Picking the right BJJ gi size should be simple. It never quite is. You find a brand you like, pull up their size chart, and suddenly you are staring at a table full of A1L, A2H, and F3 labels wondering what any of it actually means for your body. Then you order what looks right, the gi arrives, and it either fits like a sleeping bag or turns your arms into sausages.
This guide is here to fix that. Below you will find a complete BJJ gi size chart for adults, women, and kids — along with the body measurements you actually need, how different brands compare, and exactly how to account for shrinkage before you wash anything. By the end, you will know your size, understand why it differs between brands, and be able to buy with confidence.
The BJJ Gi Sizing System Explained
Before jumping into numbers, it helps to understand how BJJ gi sizing actually works — because it is nothing like regular clothing sizing.
Most BJJ gis use a letter-number system where the letter indicates the size category and the number indicates where you fall within it. The most common letter is “A” which stands for Adult. After the number, you may see a second letter — L for long, H for heavy or husky, S for short. These variants exist because two people can weigh exactly the same and have completely different body proportions.
Table of Contents
Here is what each letter variant means in practice:
- A (standard) — average height and average build for that weight range
- L (long) — taller than average for the weight, with longer arms and legs
- H (heavy/husky) — wider build than average, more room in the chest and thighs
- S (short) — shorter torso and arms relative to the weight range
- F (female) — specifically cut for women’s body proportions
Children’s gis use an M-series or C-series depending on the brand, based on the child’s height in centimeters rather than weight.
Adult BJJ Gi Size Chart (A-Series)
The table below gives the standard measurement ranges for each adult gi size. Use your height and weight together — if your measurements fall at the edge between two sizes, see the tiebreaker tips at the end of this section.
| Size | Weight Range | Height Range | Chest (inches) | Sleeve (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A0 | 100–130 lbs | 5’0″–5’4″ | 34–37″ | 22–23″ |
| A1 | 130–160 lbs | 5’4″–5’8″ | 37–40″ | 23–24″ |
| A1L | 130–160 lbs | 5’8″–5’11” | 37–40″ | 24–25″ |
| A2 | 160–185 lbs | 5’7″–5’11” | 40–44″ | 24–25″ |
| A2L | 160–185 lbs | 5’11″–6’2″ | 40–44″ | 25–26″ |
| A2H | 175–200 lbs | 5’7″–5’10” | 44–47″ | 24–25″ |
| A3 | 185–215 lbs | 5’10″–6’2″ | 44–48″ | 25–26″ |
| A3L | 185–215 lbs | 6’2″–6’5″ | 44–48″ | 26–27″ |
| A4 | 215–245 lbs | 6’0″–6’4″ | 48–52″ | 26–27″ |
| A5 | 245–280 lbs | 6’2″–6’5″+ | 52–56″ | 27–28″ |
Important: These are general industry averages. Individual brands deviate from these ranges — sometimes significantly. Always cross-reference with the specific brand’s own size chart before purchasing.
Tiebreaker: What to Do When You Are Between Sizes
This happens constantly, especially for people with broader shoulders and narrower hips (or the reverse). Here is a simple rule: prioritize the jacket fit over the pants. The pants have a drawstring waist that can be adjusted several inches. The jacket has no such flexibility. If you are between an A2 and A3, choose based on your chest and shoulder measurements rather than your weight.
If your arms are unusually long for your weight, go with the L variant of your standard size. If your legs are long but your torso is average, you may need to size down in the jacket and size up in the pants separately — some brands sell tops and bottoms individually, which is worth knowing.
Women’s BJJ Gi Size Chart (F-Series)
Standard A-series gis are cut for male proportions. Women who train in them often find the shoulders too wide, the hips too narrow, and the torso too long. Female-specific gis (F-series) address all of these issues with a completely different pattern.
| Size | Weight Range | Height Range | Chest (inches) | Hip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 100–125 lbs | 5’0″–5’4″ | 32–35″ | 34–37″ |
| F2 | 125–150 lbs | 5’3″–5’7″ | 35–38″ | 37–40″ |
| F3 | 150–175 lbs | 5’5″–5’9″ | 38–42″ | 40–44″ |
| F4 | 175–200 lbs | 5’7″–5’11” | 42–46″ | 44–48″ |
Female gis feature a nipped-in waist, wider hip allowance, and shorter jacket hem proportional to a woman’s torso length. The sleeves and pant legs are also scaled to female arm and leg lengths rather than simply shrinking down an A-series pattern.
If you are a woman who prefers training in a standard cut gi — some do, especially those competing in open divisions where grip dynamics differ — size down one full size from your A-series weight range and use the drawstring to manage the waist.
For a deeper look at women’s fit considerations, our guide on How Should a BJJ Gi Fit covers the full jacket, sleeve, and pants fit criteria in detail.
Kids BJJ Gi Size Chart (M-Series)
Children’s gis are sized by height in centimeters, which is more reliable than weight for fast-growing kids. The M-series is the most widely used system, though some brands use a C-series with the same logic.
| Size | Height Range | Approx. Age | Weight Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| M0 | 90–100 cm | 3–4 years | 30–40 lbs |
| M1 | 100–110 cm | 4–6 years | 40–55 lbs |
| M2 | 110–120 cm | 6–8 years | 55–70 lbs |
| M3 | 120–130 cm | 8–10 years | 65–85 lbs |
| M4 | 130–140 cm | 10–12 years | 80–100 lbs |
| M5 | 140–150 cm | 12–14 years | 95–115 lbs |
| M6 | 150–160 cm | 13–15 years | 110–130 lbs |
For kids, always size by height, not age. Children grow at very different rates, and age is a poor predictor of fit. A tall 9-year-old may need an M4 while a shorter 11-year-old might still fit an M3 comfortably.
A practical tip: if your child is right at the top of a size range, buy the next size up. A slightly large gi on a growing kid is manageable with a drawstring and a pre-shrink wash. A too-small gi after a growth spurt is just expensive.
How BJJ Gi Sizing Compares Between Brands
This is where most people run into trouble. The A-series system is industry-wide, but there is no governing body that standardizes actual measurements between manufacturers. Two brands can both make an A2 gi, and you can fit comfortably in one while barely getting the jacket over your shoulders in the other.
Here is a general tendency across popular brands, based on consistent community feedback:
Runs slim / true to size: Tatami Fightwear, Scramble, and Hyperfly tend to cut their gis slimmer and longer. If you have a lean, athletic build, these brands often fit well right out of the bag.
Runs generous / wide cut: Fuji Sports gis are consistently noted for having more room in the chest and thighs. People with stockier or more muscular builds find Fuji sizing accommodating.
Runs short: Some imported gis — particularly budget options — run short in the sleeves even at their labeled sizes. Always check customer reviews specifically for sleeve and jacket length comments before ordering.
Pre-shrunk options: Brands like Scramble and some Tatami lines offer pre-shrunk gis that have already been through the washing process during manufacturing. With these, the size chart reflects the final, post-wash dimensions — which removes the biggest variable in the sizing process.
If you are buying your first gi and unsure which brand to start with, the BJJ Guides section on our site covers beginner gear recommendations in more detail.
How to Take Your Measurements for a BJJ Gi
Size charts are only as useful as the measurements you put into them. Here is how to measure yourself correctly for a gi.
Chest: Wrap a tape measure around the widest part of your chest, just under your armpits. Keep the tape horizontal and snug but not tight. This is your chest circumference.
Height: Stand barefoot against a wall with your heels, back, and head touching the wall. Have someone mark the top of your head and measure from the floor to that mark. Self-measuring with a tape held overhead introduces error.
Sleeve length: Extend your arm straight out to the side at shoulder height. Measure from the centre of the back of your neck, across your shoulder, to your wrist bone. This gives you your cross-back sleeve length — the measurement most relevant to gi sleeve fit.
Inseam: Stand upright and measure from your crotch to your ankle bone. This determines whether standard or long-leg pants will fit correctly.
Write all four measurements down before consulting any size chart. Weight alone is not enough — two people at 175 lbs with different heights and builds can easily wear different gi sizes.
The Shrinkage Factor: Buy Your Size or Size Up?
This question comes up in every beginner forum and it is worth answering clearly: it depends on the gi fabric and how you plan to wash it.
100% cotton gis will shrink — sometimes significantly. If you plan to wash in warm or hot water and machine dry, expect up to one full size of shrinkage. For these gis, buying one size up and shrinking to your target size is a common and legitimate strategy.
Pearl weave and ripstop blend gis shrink less. Most modern competition gis use these materials and are more dimensionally stable. Some are marketed as pre-shrunk, meaning the manufacturer has already run them through the shrink process. For these, buy true to size.
The safest approach for any gi: wash once in cold water and hang to air dry after your first wear. This removes initial production sizing without triggering major shrinkage. Then assess the fit. If it needs to come in slightly, a single warm wash will bring it down a touch. This gives you much more control than throwing a new gi straight into a hot dryer.
For a complete guide on washing methods, drying techniques, and long-term gi care, read our article on How to Wash a BJJ Gi Without Shrinking It.
IBJJF Gi Size Compliance
If you plan to compete, your gi must meet IBJJF fit standards regardless of what size it is labeled. The rules that matter most from a sizing perspective are:
- The jacket hem must reach the top of the thigh
- Sleeve cuffs must fall within 2 cm of the wrist when the arm is extended
- Pants legs must be within 5 cm of the ankle bone
These requirements mean that even a correctly sized gi can fail inspection if it has shrunk too aggressively or was poorly sized to begin with. Always try your competition gi on and run the movement checks — raise your arms overhead, extend them forward, perform a squat — before the day of an event.
The official specifications are published on the IBJJF website and updated periodically. Checking the current rulebook before a tournament is always your responsibility as a competitor.
Gi Sizing for Custom and Academy Orders
If you are ordering gis in bulk for an academy, competition team, or private label, sizing across a group adds another layer of complexity. You will need measurements from every person in the order, and you should plan for a natural spread — most adult groups will cluster around A2 and A3, with a few outliers at each end.
For custom gis, the manufacturing process often allows for slight adjustments to standard sizing patterns. Pakistan-based manufacturers like FitManPro — BJJ Sportswear’s manufacturing partner — produce IBJJF-legal custom gis with adjustable sizing specifications for academy bulk orders. You can explore custom options at FitManPro.com or read more about the manufacturing process in our Custom BJJ Gi Manufacturing Guide.
Quick-Reference: Finding Your Size in 3 Steps
If you do not want to read the full guide and just need a fast answer, here is the three-step process:
Step 1: Take your height, weight, chest circumference, and sleeve length measurements as described above.
Step 2: Match your measurements to the A-series (or F-series for women, M-series for kids) chart in this article. If you land between two sizes, pick based on your chest and shoulder measurements — the jacket fit takes priority.
Step 3: Check the specific brand’s size chart for the gi you plan to buy. Note whether the gi is pre-shrunk or raw cotton, and adjust one size up if you intend to machine wash and tumble dry.
That is it. Three steps, one correct size, no guessing.
Final Thoughts
BJJ gi sizing is one of those things that seems like it should be simple — and gets complicated because there is no universal standard. But once you understand the system, take the right measurements, and know how your chosen brand tends to fit, you are rarely more than one size off. And even then, the shrinkage variable is something you can control once you know about it.
The time spent getting this right upfront pays back in every session. A gi that fits well disappears when you train — you stop thinking about it entirely, which is exactly where your attention should be.
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