Is it a consensus in the martial arts world that... BJJ is the best?

[Dirty Dog]

I’ve done sparring in a car before, but it wasn’t a convertible. The roof significantly changes the dynamic from what you see in that video.

I've done it using my own cars and my own family. Mostly with squirt guns, because paintballs are hard to get off the upholstery.
Car jacking training...

 

[frank raud]

I've done it using my own cars and my own family. Mostly with squirt guns, because paintballs are hard to get off the upholstery.
Car jacking training...

I've done knife grappling in my own car, had two brothers, one at 6'9, 290lbs, the other at 6'5" 350 lbs grappling in the back seat of my Ford Focus. Done gun grappling with Sims in a rented car, and in a couple of wrecked cars brought in specifically to grapple in.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I've done knife grappling in my own car, had two brothers, one at 6'9, 290lbs, the other at 6'5" 350 lbs grappling in the back seat of my Ford Focus. Done gun grappling with Sims in a rented car, and in a couple of wrecked cars brought in specifically to grapple in.

I pictured you big dudes going into the Drive in movies in a Ford Focus and then fighting in the back seat over who ate the red vines. A completely different way to steam up the windows and rock the car…

 

[frank raud]

I pictured you big dudes going into the Drive in movies in a Ford Focus and then fighting in the back seat over who ate the red vines. A completely different way to steam up the windows and rock the car…

If you picture a clown car, that was the thought when those twobpiled out of my car. When you have close to 700 lbs fighting in the backseat, it gives new meaning to " If this car's rocking, don't bother knocking".

 

[Buka]

Title.

I find Judo and boxing to be much more fashionable for me but... I mean, if it's common knowledge that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the best, then I may as well sign up for it in the one close to my home. The dojo is literally walking distance for me.

If the consensus is shaky, however... Then I want to stick to Judo. Judo looks awesome.

Honestly my goal is really to be skilled enough to easily neutralize or hurt a same-sized person who's hostile against me, without weapons. I have no ambitions of being competitive. If Judo is more than enough for that, then Judo it is. But if Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will do it far better, then I may have to reconsider.

"Walking distance". Go there, have fun.

You can learn a lot training in BJJ.

 

[Yamabushii]

Title.

I find Judo and boxing to be much more fashionable for me but... I mean, if it's common knowledge that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the best, then I may as well sign up for it in the one close to my home. The dojo is literally walking distance for me.

If the consensus is shaky, however... Then I want to stick to Judo. Judo looks awesome.

Honestly my goal is really to be skilled enough to easily neutralize or hurt a same-sized person who's hostile against me, without weapons. I have no ambitions of being competitive. If Judo is more than enough for that, then Judo it is. But if Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will do it far better, then I may have to reconsider.

Okay, absolutely not (that BJJ is the "best"). I teach Japanese JJ and am also studying BJJ. It always irritates me when people assume so. It is widely marketed that way for sure, but it certainly is not the case. Ultimately, the effectiveness of a martial art comes down to two main things: (1) your goal, (2) your environment.

If you want to learn to be very effective in a controlled 1vs1 scenario, learn a competition style (Judo, BJJ, Wrestling, etc).

If you want to learn force multipliers, learn weapons arts (Kenjutsu, Kyudo, Kendo, HEMA, Kali, etc.) or formally learn to use various different types of firearms (pistols, semi-auto rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, etc).

If you want to focus more on inner/spiritual growth, try out Tai Chi or Aikido.

If you want to learn to fend against people without going straight to the ground and learning to keep aware of your surroundings, then look for a style that has its roots in war (Japanese Jujutsu, Ninjutsu, Pencak Silat, military combatives (MAC, MCMAP), etc).

There are positives and negatives to all three of the above. Some of the ones I listed above check off a few boxes - I just wanted to provide a general idea. Which one is "best" is ultimately up to you. Comparing martial arts styles isn't apples to apples - it's always apples to oranges. Every style has a different purpose born from a different history for a specific cause. Determining the quality of a martial art by tossing all of them into a ring is a horrible and quite amateur'ish way to compare them (not taking a stab at you, just that is a very common misconception people have).

 

[Yamabushii]

There are a few ways to assess a fighting system so that you can make an informed judgement.

They need to fight. This is kind of non negotiable. I am not even sure how there is an argument against this.

You need to see them fight. This is more important. As fighting is such a massive subject that it can be easily manipulated if you don't really know what you are looking at.

And it needs to be consistent, honest and transparent. Fight enough people and you don't always win. Fight good people and you don't always win. These assessments are what creates a depth of understanding about fighting.

With MMA we already have this information basically presented to us in the most easily accessible and honest way that is possible at the moment.

I could bang on about bjj in the street or military combatives and police moving towards a MMA dynamic. I could show videos of mma fighters successfully defending themselves or tell stories of daring do.

But these assessments are quite simply less reliable than being able to watch people fight and come up with some common themes.

This. Even with a background mostly in traditional martial arts, this realization is what ultimately drove me to how I teach my own students. All of our techniques are pressure tested at the end of every class for 20-30 mins where everyone spars, with gear. Too many traditional martial arts classes are full of lecture, theory, and history, and teachers demonstrating techniques will react in lightning speed to a student attacking in slow-motion, then holding their student in a painful position while they lecture theory and go off on a rant for 5 full minutes at a time.

Arts like MMA and BJJ sell themselves for the reasons you mentioned.

 

[drop bear]

This. Even with a background mostly in traditional martial arts, this realization is what ultimately drove me to how I teach my own students. All of our techniques are pressure tested at the end of every class for 20-30 mins where everyone spars, with gear. Too many traditional martial arts classes are full of lecture, theory, and history, and teachers demonstrating techniques will react in lightning speed to a student attacking in slow-motion, then holding their student in a painful position while they lecture theory and go off on a rant for 5 full minutes at a time.

Arts like MMA and BJJ sell themselves for the reasons you mentioned.

Another issue I think with messing around too much with combat scenarios and drills and the like. Is you get too good at making that work.

And so basically collapse when attacked because you have trained that as much as you have trained to fight someone who will basically collapse on you.

 

[Yamabushii]

Another issue I think with messing around too much with combat scenarios and drills and the like. Is you get too good at making that work.

And so basically collapse when attacked because you have trained that as much as you have trained to fight someone who will basically collapse on you.

Well said, and I have personally seen this happen to others as well. It's always amazing seeing what I refer to as "Kata Heroes" attempt to apply their knowledge when pressure testing or sparring.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

This. Even with a background mostly in traditional martial arts, this realization is what ultimately drove me to how I teach my own students. All of our techniques are pressure tested at the end of every class for 20-30 mins where everyone spars, with gear. Too many traditional martial arts classes are full of lecture, theory, and history, and teachers demonstrating techniques will react in lightning speed to a student attacking in slow-motion, then holding their student in a painful position while they lecture theory and go off on a rant for 5 full minutes at a time.

Arts like MMA and BJJ sell themselves for the reasons you mentioned.

This sparring is something I look for when checking out a new dojo. Not because I need to spar (though I do enjoy it), but because I have no way of knowing they actually understand how to use their techniques. I can count on one hand the number of people I'd train with, without them doing any sparring, and 2 of them are from this site.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

This sparring is something I look for when checking out a new dojo. Not because I need to spar (though I do enjoy it), but because I have no way of knowing they actually understand how to use their techniques. I can count on one hand the number of people I'd train with, without them doing any sparring, and 2 of them are from this site.

…the envelope please…

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

…the envelope please…

?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

?

You said two of the people you would train with are from here. So, who are they? Thus, the envelope please.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

?

Sigh…

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Is this thing on?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

You said two of the people you would train with are from here. So, who are they? Thus, the envelope please.

Ah. Xue and Crane.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Ah. Xue and Crane.

To clarify, there's more that I would train with from here. Those are just the two that don't spar (for different reasons) who I'd still like to train with given the chance.

 

[Darren]

Rolled with a guy that said he ran and lifted weights for 20 years, and BJJ was the best by far he ever got from running and lifting weights! I sure do love it but a 5 minute roll seems to last only 45 seconds!!

 

[Anarax]

Absolutely, 100%, no question about it. Just ask the Gracies . On a serious note, no it's not. I have experience in both BJJ and Judo, personally I believe Judo(non-Olympic) to be a more complete grappling system.

 

[Cynik75]