So I'm usually a no gi BJJ practitioner however someone noticed in class today that my shorts were ripped terribly and somehow I hadn't noticed before, so I wound up buying a gi just so they wouldn't be bothered by having my bare cheeks in their face. I paid for it so I might as well learn to use it, but I have no idea how. How do you use your gi as a weapon?

this is something i too noticed on BJJ practitioners, probably judo and those arts as well. I know in BJJ theres a trick called the crucifix, where you pin down your opponents hands, in the position as if hes crucified, and you cut off ventilation from his neck with his Gi.

Something like that would be good for the sports arena, but not real life situation (each martial art has a few tactics like this), but i find it a rather impressive one for subduing your opponent

There's a ton of stuff you can do with the Gi. Your best bet is to find a decent Judo coach of good gi BJJ class.

One thing that is CRITICAL in Jacket grappling is gripping. If you learn the art of gripping you'll be a very hard person to beat. Jimmy Pedro and Rhadi Ferguson have some great material (pardon the pun) on gripping, really worth looking at. Good gripping allows you to control your opponent and makes it very hard to for them to throw or take you down in Jacket grappling, and it makes them a lot easier to throw or take down.

Stormy, there are TONS of ways to use the gi. Grips, as PW noted, are much easier to get when someone has a gi. Wrist, elbow, collar, etc. You can also use the person's gi for chokes, and some guys will pull the opponent's gi over the guy's head to control him. I hate when people used to do that to me, LOL.

This makes me extremely excited to learn to use the gi, thanks guys. I'll have to try some classes from the traditional jujutsu practitioner at my school.

StormDragon

Also look up Shime Waza (Judo). Lots of info about using the gi for those techniques. Of course be careful with them! Best thing is to find a good coach but you already know that.

FWIW I would far rather do gi grappling. I find it a 1000 times more enjoyable than no-gi grappling. It's a personal preference of course but given the choice I'd go with the gi every time.