What to Wear to Your First BJJ Class
The shortest gear list in sports: comfortable athletic clothes with no pockets or zippers, and a water bottle. Here's why — and what happens about the uniform later.
Of every question new students ask before their first class, this is the most common — and it has the shortest answer in all of sports. You do not need a uniform, special shoes, or any equipment to try Brazilian jiu-jitsu at WDC BJJ. Here is the complete list.
Wear: athletic clothes, no pockets or zippers
Wear comfortable athletic clothes you can move and roll in — the kind you'd wear to a workout or a run. Two details matter: no pockets and no zippers. Fingers and toes get caught in open pockets during grappling, and zippers scratch partners and tear mats. A plain t-shirt or athletic top and shorts or leggings without pockets is the whole outfit, for adults and kids alike.
Bring: a water bottle
That's the second and final item. You'll work harder than you expect in your first class — moving on the ground uses muscles that gym workouts don't reach — and you'll want water at every break. Arrive about 15 minutes early, check in at the door, and you're ready.
What about the gi?
The white uniform — the gi — is what enrolled students train in, and here's the part people don't expect: enrollment includes a free uniform, for kids, youth, and adults. So there's nothing to buy to get started, and nothing to guess about sizing before you've trained a single class. Your trial class happens in your athletic clothes, alongside the group, exactly like every member's first class did.
One related worry worth retiring: nobody will throw you into anything. A first class at WDC BJJ is a real group class, but beginners are introduced step by step, everything is demonstrated before you're asked to try it, and the tapping rule — when anyone taps, everything stops, instantly — is taught on day one. Our First-Class Guide walks through the whole visit, and parents can read what actually happens in a child's first class.
The 15-minute version
Athletic clothes, no pockets, no zippers. Water bottle. Arrive 15 minutes early at 720 Erie Ave, Takoma Park. That's the entire preparation for your first class — the rest is our job. If you're planning beyond day one, the next questions are how often to train and gi or no-gi first — both answered on the blog, both easier to decide after you've felt one class.
Your first class is free. Book it, wear what you already own, and come see what the mats feel like.
Your first class is free.
A real group class with your own group. No experience needed, no payment, no contract for a trial — and enrollment includes a free uniform.
1. Send the free-trial request or call (202) 636-3453.
2. We confirm the right class for your age and schedule.
3. Arrive 15 minutes early in athletic clothes with water.
4. Train a real class — then decide with zero pressure.