Control without grips
- Underhooks, overhooks and head position
- Body-lock control and hip connection
- Framing and escaping without cloth to grab
- Guard retention at a faster pace
- Staying safe in scrambles
Adult Jiu-Jitsu (No-Gi)
The Program
Grappling without the uniform: faster pace, different grips, same fundamentals.
With no gi to grip, no-gi jiu-jitsu moves faster and depends on underhooks, overhooks, head position and body control instead of cloth. It is the form of grappling closest to what you see in mixed martial arts and in modern submission competition.
Training both styles makes you a far more complete grappler. The gi teaches precision and patience because your opponent can hold you still; no-gi teaches you to keep control when there is nothing to hold on to. Students at Boran are encouraged to do both, and most do.
The no-gi session runs long, two and a half hours on Wednesday evenings, which leaves real room for technique, drilling and extended live rounds without anyone being rushed off the mat.
This class is built for
- Gi students wanting to round out their game
- Anyone with a wrestling or judo background
- Students interested in submission grappling competition
- Beginners who simply prefer training without a uniform
- Anyone cross-training for mixed martial arts
Not sure it's you? Come and train a week for free and find out.
Your First Visit
What a Class Actually Looks Like
Nobody likes walking into a room without knowing what happens. Here is the whole session, start to finish.
- 01First 15 min
Warm-up and movement
Mobility work plus the scrambling and transitional movement no-gi demands. The pace is higher than the gi class from the outset.
- 02Next 40 min
Technique and drilling
The position of the day broken down in detail, then drilled with a partner. Because the session is long, there is time to build a full sequence rather than one isolated move.
- 03Next 40 min
Positional rounds
Starting from a defined position and working the problem live: passing a guard, escaping a body lock, defending a leg entanglement.
- 04Final rounds
Open rolling
Extended live training with a range of partners. As always, how hard you go is your call, and you can sit rounds out.
The Curriculum
What You'll Learn, and in What Order
Attacking systems
- Wrestling-style takedowns and takedown defense
- Front headlock, guillotines and arm-in variations
- Leg entanglements and modern guard systems
- Back takes and the seatbelt-and-hooks system
- Submission chains without collar or sleeve grips
Pace and pressure
- Chaining takedowns straight into passing
- Handling explosive scrambles calmly
- Leg lock entries and, just as importantly, defense
- Competition-specific positional work
- Translating your gi game to no-gi and back
Progression
How you progress
No-gi and gi share the same rank at Boran, so you hold one IBJJF-recognised belt across both, and mat time in either class counts toward it. Many students find that no-gi exposes holes in their gi game and vice versa, which is precisely why training both accelerates progress.
If you intend to compete in submission grappling specifically, Professor Boran will help you shape your training around the ruleset you are entering.
- White
- Blue
- Purple
- Brown
- Black
Questions
Questions People Ask Before They Start
Should I start with gi or no-gi?
Most beginners are better served starting in the gi. It slows the game down and gives you time to think, which makes the fundamentals easier to absorb. Once those are in place, no-gi becomes a natural addition rather than a shock.
Do I need special clothing for no-gi?
A rash guard and fitted shorts or spats are ideal, but a plain fitted t-shirt and athletic shorts will do for your first classes. The only firm rule is no zippers, buttons or pockets, which catch fingers and toes.
Is no-gi harder than gi?
It is faster and sweatier, and positions are harder to hold, which some people find more physically demanding. It is not harder to learn; it simply rewards a different set of skills.
Can I train no-gi with a wrestling background?
Yes, and you will have a genuine head start. Your takedowns and top control will already be strong; the work is mostly in learning submissions and getting comfortable fighting off your back.
