Practice no gi?

I find that no-gi practice is INCREDIBLY important. This is true for both standing grappling and ground-fighting.

Do you practice this way? If so, do you compete against wrestlers? What has been your experience?

-John

I have practiced this way with friends who do Judo and some who do BJJ. Also, I have a lot of friends who just think they are tough and like to wrestle around. Never competed with no gi, but have practiced this way.

Because I teach a one semester college PE course in Judo I find myself perennially teaching and grappling with people in t shirts including some high school type wrestlers. Once you develop a good wrist/neck grip Judo works pretty well. The wrist grip keeps the wrestlers from being able to shoot on you and they seem pretty stymied after that. A fair number of Judo throws can work off this grip.
The downside is that I have developed this habit of gripping the wrist when playing with Judo players and they seem nonplussed with it as well.
It is a very defensive grip and that is why I consider it a mostly bad habit.

heh no gi? tried it but i dint face wrestlers.i faced thai boxers.as most of us trained witout gi it is hard to perform most of the throws but still ipoon seoinage,o soto gari,and tai otoshi worked well heh just get thai boxers to the ground and they are nothing!!!! haha watch for their elbows though.... [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif[/IMG]

Good point, JudoDoc. I also mentioned somewhere else on these forums that a lot of Judo can be used gripping the neck/wrists.