Start · Equipment
Do you need a mouthguard for no-gi grappling?
Yes — a mouthguard is the one piece of protective gear worth buying before your first no-gi class. Here is what you actually need, and what you can skip.
Short answer up front, because it is the most common pre-first-class question: yes, get a mouthguard — but you need far less protective gear than you might expect. Here is what is worth buying and what you can safely skip.
Do you need a mouthguard for no-gi grappling?
Yes — a mouthguard is the one piece of protective gear genuinely worth buying before your first class. Grappling involves a lot of accidental head, knee, and elbow contact in scrambles, and a cheap boil-and-bite mouthguard protects your teeth from the rare but expensive knock. It is the only protective item most beginners actually need on day one. Everything else on the what to wear list is just clean, close-fitting clothing.
Should I wear ear guards to prevent cauliflower ear?
It is optional, and most beginners skip it at first. Cauliflower ear comes from repeated friction and impact to the ears, which builds up over months and years of training, not in your first weeks. Ear guards (headgear) prevent it, but they are bulky and not essential early on — you can add them later if your ears start to get irritated. It is a personal call, not a safety requirement.
What other protective gear do beginners need?
Very little. Knee pads can help if you have sensitive knees on the takedown game, but they are not required. You do not need a cup — most schools discourage hard cups because they can injure training partners and get in the way of the ground game. Beyond a mouthguard, the priority is clean, close-fitting clothing rather than armour, which is part of why no-gi is cheap to start.
What should I avoid wearing to train no-gi?
Avoid anything with pockets, zippers, or buttons (they catch fingers and toes), loose or baggy clothing (it tangles and offers nothing to train in), and jewellery of any kind. Trim your finger and toe nails before every session — long nails are the most common cause of scratches and a basic hygiene courtesy. The full picture of what a first session looks like is on your first class.
The short version: buy a mouthguard, wear clean and snug clothing, leave the jewellery at home, and add anything else only if you find you want it. None of it should stop you starting — and a good school will tell you exactly what they expect. More on staying safe and healthy: is no-gi safe? Or head back to the start hub.