Shintaro Higashi recently shared his insights on why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has dramatically outpaced judo in popularity. Moving beyond the commonly cited reasons like restrictive rules and physical demands, Higashi outlined five lesser-discussed factors that contribute to BJJ’s dominance in the grappling world.
According to Higashi, the most significant advantage BJJ holds is space efficiency.
“You go into a dojo and you could have 40, 50 people rolling at once in a thousand square foot mat space area. But when you’re doing judo, you could probably have seven or eight people going at the same time, max 10 people,”
he explains. This efficiency translates directly to profitability, allowing BJJ schools to generate significantly more revenue per square foot than judo dojos.
The ground-based nature of BJJ provides instructors with superior oversight capabilities. Higashi notes that when students are on the floor, instructors have
“a bird’s eye view”
and can easily spot and praise good technique across the entire mat. In contrast, judo’s standing nature creates visual barriers, making it difficult for instructors to monitor all students effectively especially in larger spaces.
BJJ attracts an older demographic with higher disposable income, typically practitioners in their 30s and 40s. This age group naturally develops what Higashi calls
“old man strength”
– isometric strength that aligns perfectly with BJJ’s requirements.
“When you get to an older age, you get much less explosive and you develop more isometric strength,”
making BJJ more accessible and appealing to this lucrative market segment.
BJJ offers numerous small victories that keep newcomers engaged. From guard passes to position escapes, students experience frequent success markers.
“There’s a lot of little successes through the way,”
Higashi observes, contrasting this with judo where beginners struggle to execute basic techniques. This “gamification” element makes BJJ more engaging for new practitioners.
The geographical and cultural accessibility of BJJ champions creates a stronger community connection. While judo’s top competitors are primarily Japanese-speaking and less accessible to American audiences, BJJ champions in the US are highly visible through social media and content creation.
“In the US, you look at all these jiu-jitsu guys, they all speak English, they all have Instagram, they’re all doing YouTube,”
Higashi explains.
Finally, Higashi points to judo’s excessive formality and bureaucratic structure as growth inhibitors. The complex ranking systems, mandatory Japanese terminology and rigid promotional requirements create unnecessary friction. He recounts the story of a dedicated student who quit after repeatedly failing promotional requirements due to time constraints and physical limitations.
While acknowledging his deep love for judo, Higashi emphasizes the need for innovation and adaptation. His analysis suggests that judo’s challenges aren’t insurmountable but require thoughtful evolution to compete with BJJ’s more accessible and business-friendly model.
