BJJ is a wonderful martial arts practice that has evolved into one of the most well-known combat sports. Many combatants, practitioners, and fans regard Jiu-Jitsu as the ultimate art for defending yourself in a fight. BJJ is a subtle chess match that involves using leverage and weight distribution. Competitors want to find the right moments to activate a takedown or submission hold. But situations like that often beg the question: Is there striking in Jiu Jitsu? Are the fighters allowed to use punches, kicks, elbows, or other useful strikes you see in other martial arts? A punch or kick would certainly liven things up during dull grappling stalemates right?
How about the effectiveness of Jiu Jitsu in real-life fight situations where there’s a huge chance that at the very least, punches will be thrown? If the purpose of BJJ is to teach you how to defend yourself, shouldn’t it also teach striking for realistic fight simulations?
In this article, we’re going to answer your question about whether or not Jiu Jitsu allows striking. We also explain the main focus of Jiu Jitsu as a martial art and discuss its evolution into other forms. And have these other forms incorporated striking into their training? Let’s find out.
Is Jiu Jitsu Grappling or Striking?
BJJ focuses on getting your opponent to the ground to neutralize the strength and size advantage they have over you. The origins of Jiu Jitsu can be traced back to the early form of Japanese Judo. It involves ground fighting, throws and submission holds that help you control your opponent and force them into submission.
The techniques taught in BJJ revolve around its basic premise. According to Grandmaster Carlos Gracie: “BJJ defines the natural defense of a weak person against a strong one”. When your opponent is on the ground it is easier to achieve this goal. It is more difficult when they’re standing, towering above you in size, strength, and maybe even striking skills. Typically, no strikes have to be thrown to bring your opponent to the ground. Rather, you make use of throws and takedowns – pointing to the fact that Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling-based martial art.
Is There Punching and Kicking in Jiu Jitsu?
Jiu Jitsu is predominantly grappling-based. However, some forms of the art teach striking such as punchnig and kicking. The most important goal of Jiu-Jitsu is to teach self-defense in real-life situations. During competitions, in adhering to the rules and regulations, you can engage in combat without using any striking at all. However, things are much different in real life. Hence, practices over the years have adapted to produce a more complete form of self-defense.
Is there striking in BJJ?
Some basic striking training has been incorporated into Jiu Jitsu. Different types of punches and kicks can be used to control the distance or create a separation that then allows you to utilize your Jiu-Jitsu skills to take the fight to the ground. Strikes are also used on the ground to advance grappling positions and open up submission opportunities. It all depends on what form of Jiu Jitsu you’re practicing.
Is Punching Allowed in Jiu Jitsu?
Strictly speaking, no. Punching is only a go-to move for Jiu Jitsu practitioners in mixed martial arts or real fight situations. But Jiu Jitsu as a combat sport in itself, in competition and training, generally does not allow punching. In fact, punching in a Brazilian BJJ fight will result in your immediate disqualification.
Is Kicking Allowed in Jiu Jitsu?
Okay, how about kicks then? Push kicks to separate yourself from your opponent and keep the fight at a distance? Kicking is not allowed since the goal of jiu jitsu is to reduce the distance between yourself and an opponent. According to (IBJJF) rules and regulations kicking results in disqualification.
BJJ vs. Striking Martial Arts
Grappling arts and Striking arts are the two major categories of martial arts.
Some examples of grappling martial arts include:
- Brazilian BJJ (BJJ)
- Wrestling
- Judo
- Hapkido
- Sambo
Popular examples of Striking martial arts are:
- Karate
- Taekwondo
- Kung Fu
- Kickboxing
- Boxing
Fundamentally, these two broad martial arts disciplines aim to achieve the same thing – defending yourself. This essentially translates to winning a fight. The method through which they go about this is what differs. Perhaps the most popular and most useful grappling art, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, aims to overpower an opponent in the cleanest way possible. As we’ve discussed earlier, in BJJ you make use of throws, takedowns, and submission holds to take the fight to the ground and force an opponent into giving up.
Striking martial arts, on the other hand, are centered around what happens on the feet. These arts teach you how to defend yourself by using punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and blocks. Striking generally involves the fighting that takes place in stand-up, except in clinching.
Japanese Judoka Master and teacher of the grandfather of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mitsuyo Maeda, theorized that physical combat could be broken down into separate phases, such as the striking phase and grappling phase. This implies that grappling and striking martial arts go hand in hand. Rightfully so too, because if you think about it, all street fights (and mixed martial arts fights) that typically start with strikes inevitably end up in grappling situations at some point.
To be a complete fighter you have to master disciplines in both categories of martial arts. However fans are always arguing which martial arts category is better. One of the most widely debated topics in combat sports is BJJ vs. striking.
Is Jiu Jitsu Better Than Striking?
We’re just going to pick a side outrightly here and say BJJ is better than striking. Needless to say, if you’re looking to pick which martial art to pursue, it is a personal decision and you have to make up your own mind. But here are some reasons why we think BJJ is better than grappling:
BJJ Is Safer
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is safer to practice than striking martial arts. BJJ utilizes grips, throws, holds, and takedowns which are gentler on the body and relatively safe to execute. In landing strikes, you run the risk of hurting yourself (fractures and sprains) with a poorly delivered blow.
BJJ is better for self-defense
You do not need to be too strong or athletic to use BJJ for self-defense. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaches techniques that allow a smaller person to take down a bigger opponent. You also learn how to escape being pinned on the ground. This is a situation you’re likely to find yourself in if you’re the smaller fighter).
Jiu Jitsu is a better base for MMA
It is much easier for a BJJ expert with decent striking to succeed in MMA than it is for a striking expert with decent grappling skills. Is there striking in Jiu Jitsu that allows you to hold your own in a mixed martial arts fight? Typically, no. But you can learn good enough striking skills in a shorter time than it would take a striker to learn BJJ skills of that level.
We have seen countless instances of this clash of styles in MMA promotions such as Pride, UFC, Bellator, and ONE Championship. Excellent strikers often struggle against BJJ specialists because once the fight hits the mat it’s over. Since Royce Gracie famously emerged victorious at the UFC 1 MMA event where he submitted all seven of his opponents, Brazilian BJJ has been right in the mix as one of the best martial arts disciplines in the world.
Need more reasons to convince you about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu supremacy? You can check out our comprehensive article on why you should start training BJJ here.
Does Gracie Jiu Jitsu Teach Striking?
Earlier in the article, we hinted that there was more than one form or school of Jiu Jitsu, of which Gracie Jiu Jitsu or GJJ is one. The history of Brazilian BJJ explains how the Gracie family and their own variation of the discipline came to be. Fine-tuned and adapted over several decades, the school of BJJ provides a complete form of martial arts for self-defense. So is there striking in Gracie Jiu Jitsu? Does this form of Jiu Jitsu teach and allow striking? Yes, it does.
Renee Gracie is quoted to say in a BJJ Hour Podcast:
“If you are not training Jiu Jitsu using strikes then you are not doing Gracie Jiu Jitsu…”
Does Japanese Jiu Jitsu Have Strikes?
Japanese Jiu Jitsu (also called Jujutsu) is the earliest form of the grappling martial art that later inspired many other branches such as BJJ, Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu, to mention a few. Originally developed as an unarmed close combat discipline developed by Samurais, Japanese Jiu Jitsu subdued armored opponents against whom strikes would have proved ineffective. On that account, traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu did not teach or allow striking. That practice has been upheld into the modern-day, as Japanese Jiu-Jitsu still does not have strikes in its discipline.
What is Combat Jiu Jitsu?
Combat BJJ is a new format of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu martial arts and competitions that tries to use a mix of MMA and Jiu Jitsu rules to organize fights that are similar to real-life physical altercations (street fights). It also centers around the premise that martial arts are for self-defense, and a practice that does not incorporate striking is severely limited in that regard.
Who Created Combat Jiu Jitsu?
Combat Jiu Jitsu or CJJ was formed by Eddie Bravo, a Jiu Jitsu black belt holder and founder of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu. Bravo is also the creator of the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) grappling competition, a no-gi submission-only tournament. Developed soon after the EBI, Combat Jiu Jitsu featured many of the same rules. The hybrid rules of Combat Jiu Jitsu encourage high-energy, action-filled fights.
Is there Striking in Combat Jiu Jitsu?
Combat Jiu Jitsu only allows a specific kind of striking. Open-handed strikes can only be landed when your opponent is on the ground. Additionally, these strikes can only be landed on the face and body of your opponent. Upkicks have also been added to the small list of legal strikes in Combat Jiu Jitsu.
The Rules of Combat Jiu Jitsu
Here is a complete list of Combat Jiu Jitsu rules:
- A CJJ match consists of one round of 10 minutes, with EBI overtime available if there is no winner after the time.
- Matches are won by submission, TKO, or EBI overtime rules. There is no points-based scoring system.
- All submissions are allowed.
- Open-handed strikes are legal. These strikes can only be delivered when your opponent is grounded.
- Open-handed strikes can only be landed on the face and body of your opponent.
- Upkicks are allowed.
- A fighter is considered grounded when they’re on their knees or backside.
- The “Get Down Rule”. This rule is enforced when there are no takedowns after one minute. The referee will pause the action and toss a coin to decide which fighter takes the ground position. The winner of the coin toss also gets to decide if they want to start with double underhooks on the bottom or on top in the butterfly guard position.
- “Purgatory Position”. This occurs when a fighter is standing while the other is on the ground. You’re allowed to sit on the ground in a purgatory position for thirty seconds. After this, any additional time spent sitting will be added to the overtime round. This rule aims to discourage stalling and urge more action.
- Being held in a leg grip or standing in your opponent’s guard does not count as being in a purgatory position. If the standing fighter breaks free from the leg hold, they have ten seconds to re-engage before the purgatory timer starts reading again.
Conclusion
Is there striking in Jiu Jitsu? The question we had to answer at the beginning of this article has brought us here. The history of Jiu Jitsu and its evolution into many branches has allowed some schools to teach striking techniques in addition to the original grappling moves that this discipline was based on. While some other forms have stuck to the traditional curriculum that does not teach striking.
Either way, Jiu Jitsu is still a grappling art through and through. Striking your opponent in an official Jiu Jitsu match will get you disqualified according to the rules. Various forms such as Gracie BJJ which incorporates punching and kicking, and Combat Jiu Jitsu which allows open-handed strikes are just adaptations of what was designed to be the ultimate martial art for self-defense. The emergence of these new forms continue to cement Jiu Jitsu’s reputation as one of the best disciplines to learn