These grappling disciplines each offer a very different experience. In terms of intensity many say that wrestling and judo are more exhaustive with the accent on stand up whereas brazilian jiu-jitsu is usually seen as less intense and generally a sport that offers a bigger tenure.

However if look across various grappling boards and mediums we’re bound to stumble upon many different cross training stories. Some offer more critique, many are humble brags but in the end it’s worth noting the key differences we should all consider when we crosstrain or visit our sisterly disciplines.

Firstly the 3 disciplines have very different rules – making their demands quite specific. While this seems obvious here’s how it relates in reality.

A wrestler who is used to being penalized the second they’re not doing something – and due to match restrictions it’s quite different. Think of it this way – when you start a roll in bjj you expect it to be depending on your gym rules between 5 and 10 minutes. For this purpose most people pace themselves and especially in jiu jitsu training focus on setting up specific scenarios and working on their sweeps and submissions from there. This is something that might explain why wrestlers and judo often get told to take it down a notch in terms of intensity when rolling!

By comparison in wrestling you often do one minute positional drills from a certain hold but you do it in maximum intensity. You can paint the picture for yourself how the two styles clash. And also if you go from bjj to wrestling you’d be tempted to go for a kimura or a guillotine – moves that are illegal in wrestling.

And even though judo involves grips and intense stand up, depending on the ruleset that groomed a certain competitor it has a certain set of what it does include and what it doesn’t. More often than not it’s all about leaving it all on the mat.

Further while both bjj and judo involve belt levels we’re all aware of the drastically different implications of it. Firstly to get a judo black belt requirements are:

 The exam for Shodan (black belt) generally consists of three parts that are performed in front of the provincial grading board. The first part is generally the Nage No Kata, which is a specified set of throws performed a very specific way. The second part is the Gokyo, which is being asked random techniques from the Gokyo (the orginal Japanese judo techniques) and consists of both standing and ground techniques. The third part of the exam is a randori or free demonstration of techniques where both partners take turns applying techniques while moving around similar to competition. Sometimes, the examining board will ask candidates to demonstrate their breakfalls as well.

Before one can be examined for shodan promotion, he or she must have accumulated 120 points. Judoka may begin accumulating points from the grade of ikkyu (brown belt) at the minimum age of 14. For shodan, a minimum of 30 points must be obtained from technical activities (i.e. tournaments, clinics, refereeing, etc.).

Outside of some age restrictions bjj widely varies in both quality and in what a certain belt level represents. This means two blue belts from different countries might be nowhere near the same quality. This brings us to an interesting conundrum – a judo black belt is typically quickly awarded a bjj blue belt as to .. well not sandbag. And on occasion a judo place or a wrestling will have good ground game.

The girl in question was a judo brown belt while manhandling the entire women’s white belt division.

Another aspect worth considering is this – wrestling and judo are usually taken up by athletic kids sometimes as young as 5 years old. And those with an affection for the sport end up working on both strength and conditioning upto impressive levels because to compete at those 2 Olympic sports it takes quite a bit of athleticism.

BJJ is a different story – just look at the explosive growth. In many ways it takes just about a couple of years and a right coach to break through to the top of your bjj division.

Additionally bjj appeals to a wider audience – it’s got variety of goals, competitive aspirations, interests, focus and approaches.