Observations: differences between BJJ/Judo class

BTS - 


I agree that bjj generally has a more relaxed and chilled attitude, but I think it varies in between different clubs and countries.



I trained in Israel under Shani Hershko (who is now the women's national team coach). We had just as many girls as guys, no problem with rashguards or mixed pants/gi, training everyday and mornings as well and not as strict a mindset as you're describing.



However my case could be the exception.


You bring up another good point. When I lived in Korea, kids came to class all the time wearing anything from school uniform polo shirts to windbreakers under their gis, and nobody cared. There were more girls practicing, too.

They were more strict about how the players performed (e.g. giving it your all) than etiquette-related issues.

Must have been a great experience training in Israel. I know they produce a lot of great competitors. Yarden Gerbi just won herself a silver medal at the World's.

rayonyx7 - 
Christophr - 
justsomeguy2 - This is one of the reasons I like Gracie Barra schools. I've trained in TMA's and Judo in the past and GB has incorporated a lot of those traditions such as:

1. Bow to Carlos Gracie Senior the center of the mat when you enter the training area.

2. Bow to Carlos Gracie Senior the center of the mat when you exit the training area.

3. Keep a respectful posture in the training area.

4. Classes begin with a formal bow to the instructor, with students lining up in descending grade order.

5. Classes end with a formal bow to the picture of Grand Master Carlos Gracie Senior, and then to the instructor.

6. All students must line up with the attendance card in hand at the beginning of the class.

7. During class, when the instructor is demonstrating the techniques, every student must sit or stand in good posture in seize.

8. For safety reasons, if you are late for class sit by the side of the training area and wait for the permission from the Professor.

9. For safety reasons, if you need to leave the mat or leave earlier you must ask permission from the Professor.

10. Bow to your partner before and after practice.

11. Talking should be kept to a minimum level and should relate to the class subject.

12. Absolutely no foul language inside the school.

13. Keep fingernails and toenails short for everyone’s safety.

14. All students, Instructors, Professors, and Visitors must wear the official Gracie Barra uniform. The uniform pants and top must be the same color.

15. It is mandatory to wear the official Gracie Barra black rash guard or Gracie Barra training shirt underneath the kimono.

16. It is mandatory to have underwear underneath the gi pants.

17. For No Gi Classes, students must wear a Gracie Barra black boardshort (or black short) as well as Gracie Barra Black Rash Guard or Gracie Barra training shirt.

18. The uniform must be clean at all times. A dirty uniform is a sign of disrespect.

19. The uniform must be worn at all times.

20. When tying the uniform, students must face the edge of the mats.

21. The belt represents your progress. Keep it on.

22. Refer to non black belt instructors as “Coaches”.

23. Refer to black-belt instructors as “Professor” and to Carlos Gracie Jr. as “Mestre”.

24. All metal objects, jewelry, piercing, necklaces and other items should be removed.

25. No shoes, food or drink on the mat.

26. No cell phones in the training area.

27. All students and Instructors must wear shoes when walking outside of the training area.

Some of it is overkill, imo. But I think the good outweighs the bad in this list.

Ninety percent of this is just plain stupid.

This list is why BJJ has jumped the shark and gone full retard.


Apart from the bowing to Carlos, the "attendance card", and the "GB uniform", its a reasonable list.   



When I started training, everyone was more serious about it, did not talk so much on the mat, and it all was "less social".  I don't go to the academy to hang out.   Just my opinion.   

Seong gyeong - 
BTS - 


I agree that bjj generally has a more relaxed and chilled attitude, but I think it varies in between different clubs and countries.



I trained in Israel under Shani Hershko (who is now the women's national team coach). We had just as many girls as guys, no problem with rashguards or mixed pants/gi, training everyday and mornings as well and not as strict a mindset as you're describing.



However my case could be the exception.


You bring up another good point. When I lived in Korea, kids came to class all the time wearing anything from school uniform polo shirts to windbreakers under their gis, and nobody cared. There were more girls practicing, too.

They were more strict about how the players performed (e.g. giving it your all) than etiquette-related issues.

Must have been a great experience training in Israel. I know they produce a lot of great competitors. Yarden Gerbi just won herself a silver medal at the World's.


Yarden is a former teammate of mine and I'm really happy for her. My problem with that club and especially in contrast to bjj which I do nowdays, that it was over competetive for me.



I personally never had any professional aspiriations for judo but the mentality there was train to be a world champion or fuck off. Some good obviously came out of it but the majority of guys from the club didn't continue training even as a hobby going into their adult life (some of them very high level). A bit of a shame I guess.

My son trains both... Pretty much on board with all of this, the conditioning in judo is longer than a whole bjj class

I do prefer professional instructors over volunteers though for the most part, seems like several of the past middle aged judo instructors focus only on teenage girls... One in particular is always training a girl that looks to be 14 or so, is pretty rough with her and she ain't exactly a future star from what I see Phone Post 3.0

Bow to flags?!?!?!?!.........WTF?

IMO unless you running a competition school or gearing up for a comp......the priority is safety, skill developement and fun at somewhat individual pace/intensity with instructors/seniirs pushing as needed to help development without being overbearing. Sometimes intensity is upped for the whole class with bullrings,drills and sparring, but mostly the level is an issue between the partners. People shoukd be respectful, clean and good partners.

I hate the overly traditional bullsheet.....clowns wanna be more japanese-sy than a japanese! Shen's points about cuotural context and the opposite end of the spectrum is spot on imo. A lot of times, people who are i to extreme tradional BS are trying to use ettiqute to hide behind or pump themsepves up. If an orga ization without a cultural connection to it pushes an extreme level of it ........one should ask why?

The strict atmosphere of a judo school is what keeps me from training the art. I'm grown, you don't need to treat me like a child.

I would love if my bjj school offered judo classes.

I find relaxed environments are better learning environments. Phone Post 3.0