What to wear to your first jiu-jitsu class

What to wear to a first jiu-jitsu class: a t-shirt and athletic shorts or leggings with no pockets, zips or metal, bare feet on the mat with sandals for the walk to it, hair tied back and jewelry off. Nothing needs buying for a trial class; if the class is in the gi, the gym tells you what to do about one when you book.

Short answer: a t-shirt and shorts without pockets. You do not need to buy anything for a trial class. Here is the slightly longer answer I wish I had read first.

For the trial class

Wear a fitted t-shirt or rash guard and athletic shorts or leggings with no pockets, no zippers, no belt loops. Fingers and toes catch in pockets; zippers scratch people. Most gyms loan you a gi for the trial if the class needs one. Just ask when you book. Bring water and flip-flops for walking off the mat.

What a gi actually is

The gi is the heavy cotton jacket, pants, and belt. It is not a costume, it is equipment: half the techniques in gi jiu-jitsu use the fabric as handles, yours and theirs. Classes labeled no-gi are the same art in rash guard and shorts, where you grip the body instead of cloth.

When to buy a gi, and which one

After you commit to a month, not before. Ask your gym first: some require specific colors (white is safe everywhere), and many sell their own. A plain, inexpensive white gi from any reputable brand is correct for years. There is no performance difference a beginner can feel between a budget gi and a luxury one. Spend the difference on more classes.

Sizing: gis shrink. Follow the brand's chart for your height and weight, and when in doubt go one size up and hot-wash it down.

What you genuinely need early

A mouthguard, sooner than you think. A cheap boil-and-bite one is fine. Everything else (rash guards, spats, a second gi, a gym bag that closes because gi sweat is real) can wait until the habit is real.

The art is the expensive part. The clothes are not.

Questions readers ask

What should I wear to a trial BJJ class?

A fitted t-shirt or rash guard and athletic shorts or leggings with no pockets, no zippers, no belt loops — fingers and toes catch in pockets, and zippers scratch people. Bring water and flip-flops for walking off the mat. You do not need to buy anything for a trial class.

Do I need a gi for my first class?

No. Most gyms loan you a gi for the trial if the class needs one — just ask when you book. Buy one only after you commit to a month: a plain, inexpensive white gi from any reputable brand is correct for years, and there is no performance difference a beginner can feel between a budget gi and a luxury one.

What gear do I actually need early on?

A mouthguard, sooner than you think — a cheap boil-and-bite one is fine. Everything else (rash guards, spats, a second gi, a gym bag that closes) can wait until the habit is real. The art is the expensive part; the clothes are not.