Judo or Bjj

[OldTimey]

Hey Everyone,

I have been doing judo for about 7 months. I have been reading a lot that judo is prone to some major shoulder or knee injuries, so I have thought about switching to Bjj.

However, I have already invested time into judo, and I really love the art. My job highly depends on my mobility and dexterity, so I am thinking of switching to Bjj.

Here are some questions that I would love answered by Judokas and Bjj students:


1) is judo really only dangerous during randori and competition? Is this when most of the serious injuries occur?

2) Is Bjj any safer long term? I have so read about some serious injuries.

3) can judo be done well into your 40s and 50s?

One more note. I don't compete in Judo. I am there purely for the workout and technical fun, maybe a little randori starting from the ground.

[Monkster]

Judo is just about the roughest sport on the body out there.

[Judo Thai Boxer]

Yeah Judo can be rough, the only injury I've had was during training a few years ago and when I was countering a throw a seventeen stone man landed on my ankle and I sprained it which put me out for a few months.

As for competitions, there's usually at least one in every competition. I've seen dislocated shoulders, arms snapped Big Nog style and someone's shown me a gruesome picture of a toe.

1) The injuries during training are minor usually, if you train with good people they'll be few and far. That said I've seen white belts fighting hard and someone land on their neck, has to hurt.

2) In BJJ leg locks are allowed which are banned from Judo because they're so dangerous.

3) Half of my Judo club is over 40. One of my coaches is 54, shredded and ruins me, hell he even wrecks his son in newaza who is number 1 or 2 in the UK at his weight at -100kg whilst my coach is 73kg.

Grappling sports are the worst of the combat sports for all round toughness and injuries, imo and i've trained boxing, muay thai and currently I'm at an MMA gym.

If they're good guys you train with you'll avoid injuries, but accidents happen occasionally. Usually from people not breakfalling properly.

[Cuffmeister]

All my injuries have come from shiai or standing randori. If you tap in good time a good training partner should never injure you during newaza. To me an armlock should just take someone to the point of pain to show them what you could do if they don't tap.

I've been doing judo on and off for about 4 years and have only had minor sprains and bumps, but we have very good fellow judokas who always look after their opponent, such is the spirit of Judo. I have come across a couple of people that are more than happy to hurt you but these are few and far between.

[OldTimey]

Thanks everyone. Would anyone make the claim that judo is safer than BJJ?

[Kaffe]

Judo is def not safer than BJJ. Standing randori/shiai is hard on the body and has a higher injury frequency than groundwork.

Edit: Didn't notice that this was the Ask the fighters-forum. I'm only a recreational Judoka/BJJ player going on my third year.

[PeterPain]

I do MT now but I had 10 times the cardio back when I did Judo.
It's good for you because you are always fighting.

I've seen people in their late 50 tear up even with their artritis and back pain.

[Robmasterflex]

I've only been doing judo for a month so far and I notice the most pain when I get caught in armbars or chokes on the ground or w/e. Standing it isn't so bad so far. Jiu jitsu is almost purely on the ground so for my example, my noob ass would get hurt more doing that. Plus, There's nothing more badass than throwing someone as well or falling down and not losing a fight if you can breakfall.

Stick with judo imo. You get a lot of the jiu jitsu stuff and all the sexy throws/ sweeps in your arsenal.

[Connacht]

Originally Posted by Judo Thai Boxer

2) In BJJ leg locks are allowed which are banned from Judo because they're so dangerous.

Actually, leglocks are forbidden with various degrees through the various belts, quite because they are dangerous. The idea inside is that it's better to allow only to expert high ranking belts to use leglocks, as they should have better control and ability.

Grappling sports are the worst of the combat sports for all round toughness and injuries, imo and i've trained boxing, muay thai and currently I'm at an MMA gym.

Well, while you are really right in saying that good smart people won't cause injuries in a judo club, I still heard (and met) a lot of times about judo practicioners that got problems anyway to shoulders or knees at least once in their life. The fact is that judo still stresses those bodyparts and one doesn't always find a really good club without a single injury during his history. Breakfalls could harvest victims even for a minimal inattention, there is always a risk since practice relies upon throws and takedowns.
On the other hand, ground grappling sports tendencially stress the vertebral column, and hernias or postural vices around the neck can emerge if you exceed while rolling (especially with sub grap that is more phisical than BJJ which is more "strategical"). However, although they are not uncommon, I didn't notice so many bodyback problems in my country, at least not as many as judokas problems; and competitions are generally safer than judo ones for what regards injuries. Besides, ground fighting is lighter for the body (except sometimes the vertebral column) and tapping prevent many consequences of impetuousness or inattention (I hardly heard of a broken arm or shoulder during training, likely it would happen because the one going to be submitted might decide to resist until death for pride or just stupidity, not per se).

However, both sports remain beautiful and very educative.

[Judo Thai Boxer]

Originally Posted by Connacht

Actually, leglocks are forbidden with various degrees through the various belts, quite because they are dangerous. The idea inside is that it's better to allow only to expert high ranking belts to use leglocks, as they should have better control and ability.



Well, while you are really right in saying that good smart people won't cause injuries in a judo club, I still heard (and met) a lot of times about judo practicioners that got problems anyway to shoulders or knees at least once in their life. The fact is that judo still stresses those bodyparts and one doesn't always find a really good club without a single injury during his history. Breakfalls could harvest victims even for a minimal inattention, there is always a risk since practice relies upon throws and takedowns.
On the other hand, ground grappling sports tendencially stress the vertebral column, and hernias or postural vices around the neck can emerge if you exceed while rolling (especially with sub grap that is more phisical than BJJ which is more "strategical"). However, although they are not uncommon, I didn't notice so many bodyback problems in my country, at least not as many as judokas problems; and competitions are generally safer than judo ones for what regards injuries. Besides, ground fighting is lighter for the body (except sometimes the vertebral column) and tapping prevent many consequences of impetuousness or inattention (I hardly heard of a broken arm or shoulder during training, likely it would happen because the one going to be submitted might decide to resist until death for pride or just stupidity, not per se).

However, both sports remain beautiful and very educative.

I never said there were no injuries, I said quite the opposite regarding Judo. I'm not sure if you realise but Judo has groundwork as well.

Judo and BJJ are very similar, I train in both and appreciate both. I just prefer pure Judo to pure BJJ.