Can You Use Jiu Jitsu in Wrestling? | Easily Explained
In this page, we will explain if you can use Jiu-Jitsu in wrestling if Jiu-Jitsu can benefit your wrestling game, and if wrestlers train Jiu-Jitsu.
Can You Use Jiu-Jitsu in Wrestling?
You can use Jiu-Jitsu in wrestling to a certain extent. Jiu-Jitsu will allow you to have an understanding of body positioning, leverage, and grips. Additionally, the body conditioning obtained from Jiu-Jitsu rolls will better help your endurance during wrestling. All of these skills can complement your skill set when you're wrestling.
However, you're not able to "Submit your opponent" via choke, hold, or joint lock, as it is illegal to do this in Wrestling.
Can Jiu-Jitsu Benefit Your Wrestling Game?
Although the certain Jiu Jitsu skills mentioned above can benefit your wrestling game, there are limitations.
Wrestling Goals
The goal of Wrestling is to pin both shoulder blades of the opponent to the mat for two seconds.
This means that wrestlers are desperately avoiding their back to the mat.
Jiu Jitsu Habits
In Jiu-Jitsu, some of the best grapplers fight the entire match with their back to the mat, and score submissions from that position.
If Wrestlers aren't careful, they can become a bit more open to having their back to the mat from practicing BJJ, and when they transition back to Wrestling, they have to shake that habit.
This doesn't mean Jiu-Jitsu can harm your wrestling, it is simply something to keep in mind when training.
Wrestlers Training Jiu Jitsu
It is very common for wrestlers to train Jiu Jitsu during their off-season, or after their wrestling careers are over.
Wrestlers crossing over to Jiu-Jitsu is typically much more beneficial, as the wrestlers have developed a unique skill set that can be used for both sports.
Wrestlers are very proficient at takedowns and maintaining top control, whereas most BJJ practitioners don't have great takedowns, and would rather fight from the bottom (their back on the mat).
If a BJJ practitioner was in a wrestling match where they didn't properly master takedowns and tried fighting from their back, they would be pinned.
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