How to improve your BJJ game with Judo
Many people ask, ‘will judo improve my BJJ game?’ the short answer is, ‘yes’
To this day, BJJ and Judo share a unique connection that is anchored by history. Cross-training between both can give you an edge in competition. Both Judo and BJJ were developed from Japanese Jui-Jitsu. Judo is about takedowns, while BJJ is about groundwork. If you are Judoka who wants to improve his/her groundwork, BJJ will help you. Similarly, if you want to learn takedowns, Judo will be ideal.
To improve your overall BJJ game, you can incorporate Judo into your training regimen. In terms of the stand-up game, BJJ has its deficiencies. Learning the techniques of Judo is beneficial because the skills attained are transferable to BJJ
Additionally, Judo will also increase your balance, cardio, coordination, grip strength, and explosive strength. Learning Judo gives an immediate advantage to BJJ practitioners. Judo also has submissions, and it might surprise you that most of the BJJ submissions were taken from the Judo curriculum. Judo submission techniques allow a variety of techniques, including arm locks and chokes. Judo helps understand the blending of takedowns and submissions. Due to the rules, a Judoka must transition from a takedown to a submission quickly because there is a short amount of time before the referee will reset the action and ask both participants to stand up.
In general, Judo has more fast-paced rules than BJJ, this helps BJJ practitioners to go for submissions rather than points. If BJJ athletes learn how to transition quickly from takedown to submissions, they will gain the ability to catch their opponents off guard. Judo will teach them a more offensive approach to increase their submission rate.
Every martial has its own set of rules and has unique solutions to problems. However, these methods are transferable. There are many examples of top martial artists who have successfully integrated knowledge from other sports to become better at their game.
Improve your Grip
Judo players have very strong grips. In Judo, the one who controls the grip controls the fight. Learning the fine techniques of grip fighting will change your BJJ game. Consider this as adding another layer of skill to your BJJ repertoire, which helps you become stronger, so you will be able to control your opponent. Learning grip techniques will also give you insight into strategy and positional awareness.
Learn to Attack More
In BJJ, it is common to be a counter-player. This means that you will have to wait for your opponent to attack and then identify a mistake that can be taken advantage of. While these are effective ways to win, with Judo, you will expand your skill set.
Judo is more dynamic in the sense that Judo players have a robust standup game and groundwork. A big reason for that is the rules. Passivity in Judo is penalized. When you stay on the offence, your opponent cannot evade you or stall. This helps you control the pace of the match, which is a powerful thing to control.
