Wed
09
May
2012
London or Bust
April 29 2012 will be a day I never forget. It was on this day I realised my dream of qualifying for an Olympic Games. I may have ruined the ending of this story just then so I will give you a play by play of how the day went for me.
Tue
13
Dec
2011
Progress – How the hell do you measure it?
Judo is one of the easiest sports to make you feel miserable when you are not winning, and the complexity of the sport can lead practitioners to feel like they are getting nowhere or even going backwards.
Mon
25
Jul
2011
Judo vs BJJ. Who wins?
Well, this debate has raged on for a while now hasn’t it? The two martial arts/fighting styles have existed for many years and both find their roots in traditional jiu-jitsu.
The differences are obvious for anyone who has given both sports more than 10 minutes of genuine attention. The scoring system favours ground over stand up or vice versa, Judoka get limited time on the ground, BJJ players can pull guard and ‘force’ the fight to the ground etc.
Some ridiculous thing I’ve heard said by BJJ players include:
- Once it hits the ground I’ve got you
- How are you going to throw someone on the street without a gi
- You can’t stop a double leg
- Does Judo have ground fighting?
- You tapped me out. You’re not a white belt, how long you been doing BJJ?
Likewise some rubbish I’ve heard from Judoka includes:
- I’ll just throw you and walk away
- If you pulled guard on the street I’d knock you out
- Your gi looks like a billboard
- BJJ stands for Basically Just Judo (Ok, maybe I’ve used this one too)
- BJJ is for people who couldn’t hack Judo
The statements like ‘Judoka get smashed at BJJ comps’ and ‘how is a BJJer going to tap me if he can’t take me down?’ are not relevant to the discussion at all. A gymnast would get belted in a Judo comp, so would a power lifter, does that mean the skills they possess are irrelevant to Judo?
Some things that illustrate the differences between the two arts are:
- Judo is generally taught in two streams: Olympic Judo (competition oriented) and Kodokan Judo (knowledge based, customs, terminology, techniques etc).
- BJJ is generally taught in three streams: Competition BJJ, Self Defence and BJJ in MMA.
- Judo players are graded on the ability to perform a technique in a static environment.
- BJJ players are graded on their ability to impose their skills on partners in a competitive environment.
- Judo has a focus on power generation, force production and therefore higher impact on bodies.
- BJJ has a focus on flowing, technical and suave movement.
Note. I understand that I am making huge generalisations here and that all academies teach differently but I’ve tried to cover as many bases as possible.
The reason I have decided to add my two cents in is that I regularly train with very high level Judoka and BJJ players. Neither of which buy in to this debate. This debate has stemmed from watered down, offshoots of their arts.
I have had the opportunity to train with some of the best Japanese Judoka and discuss BJJ with them. Likewise some top Brasilian BJJ technicians have spoken highly of Judo and its benefits after making me tap like a tap dancer.
To summarise, neither one would win because there is no level playing field and no equivalent athlete’s in each sport to contest it. The plain truth is that cross training will help you regardless of your background. In the end you will favour the sport/art that you like more. It may not even be the one you are best at.
If I can give some advice to my Judoka community, go and find a BJJ instructor who understands Judo and what you are looking to improve at. Pick their brain for info. I have found that my Newaza has improved tenfold since I found some experts who make me feel like a fool on the ground and then give me some tips to go off and work on.
Ivo
Comments: 9
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#1
well spoken ! either one complements the other ! cross training make's a better athlete all around ! take the most of what each has to offer and apply it to your needs ! live & learn !
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#2
I completely agree it's a silly dispute. I wrote semi-seriously about ts long ago.
http://drannmaria.blogspot.com/2007/06/stupidest-judo-question.html
The fact is some people from bjj could be some people from judo under certain circumstances and vice versa -
#3
All I hear is blah blah blah. :) but seriously. You make good points. At the end if the day you can do both and you should if ur serious about either art. I have and it makes u better at both and gives u better understanding of the arts.
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#4
Well said Ivo. By far the most sensible comments I have heard on the matter. Good luck for the Olympics
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#5
your judo newaza is weak simply because your dojo hasnt emphasized on it because everything bjj has its in judo kosen judo is bjj .. if you watch the video thats in youtube of tsunatane oda the father of the triangle you will see where bjj copied his style kimura beat gracie on the ground mifune was a great ground specialist dont fall into that gracie mentality because judo newaza is very strong and direct to the point by saying to cross train you are defeating yourself practice harder on your judo newaza and you defeat any bjjer my question to bjj is always what do you have that judo doenst what have technique you invented judo doesnt have and the answer is always the same quiet bjj has been taking out the judo syllabus for the longest and claimed its own the triangle has been in judo for the longest and in the 70s rickson pulled it out of the syllabus and called it its own and theres more accounts like the eziekiel choke which was invented by a judoka Sode guruma jime
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#6
Southern Cross BJJ/Judo @ Taren Pt...where both arts live in harmony the way they should!
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#7
Well said. I admit that I agree with this comment "Your gi looks like a billboard". In tradition Japanese arts such as Judo and Karate, wearing a non white gi is insulting. You can't even wear a blue gi in the Kodokan. Now-adays I accept the BJJ gi. The guys are alternative and non-comforming. There is a charm to the judo gi. I still think it's a billboard but there's a nice charm to it. I'd like to do BJJ one day when it's cheaper. For now, karate + judo will do me fine!
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#8
Thanks for this updates i will be really back to read more of your post keep going.
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#9
I see where you come from,but judo and bjj don't have the same root.Bjj came from judo!!
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