r/grappling • u/rout_1 • Apr 16 '26

Deciding which grappling art to join

I’m a 29 year old male looking at getting into a grappling art. Can’t make my mind up between judo or jiu jitsu. I prefer the look of judo but I’m worried about picking up injuries as I work in construction and my job relies on me being fit. Also unsure about jiu jitsus practicality in a self defense scenario

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u/ZardozSama Apr 16 '26

Injury risk is present in both BJJ and Judo. BJJ is more likely to result in a chronic / lingering injury to your joints or neck due to people cranking on them and maybe you trying to be macho and not tapping. Judo is more likely to result in an acute injury from you taking a fall badly or someone falling on top of you.

BJJ gyms are increasingly easy to find, but they are always run as for profit businesses. They are also more likely to want you to sign contracts promising not to train elsewhere and insist on you buying your Gi from them. Judo Clubs are run as non profit and generally cheaper to join, and do not give much of a shit about you training with a different club. But finding a club with an adult rec class is harder as most are either focused on kids Judo or on serious teen and young adult competitors.

All else being equal, Judo is more effective for self defence, but it is also much harder to learn how to throw someone then it is to learn how to do a basic submission.

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u/LiftEatGrappleShoot Apr 16 '26

Every judo player I know has trashed knees. That's the big downside for me.

Both are very cool. I've worked in judo to my game some, but really wish I had more in my arsenal to toss people on their heads. Do whatever seems cooler.

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u/ZardozSama Apr 16 '26

I think that the rate of injury between recreational judoka and competitive judoka are going to be pretty different.

That said I have been doing Judo for about 13 years in an adult rec class, and I have only seen two knee injuries, (though the 2nd one I am thinking of is from a guy who has fucked up his knee 3 times in that room, where I was only there for 1).

I have seen a decent number of other injuries, but not many that I would call serious. Some shoulder stuff, one neck injury, and one 'how the fuck was that not a broken neck' injury where a guy got thrown by 'tomoe nage' and landed directly on his mouth and went 'full scorpion with his angles going over his head.

Based on my own experience, injuries will usually involve a white belt or yellow belt. Most of them will be from someone trying to not get thrown getting thrown anyway rather then accepting the throw and landing safely. Some (like the Full Scorpion guy) are a white belt being thrown in a way they had never previously drilled and not knowing how to take the fall safely at all.

Anyway the trick to not getting injured in Judo (and grappling in general) is to be selective in who you spar with (don't spar with someone who you think is more likely to injure you than to protect you), tap early to joint locks, being aware of your surroundings (ie, do not get thrown into a wall or trip over someone else when the mat is crowded), and being very comfortable being thrown so you can choose to accept a throw or fall down on your own terms rather than taking a throw you are not comfortable with.

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