Every material arts lover out there probably knows something about Japanese jiu jitsu vs Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). So, what is the difference between jiu jitsu vs bjj? The original samurai art is the Japanese jiu jitsu widely known as the “mother art”.

It was mainly used by the samurai soldiers on the battlefield because it involved everything they needed to be successful when unarmed. The art is still passed down from generation to generation to avoid it being watered down. The BJJ, a popular offspring of the Japanese jiu jitsu , is incorporated from the Japanese Martial arts by the grace family which created and perfected the art. The Grace family was particularly inspired by judo. Today, these grappling martial art styles are used in competitive sports across various disciplines.

Difference between jiu jitsu and bjj

Japanese jiu jitsu

The origin of jiu jitsu is still unresolved because it was discovered centuries ago. Some speculated that it originated from the Buddhist monks in India who wanted to defend themselves peacefully. Hence, the name jiu jitsu which means “peaceful way” meaning it was to be performed when unarmed. It practices a lot of throws and locks which can be very dangerous. It is mostly self-defense oriented allowing you to defeat an opponent faster. Jiu jitsu normally doesn’t entail lots of sparring like the BJJ. This art was mainly developed to be used by the samurai soldiers when unarmed in combat. This means that the original jiu jitsu was more violent compared to the one practiced today.

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The original version had a combination of wrestling and other various bar-hundred techniques which includes the use of leverage and friction instead of punches and kicks to defeat the opponent. This art uses submissions when hurting the opponent. In the 1800s, judo, an art that effectively incorporates jiu jitsu was formed and became the official form of martial art used in Japanese combat. Nonetheless, jiu jitsu is not very effective when coming against a stronger and bigger opponent.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu



The Brazilian jiu jitsu was first introduced to Corlos Gracia Sr and his brother helio, by Mistyo maenad, both of these two brothers were not very impressive physically, particularly Helio Grecie who was weak and frail. This is the main reason why it focuses mainly on ground fighting aspects as opposed to judo which focuses on throws and sweeps.

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On the ground, it is very effective against an untrained opponent of any size. The BJJ is much more of a relaxed art as it is less classical and includes less formality. While in the Japanese jiu jitsu and instructor dictates you, in the BJJ you get to test each and every move with the instructor. BJJ has played an important role in the rise of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competition ever since Royce Gracia beat everyone. This competition uses kicks, knees, punches, elbows, and submissions to subdue an opponent. Helio used BJJ to conquer a lot of good martial artists in Brazil and even challenged the Japanese Jiu jitsu champion who was 80 pounds heavier. The modern BJJ is much more sports-oriented losing some of its original self-defense aspects.

Pros and Cons

Jiu jitsu

First of the There is no term as perfect jiu jitsu but the advantages and points are what motivate the competitor to perfect their jiu-jistu . If you make a single mistake, you opponent will leapfrog you on the scoreboard. For example, if a guard player uses the cockroach position while passively lying back and the top player passes the guard leading to an attach for submission, then the top player gets the advantages for being aggressive to the spectator’s memorization. If the spectators are satisfied, it means more revenues and sponsorship. This also leads to the opening of more jiu jitsu academies leading to a large talent pool to the satisfaction of everyone.

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Jiu jitsu fosters patience and discipline because of its timing and rhythm. Executing moves like throws and locks at the right moment can be effortless if done at the right time. This art of patience and self-discipline reduces stress. Also, jiu jitsu enhances your self-defense techniques because what you learn is also applicable in real-life situations. Due to its rigorous form of training compared to other martial arts, jiu jitsu helps build your strength and endurance while increasing flexibility. On the cons side of jiu jitsu, the techniques involved can take time to perfect and use them effectively on the street. Also, because its style is not meant for competition if the rules of the completion are applied one could lose easily.

BJJ (Brazilian jiu-jitsu)

The thinking of BJJ goes beyond martial art of sport because it changes your life. Due to the rigorous training sessions involved, participants in jiu jitsu are able to lose more weight and feel more flexible than when they first joined. This is because it teaches you how to use your body acts as a single unit. Because of so many techniques involved, BJJ helps improve your mental state as much as the physical state. It demands a lot of determination and focus. One of the disadvantages in BJJ is that it does not protect vital sports like the groin. Also, when threatened by an armed gang of person BJJ doesn’t come in handy. Lastly, BJJ training takes a significant amount of your time to correctly apply the techniques.

In conclusion, JJ is then is the best martial arts technique that is mainly focused on the ground aspects of fighting. On the other end, jiu jitsu grappling art is considered as more complete because of its superior takedown style. Both of these grappling martial arts entail using chokes, leg licks, arm locks, and pins. However, the differences vary from the training methods to the training equipment and also, application of some techniques. Although the difference between bjj vs japanese jiu jitsu is there for you to decide, they are very much similar fighting styles and ring a lot of benefits that harm when properly applied.