Wrestling and Jiu Jitsu are different martial arts that can supplement each other. Adding some a Jiu Jitsu grappling can improve your wrestling skills. Some of the skills you have learned in Jiu Jitsu can translate quite well to Wrestling.
Jiu Jitsu
Jiu Jitsu gained international traction when Brazilian Jiu Jisu master Royce Gracie won the first, second, and fourth UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships). He fought against much larger opponents who boxed, did Karate, Judo, and Wrestling. Since then Jiu Jitsu is one staple skills of many MMA (mixed martial arts) fighters. Grappling (ground fighting) is an art that is not only popular in MMA, it has taken off and the competition scene is fierce. You have your traditional tournaments in the Gi (uniform) and No Gi tournaments have taken off such ADCC World Submission Grappling Championships. F2W Pro had it’s first show in Colorado in 2015 and has since had shows all across the country. The production is top notch and fighters get to showcase their skills one match at a time on an elevated stage for all to see.
Wrestling
Many forget that wrestling is also a martial art since it is an Olympic Sport. It is done in schools starting from elementary to high level college wrestlers. Young wrestlers who wish to continue on the collegiate level work towards landing scholarships to colleges around the nation with the best competitive wrestling teams. Similar to Jiu Jitsu, it is done by grappling on the ground. Many wrestlers do Jiu Jitsu during the off season while some do them both simultaneously.
Benefits of Jiu Jitsu for Wrestlers
- The goals of Jiu Jisu and wrestling may be different but building awareness and control of your own body in relation to someone else’s allows positional control which both sports can benefit from.
- Jiu Jitsu schools are often full of high level wrestlers who make great training partners. After highschool and college, wrestlers often transition to Jiu Jitsu since there is nowhere to go after school.
- Like Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu physically and mentally prepares you for tournaments. You will learn new and different techniques that can help your wrestling.
- Wrestlers who want to transition to mixed martial arts should definitely start training Jiu Jitsu. In wrestling, being on top is the dominant position. In Jiu Jitsu you will learn submissions and attacks on your back. Give yourself a head start and start training Jiu Jitsu as soon as possible. Curtis “Razor” Blaydes is a perfect example of this. Wrestler turned MMA fighter turned UFC star turned Jiu Jitsu purple belt.
Benefits of Wrestling for Jiu Jitsu
- Wrestling pressure – using your weight in all positions whether standing or on the ground. By adding proper pressure to your Jiu Jitsu training, you learn how to use your weight properly and effectively. It helps develop setups for taking opponents down and makes you harder to be taken down. It is great for working pressure in the clinch while improving your conditioning. It takes a lot of energy to gain control and less to maintain control. By adding wrestling pressure to your takedowns, you will see a noticeable increase in your takedown game.
- Wrestling scramble – wrestlers are tough to take down and even tougher to hold down. They work on scrambling to properly get out of sticky situations. By learning the wrestling scramble, Jiu Jitsu practitioners learn to improve their position to get out and gain back control. By increasing movement and top position techniques you fight to get out of those bad positions. Scrambling has been increasingly popular in No Gi Jiu Jitsu to attain top position and avoid being taken down.
Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling both have techniques, tactics, and strategies that can benefit both martial arts. Try adding wrestling to your Jiu Jitsu game and vice versa. High Altitude Martial Arts now offers a wrestling class on Sundays at 830am with Jiu Jitsu blue belt, D1 wrestler, and former collegiate wrestling coach, Alex Gregory. Come check it out!
