If Charles Dickens taught us one thing, it’s that money doesn’t necessarily buy happiness. But it can buy your friends things for holidays, and that’s basically happiness for them.
Don’t wait until three ghosts shake you down before you drop cash on Christmas: your 2017 Grapplers Gift Guide has something for every budget, including no budget. That’s right, you can give gifts even though you’re a broke jiujiteiro or jiujiteira yourself. Besides the post below, check out the 2016 and 2015 iterations: a massage, a private lesson, and an online site subscription are still good ideas even though we didn’t want to repeat ourselves. 2014 and 2013 are a little outdated, since a lot of those items aren’t available anymore, but maybe they’ll spark some concepts. Continue reading “Grapplers Gift Guide: 2017”
With only a week left until Christmas, it’s finally time to start shopping. At least, it is if you’re me. Is this because I’m lazy, irresponsible, or because I’m distracted by training? Yes.
But you can benefit from my sloth! Behold the 2015 Dirty White Belt Grappler Gift Guide, featuring sweet ideas for presents that will benefit the jiu-jitsu practitioner in your life. Some of these are gear suggestions, which I wholeheartedly recommend. Because it’s so late in the game, I’ve also listed some gift ideas that don’t need to be delivered, so you can be sure to have something to stick into your beloved’s grubby, mat-burn-laden hands.
A lot of these are from Cageside Fight Co., which has a new website. That’s not only because it’s a great company that has supported me a lot throughout the years, but because I *know* they’ll take getting your order to you by Christmas seriously. Cageside and Toro BJJ get the uncritical endorsement, deservedly so.
That said: on with the commerce!
GIS
The first run of the Toro BJJ JS 2015 sold out super-fast. But they’re back in stock, and believe me, I’d be telling you that this is a great gi even if I hadn’t designed it. It’s been my primary gi since it came out, and I love the look, feel and fit. It’s the first gi I’ve designed for Toro, and we plan to do one each year. Please help me out and get a terrific value in the process.
Speaking of first runs, Toro also made its first Navy Blue gi, and man, does this thing look sweet. I’ve seen a few folks around wearing it, and it’s a striking color. If you’re more of a black gi person, the new Dark Horse is a killer gi, too. I haven’t seen the horizontal lapel embroidery style before, and I think it’s a very cool innovation.
Rounding out my gi recommendations: Meerkatsu’s Orchid Dragon gi is gorgeous. Blue gis are typically not my thing, but this is an artist who really knows what he’s doing.
RASH GUARDS
The 8-Bit Jiu-Jitsu rashguard I designed for Toro BJJ was a pretty popular item when it was released, and we did a quick re-release for the holidays. At $23, that’s a steal, and it’s one of my favorite rashies I’ve ever done.
Also, Guard-Zilla is loose! I’ve been wearing this one around and getting lots of nice compliments on it. I’m stoked to have mine, and your grappler pal will be stoked to get theirs, too.
There are many great aspects to private lessons: you can learn directly from a tremendous teacher, you can tailor your training to what you need most, and you can use it basically any time you want. Plus, you don’t have to worry about delivery.
To give one of these as a gift can be simple — you can just buy a private for your grappler from her or his instructor. Everybody can benefit from personalized attention.
Or, to go that extra mile, find the one person they’ve always wanted to train with and buy them a private with that person (if they’re local) or during the time when they’re coming through town for a seminar. Watch their eyes light up, and thank me later.
INSTRUCTIONAL SITES / VIDEO SUBSCRIPTIONS
Want to make your grappler happy — and not worry about the present arriving in time? Get them a subscription to an online site!
I’ve been watching fewer instructional videos these days, but I’ll always recommend two online sites based on my experience with them. Marcelo Garcia’s site is the OG on the block, and has an incredible library of techniques being taught and implemented during live rolling. You can’t go wrong.
But my personal favorite site is the Mendes Bros. You get tremendous instruction, drilling suggestions, technique breakdowns and amazing sparring sessions featuring the best in the world. And it’s delivered right into the privacy of your own home.
Finally, consider a subscription to FloGrappling. I have one, and have generally positive things to report. If you like to watch your friends compete (and, y’know, the big names, too), it’s a great thing to have in your pocket.
Let’s be real: I could go on forever with the wish list. In the interests of time and in the interests of being light on your wallet, I’ll stop there.
One item I’ll leave you with: if you know me in person, you know that I’m always thinking of new charity projects. I have a very exciting one that might come together soon, so if you want to save a little money this season with the intention of helping support that … just keep it in mind.
It’s that time of year again: when the grappling tights come out, everyone wears rash guards under their gi tops and I write a gift guide post.
While you might assume that these posts are thinly-veiled ways of showing people what *I* want — and you wouldn’t be wrong — this time I solicited opinions from BJJ gear groups on Facebook, friends and other people obsessed with jiu-jitsu. And I’m recommending some items I already own and like — just to benefit you, the reader.
Show this to people that want to buy you things. Hopefully, this helps you get what you want under the tree this year.
For people looking to buy gifts for grapplers, you might want to take a gander at the 2012 and 2013 versions of the Gift Guide. The first one has general advice that’s still applicable, even if the specific product information is outdated.
Let me repeat a few suggestions from the first gift guide. You could get your grappler a private lesson with their instructor or with another great teacher; you could purchase a tournament entry for them, since tournaments are great training; or you could donate to a charity like the George Pendergrass Foundation or Tap Cancer Out.
If you’d like something tangible to stuff a stocking with other than a certificate, though, read on.
GIS, SHIRTS AND OTHER APPAREL
As most everyone who reads the blog knows, I do some design work for Toro BJJ. That’s full disclosure. But I am also an ethical shill, and I’m not going to recommend anything I don’t believe in. So let me get the Toro promo right out front:
We have a killer new gi out right now, the Toro “Dark Horse” black and gold gi. I didn’t design it, so I can’t take credit for it, but this thing is comfortable, light and looks great. I get compliments on it everywhere I train. It’s one of my regular training gis, and despite many washings, the color has held up really well. And I don’t even usually like black gis! You won’t regret it: pull the trigger on this one.
Majestic. And the gi is also nice.
For your off-the-mat wear, we have grey hoodies and thermal t-shirts that I think turned out really cool. And always be watching for the limited edition rashguards we put out! I don’t know if the Toro spats will be out by Christmas or not, but look for those too.
Non-self-promotion category: I own a good deal of E Nois gear, and I’m really pleased with it. Their gis are comfortable and stylish, and their designs are original. Scope out their t-shirts and sweatshirts: I like the “choke from mount” one myself, but maybe that’s because one of their other design is printed on a gi that I already rock on the regular. Have a gander, I practically guarantee you find something you like there.
As for other gis, I’m intrigued by Tatami’s The Tank. Tatami is a longstanding company with a good reputation, and this is a heavyweight double weave gi that comes in at 950 GSM (compared to 450 for the Toro). Not an everyday use gi, at least here in North Carolina, but you can bet that this thing is going to last — and it’ll be tough to choke you in it.
Maybe you want to give something that isn’t necessarily wearable, but will help someone improve their jiu-jitsu. Well, consider …
DVDS AND ONLINE SITES
Look, jiu-jitsu players love to watch videos. One of my training partners just told me that whenever he looks at my instructional collection, this is what he sees:
As for DVD sets and apps out now: Ryan Hall is an elite competitor and a tremendous instructor. I’ve bought each of his DVD sets and never been disappointed. It’s too late for someone to buy his Defensive Guard and Open Elbow set for me — they’re already on the way — but if you’re looking for a great DVD set, I’m sure you can’t go wrong here.
I can also personally endorse Roy Marsh’s guillotine seminar instructional. I was at this seminar, and Roy put together an amazing set of principles, concepts and techniques. At $20, it’s a steal. This might be the best value for the money instructional available.
As for something I don’t own but am intrigued by: Shawn Williams has a Williams Guard DVD set that’s also available as an app and on BudoVideos On Demand site. This looks awesome and I’m excited to learn it.
One warning: I wouldn’t buy the On Demand stuff again. I bought the Michael Langhi material On Demand, and Budo Videos did a site upgrade which has cut off my ability to watch it for several weeks. This is a huge bummer, and I wish I’d bought the DVDs.
Grumbles aside, online sites can be excellent resources. The two online membership sites I always recommend are MendesBros.com and the Marcelo Garcia site, MGInAction. But Braulio Estima and Rafael Lovato Jr. also have membership sites now, and while I haven’t checked those out, I’d be really excited if someone got me a membership. ART
I’m talking to you, people who date martial artists: don’t you want to brighten up your living space with a little artwork? If you are, just bypass the usual quibbling about whether the Dogs Playing Poker are funny (spoiler alert: they are). Go straight to the martial arts themed artwork.
If you wanted to make me squeal with delight, though, you’d get me this incredible Bruce Lee print by one of my favorite artists, Phil Hansen. Phil karate-chopped the paint onto the canvas to create the work. Don’t take my word for it, either:
This thing hanging on the wall would annoy my girlfriend, of course. But isn’t annoying the ones you love what the holidays all about? Between that and open mats, I think we have it covered.
