As a developer I vastly prefer no-gi because gi grips totally wreck the fingers.
As a developer I vastly prefer no-gi because gi grips totally wreck the fingers.
I am primarily a gi player but no-gi is much, much easier on every part of your body.
When you have the gi it can be used as a handle, or a lever, and there can be very little slip ... but skin on skin slips and gives a lot and is much more forgiving.
Note: I train gi and no gi and have been for almost 10 years. My biggest injury happened in the gi (broken hand), but I've had significantly more ankle and knee sprains and shoulder dislocations in no gi. Also, the morning after no gi feels like I got hit by a truck compared to the morning after gi.
Once I know the other person is good at the gripfight in a certain position, I immediately let go and try to counterattack from another angle.
It's the only reliable way I've found to save my fingers lol