Gracie Jiu Jitsu vs BJJ – 10 Times Easier?

Gracie jiu jitsu vs BJJ, what’s the difference and which is better? The shortest summary that I can give is that to a bystander who doesn’t know much about jiu jitsu, they’re basically the same. They both focus on the same grappling techniques, and usually encompass some striking techniques to be more useful in a self defense or mixed martial arts context. So if you’re trying to decide between BJJ and GJJ, you really can’t go wrong with either. But if you want to know about the subtle differences between Gracie jiu jitsu and BJJ, keep reading.

gracie jiu jitsu vs bjj

Gracie Jiu Jitsu Vs BJJ In A Nutshell

BJJ and Gracie Jiu Jitsu are more or less the same. The Gracies are a Brazilian family that started a fighting style that everybody except some Gracie family members nowadays call Brazilian jiu jitsu. It’s sometimes the case that the more old school gracie jiu jitsu schools focus a bit more on self defense rather than sport jiu jitsu, but this is a minor difference. So if you’re interested in jiu jitsu you can go either with BJJ or Gracie jiu jitsu, both are great options.

What is BJJ?

BJJ is a martial art that focuses on ground fighting and submissions. BJJ is a very versatile martial art and can be used in self defense, sport grappling, and MMA. BJJ is a martial art that is based on technique and leverage, which makes it possible for someone who is smaller or weaker to defeat someone who is bigger and stronger. BJJ has been proven to be an effective martial art for self defense.

What is Gracie Jiu Jitsu?

Gracie Jiu Jitsu is almost synonymous with Brazilian jiu jitsu. The Gracie family invented the martial art that most people nowadays call Brazilian jiu jitsu, but some Gracies still call it Gracie jiu jitsu. Most notably, the Gracie University from Rener Gracie and Ryron Gracie and all their certified training centers call themselves Gracie jiu jitsu schools, as well as all Royce Gracie jiu jitsu schools. 

Gracie Jiu Jitsu and BJJ Share The Same History

Gracie Jiu Jitsu is a martial art and combat sport developed by the Gracie family in Brazil. The art is based on the Japanese martial art of Kodokan Judo, which was introduced to Brazil by Mitsuyo Maeda in 1914. In the early 1920s, the Gracie family modified Judo to create Gracie Jiu Jitsu, which focused on ground fighting and submissions.

In the late 1980s, Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) began to be taught and competed in the United States. BJJ is a derivative of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and focuses on ground fighting and submissions. Today, Gracie Jiu Jitsu and BJJ are popular martial arts and combat sports, with many practitioners competing in tournaments.

What’s the Difference Between BJJ and Gracie Jiu Jitsu?

So, what’s the difference between BJJ and Gracie Jiu Jitsu? The main difference is that one is more broad and actually includes the other. But which is the broader one, BJJ or Gracie jiu jitsu?

That depends entirely on who you ask. If you ask Rickson Gracie, Gracie jiu-jitsu is broader than BJJ. It includes Brazilian jiu-jitsu and other vale tudo and self defense techniques. 

But if you ask someone from outside the Gracie family they all say that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is just one specific style of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. And some would even go so far as to say that Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a specific type of jiu-jitsu, contrasted with, for example, American jiu jitsu and Japanese jiu jitsu.

Which Academies Teach Gracie Jiu Jitsu?

As far as I know the only BJJ gyms that always call themselves Gracie jiu jitsu are those affiliated with the Gracie university or with Royce Gracie. I think all the other Gracie affiliated academies call themselves either BJJ or Gracie jiu jitsu depending on the local instructor. These include the academies affiliated with Renzo Gracie, Roger Gracie, Carlos Gracie, Gracie Barra and gastão gracie.

What is sport BJJ or modern BJJ?

You may have hurt the terms sport BJJ and modern BJJ floating around. These terms are often used in a derogatory manner against schools that focus completely on BJJ competition and not on the self defense aspect of the martial art. A common criticism of modern BJJ is that it lost its roots and is no longer useful in a street fight. This criticism is partly justified, as some modern BJJ techniques are less useful in self defense situations than basic BJJ techniques. But, whether you want to focus more on competition or self defense in BJJ is entirely up to you.

Is Gracie Jiu Jitsu Easier Than BJJ?

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu sometimes gets the criticism that it gives belts away easier than BJJ. in BJJ it’s incredibly hard to earn your blue belt, let alone your black belt. At a Gracie Academy you can get a technical blue belt within a matter of months which is much less than how long it normally takes to get your blue belt in BJJ. The Gracies defend this choice by saying that the average white belt BJJ practitioner can be better motivated if they earn their technical blue belt faster.

50% off Craig Jones, John Danaher and many other instructors!