Comfortable athletic clothing, a water bottle, and yourself. We have loaner gloves and shin guards for striking classes, and NoGi Jiu-Jitsu needs no uniform.

What is NoGi Jiu-Jitsu?

Jiu-Jitsu trained in shorts and a rash guard instead of the kimono. Grips are on the body, not the cloth, so it is faster and transfers directly to MMA. KŌVA trains NoGi only.

What to Wear to Your First BJJ Class (NoGi)

For a NoGi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class, wear a fitted rash guard or athletic T-shirt and shorts or leggings with no pockets or zippers, plus a mouthguard once you start rolling. You train barefoot on the mat. At KŌVA in Richardson there is no uniform to buy: athletic clothes and a water bottle are enough for your free first class.

What should you wear on the mat?

Keep it simple and keep it fitted. Everything on this list is something you probably already own.

A rash guard or a fitted athletic shirt. A rash guard is the ideal top: it stays put, it does not give your partner a handful of fabric to hang on to, and it keeps sweat off the mat. A snug synthetic T-shirt does the job on day one. Skip the baggy cotton tee; it stretches, it soaks through, and it ends up wrapped around your face in side control.
Shorts or leggings with nothing on them. Board shorts, grappling shorts or a pair of leggings (spats) all work. What matters is what is not on them: no pockets, no zippers, no metal eyelets, no drawstring hanging loose. Pockets catch fingers and toes mid-roll, and zippers scrape skin. Compression shorts under athletic shorts is the most common combination in the room.
Bare feet. Nobody wears shoes on the mat. Flip-flops or slides get you from the door to the edge of the mat and back, which is the only place you need them.
A mouthguard once you start rolling. More on that below.

That is the whole kit. It is the same thing you would wear to a hard gym session, minus the shoes.

What should you leave at home?

The things that cause problems in a grappling room are small and easy to forget, so run through this before you leave the house.

Jewelry. Rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and piercings all come off. They cut you, they cut your partner, and they get caught.
Anything with zippers, buttons or metal. That includes hoodies, cargo shorts and basketball shorts with mesh pockets.
Lotion or oil. Slippery skin is a problem for everyone you train with.
Shoes on the mat. Leave them at the edge, every time.
A gi. KŌVA trains NoGi only, so there is no kimono to buy, wash or wear. If you already own one from another gym, it stays in the closet.

Do you need a mouthguard for your first class?

Not for the first one. Nobody spars in a first class at KŌVA. You check in at the desk, meet your coach, warm up with the group, learn two or three techniques and drill them with a partner at a pace you control. There is no live rolling on day one, so there is nothing to protect your teeth from yet.

Buy one before you start live rounds. A basic boil-and-bite mouthguard from any sporting-goods store is enough; you do not need a custom one to start. Fit it at home the night before, not in the parking lot.

What should you bring?

Water. The mat room gets warm and a 90-minute class is a real workout.
Flip-flops or slides for walking off the mat, especially to the restroom.
A small towel if you sweat heavily.
A change of shirt for the drive home. You will want it.

You do not need gloves, shin guards or hand wraps for Jiu-Jitsu; those are for the striking classes, and KŌVA has loaner gloves and shin guards for those anyway. Arrive ten minutes early so check-in at the desk does not eat into your warm-up. Parking is free in the lot directly in front of Suite 104 at 1055 S Sherman St.

What are the hygiene rules?

Every grappling room runs on the same handful of rules, and you will be expected to follow them here. They exist because you are in close contact with other people for an hour and a half.

Trim your nails, fingers and toes, before every class. Long nails are the most common cause of cuts on the mat.
Wear clean gear every session. A rash guard worn twice is a rash guard everyone can smell.
Shower before class if you are coming from work or another workout, and always shower after.
Skip class if you have anything on your skin that is open, red or spreading, and ask a coach if you are unsure. Skin infections spread through contact, and staying home for a few days protects the whole room.
No shoes on the mat, ever. It is the rule people take most seriously.

None of this is unique to KŌVA. It is what a serious gym looks like.

What happens in the class itself?

Adult NoGi classes at KŌVA run Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 PM and Saturday from noon to 1:30 PM, all levels. I teach Monday and Saturday; Youssef teaches Wednesday. Women’s BJJ runs Saturday from 3 to 4 PM in the women-only program with Nina.

A first class looks like this: a warm-up with the group, two or three techniques taught step by step, and partner drilling where you and a training partner take turns at a pace you set. Fundamentals are taught in every class, and most of the people on the mat started with no experience. You do not need to be in shape first. Training is how you get in shape.

Do you need to buy anything before you start?

No. That is the point of NoGi for a beginner: your first class is free, your gear is a shirt and shorts you already own, and the only purchase you need to plan for is a mouthguard before you start rolling. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu membership is month to month, with no long-term contract, and it covers unlimited classes in the program.

Book your free first NoGi class, check the weekly schedule, or read more about the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program before you come in.