Judo Vs BJJ what's better? - Pankration Grappling School

Now those who know me are probably expecting an absolute bias to Judo. Although I think this 90% of the time, when I’m being rational, both have perks and minuses, and neither is better than the other like all things, just different. In this, I will try to explain what I think the main differences are from a coach, player and parent. Hopefully, this will give you an idea of which one suits your needs more or if you could balance both!

So yes it’s another iT dEpEND

s blog but but but I will try to solve it for you.

What’s the difference?

Judo

Primary Stand up – Secondary Ground Work

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Primary Ground Work – Secondary Stand-up

Quite simply, the above is the case due to the rule sets they provide. In Judo, you can still win with 0 understanding of groundwork. Likewise, in BJJ, you can win with an absolute 0 understanding of stand-up.

But they still have elements of both. I would say however Judo (IM NOT BEING BIASED LEAVE ME ALONE) does require a slightly better understanding of groundwork compared to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s understanding of stand-up.

You can often see two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts go at it and it looks like two wet noodles trying to nail a hammer. Not sure why the Judo people are laughing, I’ve seen black belts turtle up waiting for the ref to get them back up (relatable).

Player

So which one should you pick? There are many factors to consider when trying to decide which one is best for you. But quite simply, which one do you want to do? If you’re still unsure, hopefully, the below will help you make a more informed decision.

Demands

Judo by nature is just a little harder on the body, due to the focus being on stand up it adds an element of extra physical qualities required, so it is slightly more drawn to a younger crowd (not to say you can’t start late just how you teach will be very different compared to kids).

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s ground-based nature removes some of those requirements. However, this does not make it an easier sport; you can just get away with being less physical and still coming out on top.

Injury rates in Judo are considerably higher than in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competition; stats don’t lie. This is something to consider primarily if you’re a coach and how we can keep this figure to a minimum.

Learning

I find Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tends to favour technical coaching. It is a step-by-step procedure and moves you have to follow. There is a counter to your counter and there tends to be a correct answer for each scenario. Judo is a little bit more chaotic.

So imagine you are in a room, and there’s an apple in the middle of the room. You’re blindfolded and you have someone shouting instructions at you to get to the apple.

“Take 4 steps forward” till you eventually get the apple, that is BJJ. Now imagine the same scenario but this time the apple is flying around the room connected to a ceiling fan with rope, confetti cannons, lots of confetti cans, and you’re trying to catch the apple in your mouth. That is Judo.

Now to some people that more logical approach is more appealing, which makes BJJ a potentially favourable option. Others may like confetti cannons.

As someone who does both, I go through natural phases of preferring one or the other. Having both as an option is quite refreshing as it means if I’m not feeling like catching an apple in my mouth I can follow some instructions.

This is looking at the sports as a hobbyist, at the top end in both sports of course the dynamic changes and they tend to link up like all elite-level sports.

So verdict?

If time allows it, I say do both – the flexibility which both provide makes it easier to sustain the sports throughout the year. If your life would struggle to make time for both, I’d personally give both a go and see which you are more naturally drawn to. Neither is better, it’s what’s better for you.

You might find that neither is for you, and that is also okay.

So how can we use this knowledge to help with the growth of grappling?

If someone were to approach the club, where you offer both Judo/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/Wrestling speak to them, and maybe try your best to allocate one of the sports for them and their requirements on what they want from the sport (maybe doing this after they’ve given both a go). Now of course each sport could be for everyone – but I tend to find a quick 10-minute chat can help figure out what they want to get from turning. This is for both kids and adults!

View All

Judo Vs BJJ what’s better?