It's the most common question we get from people booking their first class — usually asked nervously, like there's a wrong answer. There isn't. But here's how to think about it.
First, what's the actual difference?
Gi means training in the traditional uniform — the heavy cotton jacket and pants. The gi isn't just clothing; it's equipment. You grip your partner's collar, sleeves and pants to control and off-balance them, which makes the game methodical and control-heavy. Think chess at close range: positions take longer to escape, and technique beats strength even more decisively.
Nogi strips the fabric away — shorts and a rash guard. With fewer handles available, everything speeds up. The style is more athletic, relies on body locks and underhooks instead of cloth grips, and feels closer to wrestling. Same art underneath, different gears.
So which one first?
Honestly: whichever class fits your week. The fundamentals — posture, base, escapes, the habit of staying calm under pressure — transfer completely between the two. Nobody at Ako "is" a gi person or a nogi person in their first year; you're just a person learning to grapple.
If you want a steer anyway: the gi slows things down, which many beginners find easier to learn in. Nogi feels more natural to people coming from other sports. Both rooms get complete beginners every single week.
What do I need to own?
For your trial week: nothing. Come in activewear and we'll sort the rest. If you stay, you'll eventually want a gi (we stock club gis sized for adults and kids) and a rash guard for nogi nights. That's the whole kit.
The honest answer to "which should I start with?" is: try both in the same week and let the mats decide.
Gi — BJJ Fundamentals, Thursday 5:30pm. Nogi — Nogi Fundamentals, Tuesday 6:30pm. Do both, four days apart, then pick. Wear activewear to either; we'll sort the rest.