No-Gi vs. Gi BJJ: What Asheville Beginners Should Know
July 22, 2026 · By Johnny Buck
If you're researching Brazilian jiu-jitsu gyms in Asheville, you've probably run into the terms "gi" and "no-gi" and wondered what the difference actually means for you as a beginner. At Rogue Combat Club, we train in the no-gi 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system — here's why that matters.
Gi BJJ is trained in the traditional cotton uniform (the gi), which gives you extra grips and a slower pace suited to classical technique. No-gi BJJ is trained in rash guards and shorts, moving faster and translating more directly to MMA, self-defense, and wrestling-based grappling. Under owner Johnny Buck — a 10th Planet Black Belt and IBJJF World Champion — our no-gi BJJ curriculum emphasizes control, submissions, and escapes that work whether or not an opponent is wearing a jacket you can grab.
For beginners, no-gi BJJ often feels more intuitive because it mirrors real grappling exchanges you'd see in wrestling or MMA. You'll still learn the same core concepts — positional dominance, submissions, escapes — just without the added grip-fighting layer a gi introduces.
Curious what a class actually looks like? Reserve your free session and find out firsthand.
New to striking too? Read our beginner's guide to Muay Thai.