Judo vs BJJ. Judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) are both grappling sports. The main difference (and trust us, there’s a lot) is simply that judo emphasizes throwing techniques, while BJJ emphasizes submission techniques such as chokeholds and joint-locks. Do you learn both in judo? Of course! Judo is comprised of both “stand-up” techniques (throws) and “ground” techniques (armbars, pins, and chokes). In a judo competition, players will always begin in a “stand up” match where either player tries to throw the other and can transition to a “ground” match if neither is successful. Throwing is the primary winning strategy in judo, while submission is secondary.
