Is BJJ the Same as Karate? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Karate are two of the most widely practiced martial arts globally. Each of them has fantastic qualities and can be a great choice to practice and learn selfdefense techniques. We want to compare Karate and BJJ and show you how they are similar in their origins, philosophies, and techniques and how they match up against each other.
The Origins BJJ was created a little over a hundred years ago in Brazil. There are many different stories on how it began, but the most widely told is it started with the Gracie family. BJJ's was first exposed to the world in the UFC, and then it gained more popularity due to MMA competitions. Today BJJ jas has become one of the most popular martial arts with schools all over. Aspects of Karate were created as a form of self-defense in the Okinawan islands after the government banned weapons. At first, it was a hand-fighting styler but later was developed and influenced by Chinese families that settled in Okinawa. No one is sure of the origin of Karate, but it is known that in 1905 Karate was included in Okinawan physical education. Karate is currently practiced all over the world, and in 2020 is now considered an Olympic event.
Differences Between BJJ and Karate Karate is a traditional striking-based martial art, and schools mostly teach punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. Little to no grappling. BJJ is the opposite of Karate in this aspect, as it is a grappling martial art. Whereas Karate's goal is to strike an opponent, the goal of jiu-jitsu is to get an opponent to the ground, control them and get them to submit.
Belt System in BJJ and Karate BJJ and Karate measure students' progress using a belt system. The colors and how you earn the belts are different in each martial art. As well as the differences in the length of time it takes to earn a belt. Karate has 8 belt colors, while BJJ only has 5. In BJJ the average time it takes to reach a black belt is about 10 years; generally, this is the same for Karate. The other significant difference between the arts is in Karate; you usually have to test for belts. In BJJ, there is no test; instead, you are rewarded with a new belt for showing you have the skills in training or competition.
Which Is Better? The question lots of people ask is which is better, BJJ or Karate? The answer honestly depends