Gift giving season is right around the corner and it is about that time to start thinking about jiu jitsu gifts for that special person in your life, your family, or your friends.
Giving gifts is always a tedious task and you must walk a fine line between getting a person something they not only will enjoy but will actually use at some point. Too often people give mundane gifts to others without putting any thought into the personality or hobbies the gift receiver may have.
If that special someone in your life is an avid Jiu Jitsu athlete, the odds are that person spends a large part of their time and energy either training Jiu Jitsu or thinking about it. For this reason, it only makes sense to dive into the world of Jiu Jitsu accessories to find a gift that person will appreciate.
This article will include a list of the top 10 Ju jitsu gift ideas for the athlete in your life, in no particular order. Your budget for the gift may differ from others so the list will include items for under $50 as well as more expensive items if you really want to give that person a gift they won’t forget.
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A New Gi
This is the obvious first thought when brainstorming a BJJ gift for someone. Not only is the Gi an integral part of the sport of Jiu Jitsu, but it is something that Jiu Jitsu athletes wear often, sometimes even every day.
Whether you are gifting for a ten-year Jiu Jitsu veteran or someone that is just starting out, a Gi is always a safe bet to give. Overtime Gi’s can become dirty or torn and part of the mental aspect of jiu jitsu is presenting yourself on the mats in the right manner.
For many of the gift ideas in this article, the old saying “feel good, perform good” holds some merit. A Jiu Jitsu athlete with old accessories and uniforms will likely not perform with the same confidence that they would if they had some new threads to rock on the mats.
The price range of a Gi can vary based on the quality and design of it. A simple Gi without exceptional quality can range anywhere from $70 to $90. A higher quality Gi with a more complex design and style can range anywhere from $160 to $250.
The Gi above is the Flowhold Life/Death Gi which will cost you $179.95 on the Flowhold website. This Gi is much higher quality and also has both interior and exterior designs that are sure to be the talk of the gym.
- Jiu Jitsu Camp/Lessons
An interesting aspect of Jiu Jitsu is the wide range of teaching methods and philosophies employed by the countless different BJJ gyms throughout the world. For this reason, training in a new gym or attending a BJJ camp with new-to-you instructors can have wide ranging effects on your abilities.
The benefits of a BJJ camp or lesson from a new instructor is wide ranging and varies based on the individual's experience and skill level.
For example, a Jiu Jitsu athlete that has been participating in the sport for years may not go to a camp to learn the basic fundamentals but would still attend the camp to learn a nuance or aspect of their game they had not recognized or trained.
Jiu Jitsu, and martial arts as a whole, is all about continuously improving every time you train. For an experienced Jiu Jitsu athlete that feels they have hit a ceiling at their current gym, a BJJ camp or lessons can be the perfect way to kickstart a new era of progress in that athlete's career.
For a Jiu Jitsu athlete that is just starting out, a BJJ camp or lessons can be useful in the athlete’s ability to determine how they would like to approach and train BJJ. A novice Jiu Jitsu athlete could also utilize camps and lessons to train and perfect the basics of the sport.
The price of a BJJ camp or lesson varies greatly depending on the prestige of the camp and the location. Some camps can be thousands of dollars for a few days of training, while others, typically for beginners or kids, can be a few hundred dollars.
- A Gym Bag
You are probably starting to realize that although Jiu Jitsu is a sport focused on controlling the mind and body of oneself, training in Jiu Jitsu involves a plethora of different gear and accessories. One of the best gifts you can give to the Jiu Jitsu athlete in your life is a gym bag.
If you are looking for a gift with a tight budget, then your mind probably went right to buying just a regular backpack or duffle bag and gifting it as a gym bag. Although any bag will obviously do the trick, it is likely that the person you are giving a gift already has a backpack for their gear.
Instead, you should think a little harder and dive a little deeper to get a gift that will surely leave them filled with appreciation and gratitude. A gym bag for a Jiu Jitsu athlete not only carries their equipment but can show the personality or gym affiliation of that athlete.
The price of a gym bag can vary greatly and typically depends on the size and quality of the bag. The quality of backpacks and duffle bags can vary and has a large impact on the life span and utility of the bag.
The first bag option you could buy is produced by Gold BJJ and is available on Amazon for $69.95. This bag not only can hold a large number of items but is made of high-quality materials. Another option is the bag made by Acosat and is available on Amazon for $19.99.
- Jiu Jitsu Apparel
NFL fans like wearing NFL apparel. NBA fans like wearing NBA apparel. It should come to no surprise to you that BJJ athletes and fans love wearing Jiu Jitsu Apparel.
There are countless BJJ clothing brands and online stores so it can be tricky finding a brand and design that someone will not only enjoy but actually wear!
One of the hottest Jiu Jitsu apparel brands right now is Flowhold’s clothing collection. They have anything from flat brim hats to BJJ shorts and even a bumper sticker that says, “I voted for Helio'' which pays homage to the great Helio Gracie.
Check out Flowhold’s inventory and you are sure to find something that the Jiu Jitsu athlete will never want to take off.
- Foam Roller/Massage Gun
One staple of a Jiu Jitsu athlete is they are usually always sore. Jiu Jitsu puts strain on almost every muscle of your body and rolling around a mat will give you a few bumps and bruises.
Instead of buying a gift aimed at improving their style you can gift a massage gun or foam roller to help improve their recovery and training. Depending on your budget there are a few routes to go down for this gift.
If money is tight, the foam roller can be a great gift for a BJJ athlete. Not only will this help the athlete roll out some of those knots in their legs or backs, but it will promote consistent recovery for the athlete. Foam rollers like the one here can be as inexpensive as $10.
If you have a larger budget to spend on the BJJ athlete in your life, a massage gun can greatly enhance the recovery of an athlete. Massage guns assist athletes in massaging various muscle groups to relieve soreness.
Although massage guns can get quite pricey for the top quality, they can go for as low as $35. The massage gun here sells for $36.75 on Amazon.
- Gift Cards for Travel
A great gift will either enhance the life experience of a person or lower the total costs that person will incur when doing something they enjoy. A little-known fact about BJJ is the hidden costs involved in competing, at any level.
Traveling is one of the largest expenses an avid Jiu Jitsu athlete will incur if they actively participate in tournaments. For this reason, gift cards can be a great gift to Jiu Jitsu athletes.
The gift card can accomplish a variety of goals including providing support for fuel costs, gift cards for various chain restaurants that are common in most places, or gift cards to entertainment or nightlife in the region the tournament is taking place.
Not only will a gift card provide financial support to the Jiu Jitsu athlete in your life, but it will show that you took the time to think about what can be useful to them and support their passion.
- Home Mats
Some Jiu Jitsu participants will spend as much time in the gym as they can, and they still feel like it is not enough. Adversely, some Jiu Jitsu athletes wish they could be training more but are constrained by time, money, or other obligations.
A quick and easy solution to both these problems is giving the gift of a home mat. Jiu Jitsu is a sport where one individual competes against another individual and all you really need is a mat. By gifting a mat to a Jiu Jitsu athlete, you are allowing them the chance to train any time they want.
Home mats can vary greatly in price based on the size, quality, and goal of the mat. A very expensive home mat can include an entire renovation of a room and include mats on the bottom half of the walls. A more practical and financially responsible gift could simply be a single, portable mat.
Jiu Jitsu mats must be sturdy but provide some cushion for the falls and blows athletes take during competition. For this reason, the quality of material must stay fairly consistent across the different brands of mats.
At home mats that can be rolled up and stored start at about $150 and can go as high as over $1,000. Here is a mat listed on Amazon that sells for $149.99.
- Tournament Fees
As we have previously discussed in the article, tournament fees and hidden costs of participating in Jiu Jitsu competitions can quickly add up. If you want to show the BJJ athlete in your life that you support their passion to the fullest you can pay for the fees to enter a tournament.
Even in high level professional BJJ competitions where athletes get paid to win, they must provide the fees to enter the tournament. Tournament fees will obviously vary based on skill level, venue, crowd size, or prize money.
For the typical BJJ athlete a tournament will cost about $100 to $150.
- BJJ Instructional Videos/DVDs
Much like private lessons, instructional DVDs or videos can be a gift that will provide continuous benefits. The one thing about instructional videos that makes them an excellent gift is that they can be instructed by someone that athletes may never have a chance to meet or train with.
In many cases, the best of the best has the knowledge and support to make an instructional video or DVD allowing the BJJ athlete in your life a chance to take tips and tricks from the greats.
Gordon Ryan is widely considered one of, if not the, greatest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete ever. He has created multiple videos to teach technique for new or experienced BJJ athletes. Some training DVDs can go for over $100 but can be worth it if it is taught by a master of the sport.
Rashguards are spandex shirts that BJJ athletes wear when training or competing to mitigate the skin to skin and skin to mat contact the athlete has. This not only aids in reducing the risk of infection such as ringworm, but also allows them a chance to show their style in the gym.
Rashguards are found nearly everywhere and can vary in price based on their brand, quality of materials, or even where the item is being shipped from. Because there are so many options when it comes to gifting Rashguards, you should look for a brand or design that fits the athlete.
Rashguards can come in both long sleeve and short sleeve, so it is wise to learn what your BJJ athlete prefers. Flowhold is a Jiu Jitsu accessory and apparel brand that is turning eyes in the gym for their quality materials and awesome designs.
Below are some of the Rashguards offered on Flowhold’s website.
About the Author
This article was written by Noah Oliver, Founder of Flow Hold.
You can learn more about him here.