Like most clothing, your gi needs to have a balanced fit. Neither too loose nor too tight. Michael Tremblay, a black belt Jiu Jitsu instructor, has developed simple guidelines to help you tell if your gi jacket and pants fit correctly. Follow the steps and find out for yourself whether you have the perfect fit.
Gi Jacket | Finding The Right Fit
Testing its tightness is one of the first steps you can take in finding out whether your Jiu Jitsu gi jacket fits is testing its tightness. A couple of areas to pay close attention to are the torso and sleeves. A quick tip for checking your torso is to make sure your lapels can overlap comfortably without feeling uncomfortable or limiting.
Your elbow and upper body movement should also move freely and without restriction. Although a tighter gi seems like an advantage since it makes grabbing your gi harder, it comes at the cost of your fluidity as you roll. Check your sleeve length by extending your arms in front of you. If your sleeve hem is further than 2-inches from your wrist joint, the sleeve length is not long enough and will not be competition compliant. Generally, the simplest way to measure is by using the width of four fingers.
Of course, the best way to find the right fit is to try it on, but if you can't in person, the next best solution is to refer to a gi size chart. First, take your measurements at home, then refer to a brand's size guide to know which is the right size for you. Each brand may have different sizing charts, but some of the standard information you'll find includes sleeve length, pants length, and measurements for each body type.
The final element to consider is your personal preference or style. You will be spending a lot of time in your gi, so it needs to fit comfortably, and that mostly comes down to individual preference.
Gi Pants | Finding The Right Fit
A common misconception that beginners believe is that your gi pants should fit like your everyday pants, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Jiu Jitsu is a sport that's all about movement, which means you need a comfortable pair of pants that will move with you.
Similarly to your gi jacket, your pants need to strike a balance between looseness and tightness. A great way to determine if your pants fit well is to test their resistance. Try bending your knees, squatting in place, and making sure there is enough material to grab onto around your knees. You may have the wrong size if you feel heavily restricted throughout any of these movements, you may have the wrong size.
You can immediately determine if your pant length is right by checking if your hems end at your ankles. The four-finger rule applies to gi pants as well, so be sure that your pant hems rest under four finger widths from your ankle. If not, consider hemming your pants or switching to the next size up.
Other reminders:
If you found the right size, it's recommended to learn how to wash it properly in order to minimize shrinkage. Before washing, turn your jiu-jitsu gi inside out. When washing, use cold water instead of warm water because the latter speeds up the shrinkage. Lastly, aside from soap, clean the gi with a laundry sterilizer. Sterilizing gets rid of the bacteria from sweat.
Hayabusa Jiu Jitsu Gis
At Hayabusa, we take pride in producing gis that are renowned for their comfort and fit. To ensure you get the best size from the start, we have created a 3-step guide that you can find below. If you are still unsure about your Hayabusa gi size, do not hesitate to follow up with our customer service team for recommendations.
