Once, when I forgot my workout clothes (no-gi) at the former academy that I trained at in Florida, I just participated in my pants and a long sleve shirt. Not only did I lose a little hip movement because of the cut of the jib in the pants, but I was uncomfortable the entire time wrestling in those clothes.
I didn’t think about it again until I recently started practicing solo drills at home. I practice in whatever I have on and whenever the mood hits me. One of those moods struck when I had on sneakers. As I started to go through my drills I noticed how heavy my running shoes were. The difference was very noticeable. That cat like movement that I take for granted was missing and my feet felt heavy.
I realize that in no-gi and gi grappling the majority of us don’t wear shoes because of tradition, impracticality or because we don’t want to dirty up the mats. However, that lack of speed I experienced made me what to do some of my solo exercises with shoes on so I can get used to the extra weight….
Filed under: BJJ, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Grappling, Jiu-Jitsu
