| This is one of the hottest topics up for debate in the | | | | the 2 martial arts. Although BJJ was spawned out of |
| martial arts community and quite frankly I don't think | | | | Judo it has adopted a completely different philosophy. |
| either side understands the other's point of view. The | | | | Judo is a sport that focuses more on throws while still |
| bulk of the issue stems from the many misconceptions | | | | covering submission holds and ground fighting. If I were |
| of the two respective arts but more so the lack of | | | | forced to give a percentage of each aspect I would |
| understanding of Judo. It is funny that most people | | | | say that its 50% throws, 25% submissions and 25% |
| understand that BJJ was created when a Judoka | | | | ground fighting. BJJ in comparison is 95% submissions |
| taught a Brazilian the martial art of Judo but both sides | | | | and ground fighting with only 5% of the time allocated |
| fail to agree on how similar these martial arts are. If | | | | to throws. You may be wondering why there is such a |
| you take into account that Judo is one of the biggest | | | | discrepancy between the two martial arts. Simply put |
| sports in the world and is also recognized as an | | | | they're both sports and their rules are quite different. In |
| Olympic sport, you would wonder why it receives so | | | | a judo match you are awarded points for throws and |
| much disdain. The average Judo club will charge | | | | can even end a match with a perfect throw while |
| around 25 dollars per month to join while the going rate | | | | you're only allowed 30 seconds on the ground. BJJ on |
| for a BJJ school is 100 dollars or more. For this reason | | | | the other hand has an unlimited time on the ground and |
| alone I think this topic needs some further investigating. | | | | rewards its competitors for attempting to try various |
| Like everything in our society, we view higher priced | | | | techniques while on the ground. As you can see from |
| services as being of a better quality. Surely no car that | | | | the way their respective competitions are formatted, |
| costs a fraction of the price of another car can be | | | | the way each school is focused is a direct reflection |
| even remotely comparable. BJJ costs more to take so | | | | of this. |
| it must be more effective. Just like the marketing | | | | The number one argument I always hear in support of |
| exhibited in the car example martial arts often fall prey | | | | BJJ is that whenever a Judoka and a BJJ practitioner |
| to these smoke screens. The fact is people are willing | | | | fight, the BJJ fighter reigns supreme. They also claim |
| to pay more to take BJJ then they are to take Judo. | | | | that a Black belt in BJJ tends to be better with |
| The real question is why. When the UFC was created | | | | submissions and ground fighting then a black belt |
| by the descendents of the creator of BJJ the world | | | | Judoka. What they fail to realize is that this is not a fair |
| was about to witness one of the greatest infomercials | | | | comparison. Rather then viewing it as a belt versus |
| they would ever see. Many people agree that the real | | | | belt matter, why not look at it as a timing matter. The |
| reason this fighting organization was created was to | | | | point I am trying to make is that it takes 3 years to |
| bring attention to BJJ. Well it worked! A skinny BJJ | | | | obtain a black belt in Judo while it takes over 10 years |
| fighter by the name of Royce Gracie defeated 4 | | | | to receive a black belt in BJJ. In Judo a black belt |
| other fighters from various other martial arts | | | | represents a student's understanding and beginning of |
| backgrounds, quite easily and showed the dominance | | | | mastery while in BJJ a black belt represents a |
| of BJJ. Based on the momentum of Royce's success | | | | student's mastery. A fair comparison would be |
| his family began to open BJJ schools throughout | | | | between a Judo 4th dan black belt and a BJJ black |
| America. The question that many people don't ponder | | | | belt because the time they have both spent in the |
| is what if a Judoka would have been invited to the | | | | respective sports would now be equal. |
| inaugural event and did the same thing this BJJ | | | | Although after reading through this article you may still |
| practitioner did? It is not hard to figure out that Judo | | | | be confused on which martial art is truly better you |
| would have boomed even more so than it already has | | | | would have to admit you have a better general |
| and could've demanded much more for its services. | | | | understanding of the two martial arts and that you fully |
| Let us take a look at the many differences betwen | | | | understand how similar they are. |