The effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t rely on having a specific body type, which is one of its most appealing aspects. BJJ is designed to allow practitioners of various sizes and shapes to leverage their unique physical attributes. That said, different body types can have their own advantages and may require different strategies or styles

So what is the better body type for BJJ?

John Danaher says:

“If you look at all the champions of Jiu Jitsu for the last twenty five years – a clear idea emerges – NO ONE BODY TYPE OR PERSONALITY TYPE DOMINATES THE SPORT. You see tremendous variation among the champions. The beauty of Jiu Jitsu and indeed, all combat sports is that they allow every one of us regardless of our physical or psychological type to find our own path to excellence. I have seen tall, short, thick and thin athletes become champions. I have seen both the nervous and the fearless, the confident and the anxiety ridden get to the top. Your job is to find one path among the myriad options that Jiu Jitsu offers that works for you – if you can and you can work hard to master it, you can achieve great things.”

Priit Mihkelson says:

“ATHLETES WITH STRONG UPPER BODY AND LONG LEGS DOMINATES THE SPORT. Other people have a chance to be an high level athlete and developing their own game like we have seen many times – says Priit – but maybe these are exceptions, like Marcelo Garcia. Like any other sports there is always a certain body types that prevail: high jumpers are lenghty athlethes, hundred meter runners have thick legs. Our sport is more complex then running or jumping – he says – but certain body types dominate. (Podcast “New Era Martial Arts“)”

Now, if we first take a look at the IBJJF TOP 10 Male Adult Black Belt we can see how most of them have the same physical characteristics listed by Priit: STRONG UPPER BODY AND LONG LEGS.

Statistics never lie: to reach high levels in the sport nowadays you need a certain body type, obviously there will always be exceptions. If we look at all the champions of Jiu Jitsu for the last twenty five years NO ONE BODY TYPE DOMINATES THE SPORT but nowadays it’s look like that are ATHLETES WITH STRONG UPPER BODY AND LONG LEGS TO DOMINATE THE SPORT.

Written by Max De Michelis, BJJ Black Belt and instructor at Rio Grappling Club Massa in Italy. Check out my youtube channel and my blog.