| Japanese and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | | | | jujitsu) are usually preceded with their style name |
| "What is the difference between Japanese | | | | or Ryu (the Japanese word for "style"). These |
| (classical) Jiu-Jitsu (jujutsu) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?" | | | | Ryu of Jiu-Jitsu were developed long ago and |
| The first and most important reason can be | | | | have no sport application to allow them to |
| found in the art's history and is primary to all | | | | develop technically. The lack of realistic practice is |
| others discussed afterward. When you research | | | | what makes some styles ineffective or obsolete. |
| the history of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, you will understand | | | | To really understand the differences between |
| that it came from "Judo" in its time of | | | | Brazilian and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, one must research |
| renaissance. In the early 1900's, Judo was being | | | | the history of both arts. In particular the birthing |
| developed from a variety of Jiu-jitsu styles in | | | | of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Carlos Gracie, Brazilian |
| order to make it the most complete and | | | | Jiu-Jitsu's founder, who was an avid boxer. Most |
| effective martial art in the world. Some older | | | | Japanese Jiu-Jitsu fighters were studying traditional |
| Jiu-jitsu schools only focused on one area of | | | | Karate strikes, which are much different from |
| fighting (some practiced primarily standing | | | | that of a boxer. Maeda, the man who introduced |
| techniques) and had been left without a realistic | | | | Gracie to Jiu-Jitsu, was also a student of Judo, |
| battlefield testing ground for hundreds of years. If | | | | which at the time was considered an updated |
| you recall the history of Judo's beginning, you | | | | version of Jiu-Jitsu, or Kano 's Jiu-Jitsu. As |
| know that it was made up of mostly standing | | | | discussed previously, the Judo that the Gracie |
| techniques at first, from Kito Ryu Jiu-jitsu and a | | | | family was introduced to was a Judo whose focus |
| few other styles. This alone was not enough, so | | | | had turned to ground fighting in recent years. This |
| the groundwork of Fusen Ryu was added, making | | | | ground fighting came from only one style of |
| it more complete. When you say "traditional" or | | | | Jiu-jitsu (Fusen Ryu), the other styles that made |
| "Japanese" Jiu-jitsu, you are referring to only one | | | | up Judo had not focused on ground work, so as |
| of these Jiu-jitsu styles, which is incomplete alone. | | | | their practice continued, they stayed to their |
| When you say Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, you are referring | | | | traditional roots, which considered mainly of |
| to the best techniques from a wide variety of | | | | standing techniques. While older styles of Jiu-jitsu |
| styles. | | | | stuck to their core curriculums, Judo soon forgot |
| Our Jiu-Jitsu in the United States was | | | | about experience and turned its attention to |
| underdeveloped compared to the Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. | | | | gaining world wide exposure as an Olympic sport, |
| Only now are we beginning to catch up, and we | | | | which would eventually restrict the once great art |
| are still suffering from the inadequacies of the | | | | and cause it to focus once again on primarily |
| 'older' and more traditional schools of Jiu-Jitsu in | | | | standing techniques. Maeda was also exposed to |
| this country. To give you an idea of what I mean, | | | | western wrestling, as he had encountered one |
| I'll tell you a little about my training. I earned a | | | | wrestler in particular at the West Point Military |
| black belt in a classical style of Jiu-Jitsu, which | | | | Academy in New York, and had more experience |
| taught all the Judo throws of the Kodokan and | | | | fighting throughout Europe and the Americas than |
| Aikijitsu (the grandfather of Aikido). It was a | | | | any other Japanese fighter of that time. |
| great art, but one that could not be used on | | | | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a progressive style of Jiu-Jitsu; |
| anyone with skill effectively before complete | | | | once a technique is developed and used in |
| mastery. I was subsequently defeated by a | | | | competition, other Jiu-Jitsu players begin to design |
| student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who was only at blue | | | | counters to that technique, and counters to those |
| belt level, while I was a black belt in traditional | | | | counters, which allows Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to evolve |
| Jiu-Jitsu. Why? Lack of realistic practice is the | | | | freely. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players do not prepare for |
| reason. There was too much of: "you stay | | | | the untrained opponent; they assume that their |
| perfectly still while I try an extravagant technique | | | | opponent may be more technical. |
| on you and you play along." There are many | | | | The problem with some 'older' styles of Jiu-Jitsu is |
| techniques which is where Judo is great, and | | | | the same problem with old cars, or anything that |
| some traditional schools teach techniques that | | | | has not been updated or modified. I earned a |
| were designed thousands of years ago whose | | | | black belt in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and now that I am |
| applications have not been modified or thought | | | | at an advanced level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I notice |
| about since. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is simple to learn, so | | | | the similarities and differences. Some of the |
| simple that a dedicated student of one year can | | | | self-defense movements are identical; it is |
| easily beat martial artists of other styles who | | | | typically in the groundwork (ne waza) where the |
| have many years of experience. | | | | Judo or Japanese Jiu-Jitsu practitioner lacks ability. |
| Some styles of martial arts spend hundreds of | | | | It is for that reason I started training Brazilian |
| hours working on a rigid stance and one hundred | | | | Jiu-Jitsu. |
| standing techniques that cannot possibly be | | | | Comparing "old" Jiu-Jitsu to "new" Jiu-Jitsu is like |
| mastered in a reasonable amount of time. I once | | | | comparing old cars to new. Both a Ford Model-T |
| interviewed Royce Gracie and he gave a | | | | and a Ferrari will do the same job, but a Ferrari |
| response that supports this point quite well: | | | | will do it more efficiently. The ability of Jiu-Jitsu |
| "We don't believe in teaching a ton of moves | | | | teachers can be compared to the mechanics |
| every class and the student walking away with | | | | certified to work on these cars; if you take a |
| limited knowledge. We prefer our students to | | | | mechanic from 1910 and show him a Ferrari, |
| know 20 techniques at 100%, than 100 techniques | | | | some things would look familiar, but he would not |
| at 20%." | | | | understand the new design and complexity of the |
| (Interview with Gene Simco for | | | | modern variation without proper training. |
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focuses on techniques that are | | | | In the style of "Japanese" or Traditional Jiu-Jitsu I |
| easy to learn in a very short period of time. The | | | | learned, not much is technically different. Brazilian |
| techniques taught in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are also | | | | Jiu-Jitsu has more techniques on the ground |
| effective and have been tested on knowledgeable | | | | whereas Japanese Jiu-Jitsu has more standing |
| martial artists who are not cooperating. A small | | | | techniques. What I like now about having plenty of |
| amount of simple but high percentage techniques | | | | experience in both styles is that I feel it has |
| makes the difference. If all you do is practice five | | | | brought my technical level to a higher |
| or six techniques, you will be very good at them | | | | understanding. I know lots of little details and |
| in a year or so, but if you have to divide your | | | | "tricks" or "secrets" within the techniques that you |
| time between a hundred or more techniques, you | | | | don't see anywhere. I think that although things |
| will most likely be a jack of all trades and a | | | | improve in the evolution of Jiu-Jitsu, you also lose |
| master of none in a year's time. | | | | some details that the "ancient" schools sometimes |
| The differences in the two styles of Jiu-Jitsu are | | | | hold "secret". Without proper modification, these |
| not necessarily in the technique, but in the | | | | "secrets" don't mean much, but when you |
| practice and application. First of all, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | | | | combine them with the refined practice of |
| has a very sophisticated ground-game, where | | | | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you've really got something. As I |
| Japanese Jiu-Jitsu places importance on standing | | | | get higher in the ranks of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I start |
| techniques, as does Judo. Judo as a sport does | | | | to appreciate the Model T. I'm not so |
| not allow leg locks, where Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu does. | | | | embarrassed of my "old" Black Belt in Japanese |
| Sport rules for Judo dictate that if a player has | | | | Jiu-Jitsu anymore, I'm actually learning to apply it. I |
| been pinned by his/her opponent for twenty-five | | | | know details of arm locks and chokes that I don't |
| seconds, he or she will lose the match. Brazilian | | | | see anywhere else. It is important to note, |
| Jiu-Jitsu has no time restraints on ground positions | | | | however, that I attribute my ability to apply the |
| and stalling most often occurs while standing. | | | | old Jiu-Jitsu to my advanced level in Brazilian |
| Older styles of Jiu-Jitsu (often spelled jujutsu or | | | | Jiu-Jitsu. |