Not all shorts belong on the mat — and the wrong pair isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s a safety and a legality problem. After years coaching at our Melbourne gym, here’s the honest breakdown of what to train and compete in, and why the details matter more than you’d think.
Why your normal shorts don’t belong on the mat
Two features that are fine at the gym become genuine hazards in grappling — and this is the part most shoppers never get told:
• Zips. A metal zip scratches and damages the mats, and it’s a cut and snag risk against your training partners. There’s a reason you’ll never see them on proper grappling shorts.
• Pockets. Open pockets catch fingers and toes mid-scramble — a fast way to a jammed or broken digit. A real injury risk, not a technicality.
So board shorts off the rack at a surf shop, gym shorts with phone pockets, or anything with buttons and zips: leave them for the beach. Grappling shorts are purpose-built to remove exactly these hazards.
BJJ shorts vs MMA shorts vs board shorts
Board shorts are built for the surf — stiffer fabric, often with pockets and zips, and not made to stretch into a deep guard. MMA shorts are closer, and plenty of grapplers wear them, but they’re often shorter and built for striking range. Purpose-made BJJ / grappling shorts are the sweet spot: cut for the positions you actually live in, with the fabric and closures grappling demands and nothing that’ll snag, scratch or catch.
The fabric that actually matters
Here’s the standard we build to and the one you should shop for: a light, 4-way slightly-stretch material that gives you a little play through your thighs and hips — so you can pass, shoot and play guard without the shorts fighting you — without compromising on hardiness. Too stiff and they restrict you; too flimsy and they tear in a month. The goal is give and durability at once, plus a secure, non-slip waistband (drawstring, no zip) that stays put through scrambles.
The IBJJF rules (if you’re competing)
This is where the safety logic above becomes an actual ruleset. For IBJJF no-gi, your shorts must:
• Have no pockets (or pockets stitched completely shut), and no buttons, exposed drawstrings, zips, or any plastic or metal that could present a risk to your opponent — exactly the hazards above.
• Be coloured black or white, (or your rank colour). A black or white short with logos is acceptable under the ruleset.
• Sit at the right length — long enough to cover at least halfway down the thigh, and no longer than the knee.
One nuance worth knowing: just like rash guards, if you wear rank-coloured shorts the IBJJF specifies exact Pantone shades for each belt colour — so a plain black or white short is the simplest way to stay safe at uniform check. Rules do get updated, so it’s always worth checking the official IBJJF uniform page before a competition.
Quick buying checklist
• No zips, no buttons, no exposed metal or plastic.
• No open pockets (stitched-shut is fine).
• Light, 4-way slightly-stretch fabric — give without sacrificing durability.
• Secure, non-slip drawstring waistband.
• Black or white (logos are fine) to stay competition-legal; mid-thigh to knee length.
The bottom line
Train in shorts built for grappling, not borrowed from another sport. No zips, no pockets, the right stretch-to-toughness balance, and a colour that keeps you legal if you compete. Our grappling shorts are designed in Melbourne and built to exactly this standard, tested on our own mats. (Sorting your top half too? See our rash guard guide.) Browse the range and train in the right kit.
