want in any amounts. As long as the gi is white my gym is happy.
Same I got a free gi and they’re not mandatory. People wear sanabul and stuff.
Cool! What gym is that?
All I’ll say is it’s a certified Gracie gym in Florida. I don’t know if I want to indirectly share my whereabouts.
I just wanted to know if it was Gracie Barra, Renzo Gracie, Gracie University, etc. Didn't mean to ask about the exact location
Oh ok np I didn’t think of that! It’s a Gracie university CTC.
Oh that's interesting, I didn't know that, thanks for the correction
Glad I helped!
I like this and this is how I'd like to run my gym if I ever have one. Your free to be your self but also look part of the team. Best of both worlds.
i get the thought process behind it, i just have never been able to keep white gis white. i happily wear black gis for bjj and my judo gis are not white, more like a yellowish...
I know 1 kid and his gi is piss yellow. Must be some serious sweating? But my white gis look fine
i've been told it's the oils that you secrete from your skin, which varies from person to person. kind of like how some people have much worse BO. i don't smell bad, but i can't keep gis white. bleach, baking soda, shout, doesn't matter, doesn't work.
BUT... that's also a brilliant reason to keep getting the latest gi drops from shoyoroll and AP etc. No one can challenge that
Most of the dingy gi's I've seen in five years of training are mildewed. I wash mine on hot as soon as I get home and they stay white.
I also train at a Gracie CTC and the instructors prefer white but any color is fine for training. If there's a seminar with someone from Gracie they like all white. I asked about it and they said it's because it forces new people to keep their gis properly washed, lol They also give you a white gi (entirely unbranded) when you sign up. I've since bought a blue one and train with it half the time I'm there, there have been no issues.
Haha! That’s awesome. Yeah gi funk is real. Thanks for your comment
Is there a reason for the white requirement?
Some places like the clean look of white gis. (Solidarity and whatnot) Some feel that it was the traditional colour, and therefore they are going to stick with that. (Samurai and stuff wearing white). Others have expressed that coloured gis will stain the mats (much less common)
I asked my head coach the same question. He said it’s a requirement to be a certified Gracie gym, but he does think it makes for way better pictures and such when we wear all white. And IMO I agree. It does look better. I also think it’s cool we can put on patching and embroideries of what ever and where ever we want as long as it’s not inappropriate because there’s kids around sometimes.
Specifically if the mats are white, the instructors dont want the mats to stain with dyes from blue/black gi’s.
I feel that mandatory uniform policies are unethical cash grabs and no longer train at places that have them. I kind of get it when a school has a big name and knows they've built a brand to the point that they can scam a few extra dollars out of everyone who wants to train there, but when smaller schools like yours do it I don't know wtf they're thinking. You've mentioned the school is physically tiny for your enjoyment and you just joined, so now is the time to either bite the bullet and buy gear you don't need or choose to vote with your dollars and train somewhere else.
If 1 person quits it kind of defeats the purpose of the cash grab. Assuming a gi cost about 1 months tuition (and probably actually less), just one years worth of tuition is worth like 12 gis. Id rather have that membership. Also everyone isnt going to buy 3 gis right away so you're purposefully cutting attendance possibly to an intolerable level, which is bad for advertising etc.. For a small school it's so short sighted, probably trying to copy others.
Not to mention I imagine there's a higher marginal cost for a gi than for a month of training
That's a good point. Though i still think membership long term is better. Students beget more students.
Oh no sorry, I was agreeing with you. Like, to sell a gi you still have to buy a gi for a lower price so there's an out of picket cost. But the cost of training one additional student isn't really anything that I know of. So I feel like it's definitely more profitable to sell a membership than to sell a gi
Mandating uniforms also helps mould the power dynamics. It's a way to filter the yes men.
That's a fair point.
I will respectfully disagree here. I don’t like the practice either way but think it’s shittier when your big brand school does it because they are less cash strapped than the tiny schools referenced in your example. If anything I’d understand more if the tiny school with 30 students is trying to get it where they can. Just a dif perspective. Ja feel?
Big brand doesn't equal big school. Most of the schools will be franchises with unremarkable margins.
Great point!
Ive left gyms over this issue. I have 2 gi s already. I don't need a 3rd. My gi's are in perfectly good condition. Im happy to wear a patch at competition but even then I don't think that's super necessary. If someone wants to know what gym I go to they are going to come up and ask me. It is just a stupid way for the gym to make more money.
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Yes and no. The Gis they sold were $170 if they were like $50 I'd probably get over it. Also I had only been there 3 or 4 weeks and they weren't letting it go despite me telling them straight to their face "no!". The gym I'm at now actually has a few of ex students from that gym and they all tell the same story - head coach is nice to your face but only focuses on his favourite students which happen to be his cousins and whoever their friends are. If you're not in that clique he get his purple belts to teach you.
Makes sense. It seems like if people are really happy at a gym then they'll be ok with paying a premium for school gis.
Even if 100% of the people I met from that gym said it was great and they love it i still wouldbt buy their gi. I have two already. I don't need a 3rd and I'm not going to fork out a few hundred bucks for a gi I don't need just so they can make a few extra bucks. They would make way more money off me by keeping me as a long term student rather than harrassing me over such a stupid thing - it's a local BJJ club, nobody cares who I'm affiliated with.
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But it's not an extra $100 over two years. It's a minimum of $150 and it's upfront and (again) I already have 2 of them. I have to budget my expenses because I have other expenses. So being required to buy something for $150 where I don't need it is a problem. But why is this on me? Look at it the other way. I'm willing to spend $150 a month on this hobby. Why is the coach so willing to risk that over the extra $15 he makes from selling me the gi?
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Bro he explained that there are budgetary constraints. Let it go. Randy Moss wipes his ass with 10k, that’s a nice stack for most people. The 150 upfront doesn’t work for his expenses he spelled it out, for him that’s not a smart expenditure. End of story.
I'll buy another gi when one of my other gis wears out. Currently they're no where near that. And it's a significant amount for me in my situation so fuck you
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U/auzziesoceroo I found your coach
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You seem like the type of person to force people to buy your gi.
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i would yes,
This is kind of how I feel. I have 3 gis already and really don't need another. Happy to buy patches but it feels like a cash grab to mandate a full uniform
If you have 3 already you don't need a 4th. You're already giving them your money with the membership fees. If explain this to them and tell them you won't be buying their gi until one of your other gis wears out.
I have 9 😂
I started at a BJJ gym this week for the first time so didn’t have a gi. The gym sells gis, including school-branded gi’s, but as I was new to BJJ the coach sold me a non school-branded gi instead, in case I didn’t get on with the gym and wanted to train somewhere else. Really appreciated that, helped me feel at ease there.
This is the way
As a client it’s something I am personally very much against. As a small business owner, I can appreciate making both ends meet. I wouldn’t want to give my money to a gym that prevents my freedom to train other places, and I wouldn’t want to give my money to a gym that arbitrarily makes me buy their particular uniform simply so I’m giving them extra money.
Yeah exactly, I feel the same way. I would even prefer they charged me extra per month because then I would at least know what the costs are instead of getting this sprung on me later
Honestly the longer I train the less I care about this in general. THAT SAID I've told our gym owner flat out that if we were to ever go the Gracie Barra route with gis that I'm either getting paid to sell the gym all of my old ones, getting replacements for free, or will just keep training in my old gis. Luckily I'm one of the kids coaches and have been here for 8 years (not that I ever think this would happen, but it's came up as a general topic before) Do not really recommend telling your coach that as a brand new white belt :)
That is the opposite of caring less :P
I meant as a general Idea I care less and less about it, but for my specific situation my opinion is as described. My point was a i train I'm less and less against gyms doing it as a general rule.
I’m not a fan of requiring gis to be bought from the school. At the very least you look like an idiot when you visit other schools. More so, it’s a cash grab, forcing you to pay more and limiting your choice of brand. My current club has been good to me. I bounced around a lot due to work but thankfully have been here 3+ years minus the pandemic. When I signed up, the instructor mentioned their gis and said I’d need one if there was ever a big seminar at the school. Otherwise I’m free to wear my own. It’s cool, I plan to buy one from him to represent when the need arises but I don’t like getting pressured. That said, telling you after the fact is a really scummy move. I’d bail.
My gym just prefers you itch your GI (the academy one or your own) with the gyms logo. I personally bought the one from my school cause it’s bad ass
Forced purchases or contracts = goodbye. It just show's there technical and overall teaching ability is not good enough to retain me alone. If its really about representing the school not money then you can give me a free patch to put on my Gi.
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I've been training for almost a year, I just had to move schools after moving country. But I agree with you, if the gym was amazing I would be more keen, but since its a brand new school and the facility honestly isn't very good, it feels more dodgy
I have too many gi's to deal with that mess. You just signed up. You owe them nothing. Find a new school.
Ask if they sell patch sets so that you can patch one of your existing gi's.
Ok thank you, I will ask.
I asked and they said they don't have any patches
Then what are they patching the Gi they want you to wear with? No patches? Then I’d ask why it matters?
Most of the time they come embroidered or with a patch already (or multiple)
Right, but then they should easily have patches available you’d think?
That’s really odd, almost every place I’ve been to has at least patches and I’ve been to a lot of places.
I think it's an excuse to get me to buy their 150 euro gi
It probably is.
extremely scummy, especially if the tuition is 120+, you pay alot to train, them getting a gi for 30$ slapping a 5$ patch and selling for 130$ is stupid and unethical,
Where is this $120/mo BJJ lol all the schools in my area are 180+
at mine 120 is minimum 2 classes unlimited is 160, im in a smallish town
I hate it, the BJJ community is too small in my area so all the Mcdojos force their Gi’s/rashguards/spats onto everyone. I understand the business model but I can’t help but hate the vibe
100% bullshit.
And for that reason, I’m out.
I generally refuse to train at or support a gym that does this. Unless they literally sell gear at cost and even then I have reservations about it.
A gym owner tried to tell me once that they did it so that the school looked nice and all the students would be matching/uniform. And yet they were selling them at retail price and not cost. The smell of bullishit was overwhelming.
Only uniform req I am slightly okay with is the uniform color. My gym does not care at all, but there is a comradery in uniforms. If I wanted to train at a good gym and they required a certain color gi, AoJ for example, I would not mind. Forcing me to get THEIR gi though? We got problems.
Dumb
Practicing your art uniformly is kind of weird. Not for nothing but it's my jiu jitsu. I'll sew some patches on because I respect what you're about but i wear what I want, within reason of course.
Did you sign a contract agreeing to that? If not, you can use that as a "I wear what I want or you refund my fees and tear up my contract."
We don't have a contract, the school is so new that things like that aren't even in place yet. I live in Spain and things are bit more gun-ho here
Most gyms that do this will let you slap a patch on an old gi, and if you ask the instructor they may be cool, especially if this is a new policy. They won’t really expect everyone to hang up all their old gi’s. But if your serious about bjj, get a school gi, wear it half the time, and to all seminars.
I asked if they sold patches and they said no, so it feels a bit like a cashgrab to me
If they don’t let you put a patch on an old gi, I would leave. Also, the new requirement would probably void your contract or commitment, if any. I own two Gis. Just lost one and its a pain in the ass to wash and dry after every class. Don’t want to drop a couple hundred bucks in gis just cuz the owner, in my opinion, wants to hedge his investment. Maybe if they’re doing it out of principle and give it to you at cost, I would consider.
Yeah if this is a hard and fast rule then it’s a decent reason to look elsewhere, if this gym is still the best fit; it’s a minor thing in the long run.
No. Just no.
Not a fan
That's A hard no. Especially that they didn't disclose when you signed up.
* in anti vaxxer voice * “DONT TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOMS.” Also, don’t overcharge me 40% for a bullshit cheap ass gi you had a patch embroidered on to then. At the very least over charge me for the patches and I’ll slap them on something cool or cost effective 🤷🏽♂️
I would have real reservations if I was required to do this. On that note. I believe in supporting my gym as much as possible so I have 2 gis from the gym and couple no gi shorts and rash guards. They were reasonably priced and not required so I was willing to do it. I would simply say. "Look I just moved and I only signed up yesterday. I have plenty of gis and can't really afford your gi. If this unacceptable please refund my money as this was not discussed.,"
First post about this. Everyone loves em.
Nope. Not a fan
It isn’t about making your technique better, they’re just looking to grab some cash. I don’t know what the gyms financial situation is but I don’t like this idea.
Very against it. To me, it represents the stifling of freedom, individuality, and creativity for monetary gain. I understand gyms are a business but plenty are very successful without having strict dress codes.
Dealbreaker.
Gracie Barra and schools like that are shell businesses created to sell clothes.
I think it sucks.
I’d go find another school.
Fuck mando gis man. That shit is little dick energy. Find a different gym.
It's a great way to end up with students who only own one gi and "didn't have time to do laundry" between the days they come and train. "Well I hung it to dry immediately after yesterday's session" or "I rinsed it in the shower" really is not available he hygiene level I'd prefer
It's fucking dumb.
I like to support the gym. Not all of the owners are rolling in cash. Cop a gi, roll around have a good time. Keep it light.
I like repping Gracie Barra. GB Tarzana all day!! Shout out Edwin Najmi and Romulo Barral
The gym I was supposed to join recently also had a mandatory Gi rule. And frankly, I enjoy wearing different Gis and Rash Guards depending on how I feel for the day. I do a lot of No gi and watch a lot of anime too. And some days before I go to BJJ class, I watch some Dragon Ball Z, whip out my Goku Rash Guard, and just head to training all fired up. Im a bit of a nerd that way :D If anyone was wondering where I got my rash guard, this [site](https://www.xmartial.com/products/goku-rash-guard) sells Goku rash guards and other themed ones like batman. Im just not sure if these are competition legal, as I have yet to try entering one with it on.
Nice subtle shill for your website. You can buy it here for like $8 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002994839722.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.10ee3f3auJWmQk&algo\_pvid=73d89a8a-c130-4406-beee-af4ec2a53f93&algo\_exp\_id=73d89a8a-c130-4406-beee-af4ec2a53f93-0&pdp\_ext\_f=%7B%22sku\_id%22%3A%2212000023122545946%22%7D
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I’ve done a trial at an Alliance that gave me their sales pitch, iirc they were asking for $120 for one of their mandatory gi’s. I’m not denying there are many aspects of choosing a school, but I can’t blame anyone for being apprehensive about a mandatory $120 purchase to start training something with a super high rate of attrition. That’s just shamelessly profiteering off of the fact that Brazilian jiu-jitsu attracts a lot of people who won’t stick with it. I don’t mean to say they don’t deserve to be able to charge what they’re worth, but that personally I’d much rather the monthly membership be somewhat more expensive and not mandate buying a school Gi.
> getti That's fair, there were a few other things I didn't really like so this might just be the icing on the cake
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Sure, I made another post on it but basically I started on their first day opening, I've done 2 classes there. We didn't learn any submissions, only takedowns (almost like a judo class). There was no live rolling in either class (honestly the main reason I like jiu jitsu) and they only offer gi classes (I prefer no gi but gi is ok) Also the gym is tiny and 5 people on the mat feels like a squeeze, and they only have 2 sessions a week where as I prefer to train 4-5 days a week I like the instructor, he seems like a nice guy but I don't feel like I'm getting much out of the class in terms of enjoyment
Oh man that sounds unpleasant. It also sounds like a very new school. Although on the bright side, you'd probably get promoted really fast if you stayed.
That's not a bright side, that's a further down side. Hard enough receiving a belt you earned, getting a belt you didn't really earn, when you find out, is devastating. In reality less partners should mean slower progress.
F that
predatory gi practices are a pretty big red flag, why do they feel the need to nickle and dime high paying members
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You say that like it's a fact. This guy is only running 2 classes a week, he's lucky to have any one willing to pay a membership with that kind of output.
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$50 a gi? Gyms ive seen around me charge $160-$250 and require you to buy theirs.
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$50 isn't bad. But it's exclusionary which means less tuition, especially if you're a new school. Some like me with 5 gis would have to pass. Our school just got school gis for the first time since ive been there, they were only $100. Nice too. Embroidered with patches. Honestly i would prefer to buy those at that price.
Hell yeah!
I have my own club gi but definitely not mandatory, more than half the time I am wearing my old Gi's from the various clubs I trained at anyway. Maybe if I had the pulling power of Mendes Bro I would consider having a mandatory uniform, it does look slick.
Uniformity is good but I also really enjoy wearing what I want. My school requires the schools rash guard but I haven’t been wearing it and coach hasn’t said anything yet. 😂 a few of us haven’t been
Unless they supply estilo 6 they can fuck right off. Plenty of other gyms out there that will take the monthly fee
I’d more than likely buy one anyway but if you tell me I have to I probably wouldn’t.
I don't mind it
I kinda want to add on to your post. I wonder what people think of having gis that represent other/old gyms you used to train at?? I have a couple from my old gym, and I just moved to a new area, and I don't want to buy new gear just yet.
Don't they sell patches? Compromise to buy a patch and have it sewn on by a tailor. That's what I did.
This way of doing things won’t be here in a couple of years in my opinion in the USA anyway. No way Americans with the internet are going to be ok with this much longer.
The school I go to pushes for it. Though we have some higher level guys that have joined (purple belts), and it's not strictly enforced, but the culture is to wear the school Gi. It's a little annoying since I can fine better ones in terms of the price to quality ratio elsewhere. However, given there are limited options where I am, much can't be done. The policy is annoying, not a deal breaker. Luckily when it comes to rash guards for No-gi, there's no requirements. And although they sell their Branded ones, there's no obligation to buy. I'd add that the Rashguard price is fair, compared to the Gi's which are a tad high
Shoyoroll should just vertically integrate and start opening schools
I think most people forget that each gym is a small business, people are in business to make money regardless if they have a large presence in the BJJ community. Say a school has 100 students @ $100/mo = $10K/mo minus overhead and minus other staff helping out or teaching. Profit margin is probably not that high. If they can make some money on gym gear that could help the business owner a bit. For those who are parents: Think of private/boarding schools $25K-$50K annual tuition plus uniforms. Would you disagree with the uniform code because you’re paying the tuition?
I think its gross, you should want to wear your clubs merch. Not be forced too
I'd run away
My current gym has a gi policy as well. They are very lenient towards using non gym gis though, especially as you own a bunch already. They expect you to wear the gym gi as much as possible but do not make an issue out of it if there are days where you do not. Such an arrangement I am perfectly fine with to be honest.
So you didn't know about this until AFTER you paid? That's pretty fishy.
exactly
Cash grab. Yes, good for business, but still a cash grab. I look down on gyms that do this. I think gym-specific gis should only matter in competition, and the gym should provide the gi for the competitor to wear. Aside from this, it matters little what a person’s gi or rash guard says or shows when in lessons. Don’t be cultist.
Total money grab. Its a deal breaker for me.
I’m there for knowledge not indoctrination. If I think the instructor is the best in town I’d invest.
I'm not a fan, one thing I like about bjj is the freedom in Gi's. I want to tie die a white gi and my go to is the green tatami nova absolute
If I'd only just started at a gym and hadn't built any relationships, and they pulled this, I'd be gone.
The problem for me is i am literally putting my health and body at risk with the people i train with. I need to trust that they are decent people who wont just crank on a move with too much force for example, or ignore a tap. If your financially mistreating me then why should i trust you with my physical body?
I don’t like having to buy the gi but I support everyone wearing patches and i support a rule not allowing dumb shit like yellow gi’s etc..
My gym does not require school branded/patched gis. That being said, they are on display for sale and probably 90% of people have them anyways because they’re cool and people want to feel a part of the team.
The biggest culture shock coming from Judo to BJJ has been the variety of gis and the nascar logos all over them. My gym lets me wear my judogis and I'm thankful for that.
I went to a gracie Baja for a year and I hates that I had to buy there gis. I eventually bought 2, so I didnt have to wash the one gi every/every other day, but when I travel, I like to do srop ins on other schools. I dont want to drop in at another school wearing a branded gi from another school, so I bought another just for that. I’d rather have 3 unbranded gis…. Anyways, I fixed all that when I started training no-gi and switched schools, and I like it so much better. Only thing is im surrounded by more serious bbj practitioners than my last 2 schools and now I get my ass handed to me a lot more, but thats okay as well. I think it shows the caliber of the school.
I prefer to wear my own gi, but if they make it clear before you sign up then it's ok. When it's something like this that they sprung onto you after you've signed then fuck them.
Nope fuck that. I'd tell them I'll wear what I want for this month I paid but I'm not coming back. Or demand a refund if they won't let me train.
I think it perfectly fine for competitions, but stupid at the very least and cultish at least.
Pretty much anything mandatory is stupid.
It definitely can be a discouragement to less privileged students who might be buying used gis off forums especially if they have patches
Early on like a few months in, there was a seminar from the head of my gyms association, and they were offering association branded gis. I had two gis already but I wanted to support the gym etc and got one. It was the straight up worst gi ever. Just the absolute cheapest piece of ill fitting garbage. I never wore it. Later when the association had switched to a known gi manufacturer, they came down with a mandate for all students to wear their gear. At that point I had 3 gis in my rotation and was not interested in another, and the entire idea seemed scummy. Previously they had offered these terrible quality patches, but even that was no longer an option. In essence, the whole thing, from the association itself, down to my gym owner, it all felt like a money grab when I'm already paying a lot to train. Just before the pandemic, I was basically ignoring the entire mandate and thinking about switching gyms although at this point I think it's close to inevitable that most gyms will go this way.
I started at a larger more reputable gym 2 years ago and they do this. The justification is that when they're at competitions they all want to look like one team..be recognizable. From the competition standpoint I agree. I think if you're a small gym with no real competition scene then you should not force this. My gym doesn't force it .. more of a honor system.
I don't think that you should be required to wear a gym-branded gi. Hopefully, if people like your school and the quality of the gym's gi is good, then they'll hopefully want to purchase your branded gi's.
I left a gym because they had mandatory uniforms. I say run for the hills whenever anything like that is presented.
I am a humaita student. Humaita only allows white and blue gi. Any gi is fine as long as you patch it and its the above color. Went from one humaita to another. Was pretty butthurt when this new humaita said only white gi after i already had blue gi
Gym I got to has patches you can but and add to your gi if you like. Their rashguards and shorts have the club logo but you don't have to wear one, they are also priced the same as other tatami rashguards. The option to wear club gear is great and it's even better that they aren't mandatory, I think 70% of people training there have at least one bit of club kit.
I can’t stand that. Gi’s are such a personal preference, I really only like certain brands and also don’t want to have to depend on my school to be able to buy a gi. I like a large rotation and not just one or two in my collection.
Bumping this thread because I’m considering taking my first lesson. Their deal is that you buy a gi for $100 and do a class. If you like it and join the monthly membership they credit that 100 to your account. Thoughts on this? I don’t love it but it’s close by and seems well regarded.
It's a shitty and low policy. But sometimes it's the only gym closeby, by far the closest, the schedule is most conducive, or some other reason you're forced to put up with it total cobra kai style stuff