What makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu different? This is a question that is sometimes pondered by newcomers to the gentle art or people thinking of giving it a try. Without sounding arrogant, there is something special and unique about BJJ that doesn’t apply to most other martial arts.
This will be discussed below and broken down into two sections. The first is the practical application of BJJ, and the second is the cultural side of BJJ. Both are relevant and make BJJ a truly different and unusual martial art compared to others. Here is why:
Table of Contents
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the only martial art that focuses on the ground
Whether it’s striking or grappling, most martial arts old and new focus almost entirely on being on top. If you’re standing and striking, you want to be on top in a physically dominating way. If you’re grappling using wrestling or Judo, again the goal is to pin the opponent. Even MMA which has elements of BJJ on the ground has a big emphasis on getting to your feet as quickly as possible.
However, BJJ is unique in this sense that it almost exclusively focuses on the ground. Of course, a big part of BJJ is stand up, and some people have entire games built on takedowns and pinning. There’s nothing wrong with this. Having said this, the bulk of BJJ is taught on the ground, and roughly 50% of it is taught whilst being on your back. This can be by playing guard, or being caught in a bad position such as mount.
The reason for this is to get you comfortable with being in bad situations where you have to use technique to improve your position. This can be sweeping the opponent to get to the top, or by submitting them from the bottom. Unlike almost all other martial arts, this is a unique facet that is exclusive to BJJ.
Here, BJJ truly flipped the script and it’s not so much about getting the best position, but teaching you to make do from bad situations. This idea has evolved massively throughout the years and if you look at competition BJJ, it is very evident. Some people have entire games built on pulling guard and staying there for the most part which can lead to a winning strategy.
Whether trained for fun or self defense, the reality is that BJJ is very useful in this sense as its entire objective is to give you a plan B whilst on the bottom. For instance, a boxer may be great on their feet but poor if taken down. This is where BJJ comes in and offers a lifeline. As said, no other martial art offers this and for this reason from a physical level, BJJ is genuinely a different beast.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a unique culture unlike no other
If you’ve trained BJJ for a while, you’ll also have noticed that it has a different type of culture compared to most other martial arts. Socially, BJJ is different and offers a real sense of comradeship compared to other fighting styles.
What is meant by this? Firstly, it doesn’t take itself too seriously which can’t be said about some of the traditional martial arts. In many gyms, there’s no real code of conduct other than respect. This makes for a chilled out atmosphere and for more banter than other arts.
A good example of this is with flamboyant rashguard designs. Whilst not for everyone, these rashguards are symbolic of BJJ’s sense of humor. Going further, some of these designs have puns and inside jokes about certain submissions and moves.
In some arts, this could be seen as disrespectful and not serious enough. BJJ doesn’t care about this and this attracts all sorts of people into the gym. From hardcore fighters to nerds and stoners, you’re sure to find a wide array of characters in most BJJ gyms.
Another example is the growth of BJJ in terms of mainstream and popular culture. The only comparable art to this is probably Karate that blew up massively during the 80s. Here, BJJ has a large community of celebrity practitioners and also a big meme culture. Again, this is a nod to not taking itself too seriously. In one way, you could even argue that memes act as a tool of marketing to spread the word of BJJ via the internet.
As a result, BJJ has a very versatile community and unlike other martial arts isn’t closed off or intimidating. Because of this, BJJ has grown exponentially and is now one of the worlds biggest martial arts. In short, it has a unique culture that is infectious and isn’t as rigid as others, bringing in hobbyists and pros alike.
Conclusion
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is different on two levels. As stated, the first is down to its unusual combat style. Here, it actively seeks out physically uncomfortable situations and tries to figure out how to make them work. Instead of looking at the obviously beneficial positions, it also highlights how build up an aggressive fighting style from the floor.
Secondly, it also has a strange but likable culture. BJJ gyms are definitely more lighthearted compared to other martial arts places. This results in people from all walks of life training and is very open to wider society because of this.
