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About Me

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my many faces
My name is Romeo Barnes. I'm an author and a BJJ black belt with cerebral palsy. This blog is about my life balancing existence in two worlds. My latest book, My World is now available Amazon.com. Glad you're here, enjoy the journey.

The Right Gi

Picking the right gi is something that isn't talked about enough. You spend hours a week in them. Therefore, having the one that's right for you is super important and with so many brands out there it can be hard to pick one. So, you how do you decide? Well, there are a few things consider:

1) What is the main purpose of the gi?
If you read my last post earlier this week, I alluded to the fact that different gis have different purposes. Practice/training and Competition. Competition gis tend to be the absolute perfect fit for the competitor. Snug to the body and very light. You want to be able to move freely but you also want your opponent to have a tough time getting and holding grips. These gis must be very comfortable and something you’re okay with wearing all day. Training gis tend to be a bit thicker for multiple reasons easier gripping for your partners which means you get practice grip breaking with a slight increase in difficulty. This thickness also makes them ideal for winter training though they much tougher on your fingers. Gi Burn is a real thing.

2) Season for the gi
Do you want a winter or summer gi? Summer gis are lighter and typically single weave which means the collar is thinner. Winter gis are thicker. Summer gis breathe better as you would expect.

3) Features of the gi
Do you want the pants to have padded knees? I personally love this feature because my knees are vital to way I get around. Anything that saves them or relieves direct pressure greatly appreciated and welcomed. Do you want a pocket in your gi jacket? This is ideal for people who like to do solo drills with their gi top on. You can place your iPhone there and let the music run.

4) Style
Gis are like fashion. You have to decide how important that is to you.



My favorite gi brand:

Having trained for nearly 15 years, I’ve been through tons of gis and brands. My favorite by far is Vulkan. They also have great apparel so whether you need your streetwear freshened up, rashguards for your no-gi game or a gi you're covered. Check them out at: vulkanstore.com Let them know I sent you.




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