Guide
What to wear to your first BJJ class
What should I wear to my first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class?
Wear clean, close fitting athletic clothing you can move in: a rash guard or fitted t-shirt and shorts or leggings without zips, pockets or buttons. You do not need to buy a gi before your first class. Bring a change of clothes, since outside clothing is not allowed on the mats.
The short answer
Fitted athletic wear, nothing with hard parts. A rash guard or a snug t-shirt, and shorts or leggings. If you already own gym clothes, you almost certainly already own the right thing.
Why loose clothing is a problem
Grappling means fingers and toes end up in fabric. A loose t-shirt gets stretched, worn over the head, and occasionally jams a finger. Baggy shorts do the same. Close fitting clothing is safer for your training partner's hands as much as for your own comfort.
Anything with a zip, a button, a metal clasp or a pocket should stay in the bag. Pockets catch toes, which is one of the more common avoidable injuries in a beginner class. Zips scratch.
Do you need a gi to start?
Not for a first class anywhere, and never at this academy, where every session is no-gi. A gi is the heavy cotton jacket, trousers and belt used in traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and most gi academies will lend you one while you decide whether you are continuing.
If you do decide to buy one, wait until you have trained a few times and can ask the coach what the room uses. Buying a gi on day one is the single most common way beginners waste money on kit they later replace.
What to bring in the bag
A clean set of training clothes to change into, because outside clothes are not allowed on the mats. A water bottle, though cold and hot refills are free at the station.
That is the whole list. You do not need gloves, wraps, shin guards, a gum shield or headgear for a standard Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class. Those belong to striking arts.
Personal admin that matters more than kit
Cut your fingernails and toenails short. This is the single most appreciated thing a new person can do, because long nails cut training partners and the scratches are how skin infections start.
Take off rings, earrings, watches and necklaces. Tie long hair back with something soft rather than a hard clip. If you wear glasses, leave them at the side of the mat, and if you wear contacts expect to blink one loose eventually.
Turn up clean if you are coming from a full day, and wash your training clothes after every session rather than every few. Mat hygiene is a shared responsibility and it is taken seriously.
Related questions
Yes for a first class, as long as it is clean and reasonably fitted. A loose t-shirt gets stretched and can catch fingers, so a rash guard is more comfortable for both people once you continue.
No. Most gi academies lend one or let you train in athletic wear for your first sessions. At an all no-gi academy like this one you never need a gi at all, a rash guard and shorts is the whole kit list.
No. Pockets catch toes and fingers, which is a common and easily avoided injury. Wear shorts or leggings without pockets, zips or buttons.