Looking to start some sort of grappling, judo maybe?

[GeordiePride]

hi guys was just looking for a bit of advice maybe a few of you were or are in my position. Im being going to the gym now for about 4 month and love MMA with a passion and looking to start some kind of grappling to begin with and i was thinking judo. Was wondering if any guys started off doing judo or are doing judo.

Im a total beginner when it comes to doing martial arts and i havent a clue where to start. Thanks guys.

 

[RacerX]

There is no better combination of the tradition and the practical application of the martial arts than Judo.

 

[lts5025]

Judo is a great place to start. You will learn to fall safely, learn throws, counters to throws, submissions, control and a very aggressive top game. Just don't expect the first few months to be easy.

Judo is not the be-all/end-all of martial arts, but neither is BJJ, sambo, catch or any other grappling style. Judo will give you an awesome base to build upon and will make you physically and mentally tough. Plus you will be well-prepared when you decide to cross train in another style.

Some people don't like the formality of judo. I do, but I'm also former military, so I like the respect required for the art, the dojo, the sensei, the Japanese language, etc. It varies from dojo to dojo, but even at the most laid-back judo dojos, it will seem formal for someone unaccustomed to the traditions.

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

If you can find a school that has both BJJ and Judo, you'd be completely set. Judo is great and has it's focus. BJJ is great and has it's focus.

I do both.

 

[fourfif**]

Judo is not the be-all/end-all of martial arts, but neither is BJJ, sambo, catch or any other grappling style. Judo will give you an awesome base to build upon and will make you physically and mentally tough. Plus you will be well-prepared when you decide to cross train in another style.

good post and qft.

judo is beautiful and you will love it.

 

[Mike Wilson Jr.]

I wish i could train more Judo.

Its usefulness is vast. Good luck!

 

[fourfif**]

I wish i could train more Judo.

Its usefulness is vast. Good luck!

I feel the same about BJJ, if it wasn't for the fact my Judo club doesn't roll typical newaza with pins, it's all BJJ with full on guard on the ground. Now I miss wrestling, lol.

 

[ambertch]

If you're afraid of doing BJJ because of the possibility of injury, realize you can get hurt in a lot of way in Judo too, and Judo guys can train pretty hardcore if they are into competition.

On the other hand, BJJ has been around long enough now that there are BJJ clubs that are chill and composed of accountants, lawyers, and engineers just like there's Judo clubs that are filled with guys who just do it for fun.

 

[NLBJJ]

Judo will be a great base in other forms of grappling if you choose to try something out later. It's great because instruction is almost always awesome and is MUCH cheaper than nogi/bjj classes.

I don't train judo and I can see how great it is. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

[redaxe]

One of the things to be aware of when you start Judo as an adult, though, is that there is much less instant gratification than BJJ. In BJJ you will probably get to roll and spar with people on your second class if not your first. When you start Judo, though, you will probably spend your entire first month just learning how to bow to your sensei and how to fall down.

Also, if you're doing it because you like MMA, well, the UFC was started by a BJJ fighter. BJJ and MMA are much more closely related than Judo and MMA are.

 

[bnosam]

One of the things to be aware of when you start Judo as an adult, though, is that there is much less instant gratification than BJJ. In BJJ you will probably get to roll and spar with people on your second class if not your first. When you start Judo, though, you will probably spend your entire first month just learning how to bow to your sensei and how to fall down.

Also, if you're doing it because you like MMA, well, the UFC was started by a BJJ fighter. BJJ and MMA are much more closely related than Judo and MMA are.

Some BJJ places will make you sit out and watch people rolling until you've been there a few weeks/get a stripe on your white belt, too. Some Judo places let you start randori after showing you know proper ukemi, a little osaewaza and newaza. So, it varies largely upon the place, in the end.

 

[M@sato]

One of the things to be aware of when you start Judo as an adult, though, is that there is much less instant gratification than BJJ. In BJJ you will probably get to roll and spar with people on your second class if not your first. When you start Judo, though, you will probably spend your entire first month just learning how to bow to your sensei and how to fall down.

Also, if you're doing it because you like MMA, well, the UFC was started by a BJJ fighter. BJJ and MMA are much more closely related than Judo and MMA are.

I usually agree with your posts mate, but can't say the same about this one. I think it's mostly dependent on the Judo club/school. However, I still can't see many schools that would start someone on such a slow pace, as they'd likely have an even higher drop out rate!!! In my first class they did focus a lot on ukemi and the basic uki-goshi, but I was doing randori by my 2nd or 3rd class if memory serves. Almost no time was spent on learning formality at all, it's basically something you pick up through watching others.

 

[redaxe]

I usually agree with your posts mate, but can't say the same about this one. I think it's mostly dependent on the Judo club/school. However, I still can't see many schools that would start someone on such a slow pace, as they'd likely have an even higher drop out rate!!! In my first class they did focus a lot on ukemi and the basic uki-goshi, but I was doing randori by my 2nd or 3rd class if memory serves. Almost no time was spent on learning formality at all, it's basically something you pick up through watching others.

Well of course it depends on the specific club and the instructors' style. And maybe I'm just bitter because I trained Judo for a year and then BJJ for two and a half, and last week I just joined a new judo club and I told them about my prior training but they still made me spend the whole hour doing breakfalls by myself in the corner. :icon_sad:

I still think that you learn a lot more usable technique in your first few months of BJJ training than you do with any other martial art (except maybe boxing). I don't think you can learn a very useful amount of Judo in less than a couple years. And these days knowing some BJJ is basically a requirement for fighting in MMA, or else you will pretty much get submitted instantly.

 

[M@sato]

Well of course it depends on the specific club and the instructors' style. And maybe I'm just bitter because I trained Judo for a year and then BJJ for two and a half, and last week I just joined a new judo club and I told them about my prior training but they still made me spend the whole hour doing breakfalls by myself in the corner. :icon_sad:

I still think that you learn a lot more usable technique in your first few months of BJJ training than you do with any other martial art (except maybe boxing). I don't think you can learn a very useful amount of Judo in less than a couple years. And these days knowing some BJJ is basically a requirement for fighting in MMA, or else you will pretty much get submitted instantly.

Now this is a post I can agree with. I've been doing Judo for around 8 months now, enjoying it immensely and learning new things...but I don't feel that I'll be very confident in utilizing it for a while yet. There are still elements that can be used before you're really proficient at it however, and I've always got my striking background to fall back on, if need be. I'd say Judo has a very steep learning curve, much moreso than any other martial art I've tried as yet, including BJJ.

Btw if you'd dropped by my club with your experience they would have thrown you in the mix straight away. Time to find a new Judo club mate. :icon_chee

 

[Randy Marsh]

If you're afraid of doing BJJ because of the possibility of injury, realize you can get hurt in a lot of way in Judo too, and Judo guys can train pretty hardcore if they are into competition.

On the other hand, BJJ has been around long enough now that there are BJJ clubs that are chill and composed of accountants, lawyers, and engineers just like there's Judo clubs that are filled with guys who just do it for fun.

So which is generally more prone to incurring injury while training? Judo or BJJ? I'm also new to the grappling world and am looking to get started in either or. But I'm not looking to compete or anything and don't want to incur too much risk in regards to serious injuries (joints, ligaments, bones, etc).

 

[M@sato]

So which is generally more prone to incurring injury while training? Judo or BJJ? I'm also new to the grappling world and am looking to get started in either or. But I'm not looking to compete or anything and don't want to incur too much risk in regards to serious injuries (joints, ligaments, bones, etc).

I asked a similar question close to a year ago on this forum. The general consensus is that Judo-ka typically incur more injuries on average, due to the high impact and more aggressive nature of the art. If you practice proper ukemi this shouldn't be a big issue, and I really don't see the risk as much greater than any other contact sport IMO.

I was actually in the same shoes as you a year ago, asking similar questions (except I do plan to compete, and eventually cross-train)...and I ended up choosing Judo. It's been 8 months of consistent training, inclusive of countless hard randori sessions and I've yet to incur any serious injury. In fact I've had more injuries in that time playing competitive soccer & basketball lol. Hope this helps mate!

 

[nefti]

judo wrecks your body. Ukeimi is nice if your opponent throws you the proper way but dear god...

 

[M@sato]

judo wrecks your body. Ukeimi is nice if your opponent throws you the proper way but dear god...

That's true. I guess I've been relatively lucky so far...had some painful experiences, but nothing that's sidelined me yet...

 

[RacerX]

It's not unusual to have to wait for a few weeks to get to randori. That's for safety. Land wrong is dangerous. But at a good Judo school, you don't just spend all that time learning to fall.

As for MMA, BJJ may seem better because in the US people train wrestling in school then add BJJ for submissions or at least submission defense. It would be less efficient for them to learn Judo. In Japan you see a lot more Judoka because it is basically their wrestling. And never forget that the first UFCs were marketing tools first and foremost.

 

[knoxpk]

Judo is a nice art to start with and it covers all the bases. I typically agree with redaxe but the bjj to mma quote he made is a little misleading IMO. Judo too was started with mma roots, the style was tested and tried through time. That said it has changed a bit due to the sportive aspect, same is being seen right now with bjj.

BTW are you an adult? I ask only because if you are still in HS wrestling is a nice base too and it is free while you are in school.