Judo vs BJJ: Which grappling sport is right for you?
If you’ve spent five minutes looking into martial arts, you’ve probably seen the debate: Judo or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). To the untrained eye, they look remarkably similar. Both involve wearing a gi (the uniform), and both are grappling based so there’s no danger of being punched or kicked. Both originate from the same Japanese roots; you could call them first-cousins.
However, once you step onto the mat, the experience is vastly different. Here is a breakdown of the two most popular grappling arts on the planet to help you decide which you want to try.
The art of the throw: what is Judo?
Judo translates as “The Gentle Way”, it’s an olympic sport and primarily focuses on Tachi-waza (standing techniques). In a Judo class you are the master of gravity and utilising your opponents movement and strength against themselves. It can be explosive, dynamic, and incredibly satisfying when you land a perfect throw.
It’s a high-energy, athletic, and disciplined sport which requires your focus, balance and timing to achieve the greatest results. People who want to develop incredible stand up stability, explosive power, and a direct path to the olympic games – Judo could be your next sport.
The Human Chess: What is BJJ?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the evolution of Judo’s ground-fighting component called Ne-waza. While BJJ starts standing, about 90% of the training happens on the floor. The goal here is to use leverage and technique to navigate through an opponent’s “guard” and eventually secure a submission such as a joint lock, or a choke. It’s often called the Human Chess because of the endless layers of strategy involved in the ground game.
It’s methodical, relaxed compared to Judo and highly technical – requiring your transitional skills, control, and ground efficiency. It can be best for individuals looking for a technical puzzle and want lower-impact (initially) entry to grappling arts.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Judo if…
You want to feel powerful. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of nailing the cleanest throw and watching your opponent fly through the air as the audience gasps. If you want to accomplish world-class balance and the ability to stay on your feet no matter what, Judo is your path.
Choose BJJ if…
You love the grind of fighting, want to learn 1,000 different ways to escape a headlock or sweep someone off of you from the ground. It can be slower paced than Judo and will test your patience and mental focus.
The beautiful mixture
It’s not abnormal for Judokas and Jiu-Jitsu fighters to try or dabble in a bit of both sports, as more often than not their Judo will increase their BJJ skill and vice versa. Just make sure you know which rule set you’re currently using, whether that’s BJJ or traditional Judo rules.
Try Judo free today!
We’ve welcomed hundreds of BJJ fighters onto our mat, it’s good etiquette to let us know before you get on the mat though as our qualified coaches can guide you in the right pathway to Judo success.
