13 Best Gifts for Someone Starting Jiu Jitsu (What They Actually Need)
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They Just Started BJJ. Here's What They Actually Need.
Someone in your life just started Brazilian jiu jitsu. Maybe they've been to three classes and won't stop talking about it. Maybe they signed up last week and haven't gone yet. Maybe they've been talking about trying it for a year and you want to give them a push. If you're wondering what BJJ even is, our intro to Brazilian jiu jitsu covers the basics.
Either way, they're at the beginning, the phase where everything is confusing, everything hurts, and they don't yet own any of the gear they'll eventually accumulate over years of training. That makes this the easiest time to buy them a gift. They need everything and they own nothing.
Here's what to get someone who's starting jiu jitsu, prioritized by what they'll actually use first.
The Essentials: What Every New BJJ Practitioner Needs
1. A Beginner Gi
If they're training gi jiu jitsu, they need a gi. Most new students borrow one from the gym or wear borrowed loaner gear for their first few classes, and it's usually the wrong size, the wrong weight, and smells like three other people have been in it. Which they have.
A quality beginner gi doesn't need to be expensive. Sanabul Essentials and Elite Sports both make gis in the $40-60 range that are durable, comfortable, and designed for new practitioners. Fuji makes a slightly more premium option in the $80-100 range that will last longer and feel better.
The key consideration is sizing. Gi sizes (A0, A1, A2, A3, etc.) don't correspond to standard clothing sizes, and they vary by brand. Check the manufacturer's size chart and err on the slightly larger side, gis shrink after the first few washes.
2. Mouth Guard
A surprising number of new practitioners don't buy a mouth guard until after they get hit in the mouth. Don't let them be that person. A quality moldable mouth guard from SISU or Venum is slim, breathable, and specifically designed for combat sports.
At $20-35, it's one of the cheapest and most practical gifts you can give a new grappler. They'll need it from day one.
3. Rash Guard
Whether they're training gi or no-gi, a rash guard is essential. Under a gi, it prevents chest hair incidents and reduces the gross factor of skin-on-skin contact with strangers. In no-gi class, it's the primary top layer.
Holiday BJJ rash guards come in seasonal designs for men, women, and kids. At $69.99 (men's/women's) or $54.99 (kids'), they're a step up from a generic athletic compression top and give the new practitioner something with personality from the start. For a more budget-friendly entry point, brands like Sanabul make solid plain rash guards in the $20-30 range.
4. Athletic Tape
New grapplers destroy their fingers faster than experienced ones because they grip too hard and don't know when to let go yet. A multipack of quality finger tape from Hampton Adams or Monkey Tape is a gift they'll start using within the first month of training.
It's a small gift that shows you understand what they're getting into. For more affordable add-on ideas, check out our best BJJ gifts under $25 guide.
5. Gym Bag
A dedicated bag for their BJJ gear keeps the gi smell contained and the gear organized. They don't need a fancy martial arts-specific bag right away, even a basic duffel with a separate wet compartment works. But if you want to go quality, Datsusara and Tatami make bags designed specifically for grapplers.
Nice-to-Have Gifts for New BJJ Practitioners
6. Holiday BJJ T-Shirt
A Holiday BJJ tee at $34.95 is a fun gift for someone who's just entered the BJJ world. The designs are insider references that they'll start understanding more deeply as they train, which means the shirt actually gets funnier over time. It's a welcome-to-the-culture gift.
Good starter picks: Tap or Snap (universal), Santa Rear Naked Choke (fundamental), or whatever seasonal design matches when they started training.
7. Jiu-Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro
This is the most referenced technique book in BJJ, and it's particularly valuable for beginners because it's organized by belt level. The white belt section covers the fundamental concepts and positions that every new practitioner needs to understand, and the book grows with them as they progress.
At $30-40, it's a gift that stays useful for years.
8. Nail Clippers
This sounds like a joke. It's not. Long fingernails and toenails are a genuine safety hazard in BJJ, they scratch training partners and can cause infections. New students often don't realize how seriously the gym takes nail hygiene until someone tells them.
A quality pair of clippers for their gym bag is a $5-10 gift that prevents an awkward conversation and shows them you care about their integration into the gym community.
9. Foam Roller or Lacrosse Ball
New practitioners are going to be sore. Muscles they didn't know existed will announce themselves after the first week. A foam roller for general muscle recovery and a lacrosse ball for targeted trigger point work are affordable recovery tools that make the early training period significantly more bearable.
Together, they cost under $30 and will get used constantly.
10. Resistance Bands
Shoulder and hip mobility matter in BJJ from day one, and resistance bands are the simplest way to build and maintain both. A set with multiple resistance levels gives a new practitioner tools for warm-ups, cool-downs, and general conditioning. Under $30 for a full set.
11. Ear Guards
Cauliflower ear is real, and it can start developing surprisingly early. For new practitioners who want to protect their ears from the start, quality ear guards from Cliff Keen or Matman are a practical gift that prevents a permanent reminder of their early training days.
Not everyone wears ear guards, and some practitioners consider cauliflower ear a badge of honor. Know your audience before buying.
12. Introductory Private Lesson
A single private lesson with a coach can accelerate a new student's understanding faster than a month of group classes. It's one-on-one attention focused entirely on their questions, their struggles, and their specific body mechanics. Check with their gym about private lesson rates, most offer them in the $50-100 range.
13. Holiday BJJ Gift Card
If you're not sure what they need or where they are in their gear accumulation, a Holiday BJJ gift card lets them explore the seasonal collections and pick what resonates. New practitioners are still figuring out their identity in the sport, and giving them the freedom to choose their own BJJ apparel is a respectful way to welcome them in.
What NOT to Get Someone Starting BJJ
Don't Buy a Belt
Belts are given by coaches, not purchased. A white belt usually comes with the gym membership or the first gi. Never buy a belt as a gift for a new practitioner, it carries meaning in the sport that shouldn't be given casually. Our BJJ belt system guide explains the significance of each rank.
Don't Go Premium Too Early
A $200 gi or a $150 pair of competition spats is overkill for someone who's been training for two weeks. Start with mid-range, functional gear. They'll develop preferences over time and upgrade on their own when they know what they want.
Don't Assume Their Training Style
New practitioners haven't figured out whether they prefer gi or no-gi yet. If you're not sure, lean toward gifts that work for both, rash guards, recovery tools, tape, and mouth guards are universally useful regardless of training format.
Final Thoughts
Starting BJJ is one of the most disorienting and exciting experiences in someone's fitness life. A gift that eases that transition, whether it's practical gear they need for class, a recovery tool that helps them survive the first month, or a Holiday BJJ tee that welcomes them into the culture, shows that you support what they're doing.
The best gift for a new grappler is one that says: "I see you doing this thing. I think it's great. Here's something to help." For tips on what to expect in the early days, our beginner's guide to BJJ training covers everything they'll want to know. And for more gift ideas across every experience level and budget, browse our complete jiu jitsu gift guide.