What Type of Jiu-Jitsu Should You Play?

Jiu-Jitsu, at its core, is a deeply personal martial art. Each practitioner brings their own unique style, preferences, and attributes to the mats. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ); instead, your game evolves based on several factors that shape your journey. If you’re wondering what kind of Jiu-Jitsu you should play, consider these three key aspects:

1. Who You Are as a Person

2. Who Your Instructor Is

3. What Body Type You Have

1. Who You Are as a Person

Your personality has a massive influence on the style of Jiu-Jitsu you will naturally gravitate toward. How you interact with others, your mindset, and even how you handle challenges will shape the type of game you develop.

• The Timid or Patient Person:

  If you’re more reserved or introspective, you might find yourself drawn to a defensive or counter-attacking style. A more reactive game often suits people who prefer to be patient and wait for openings, rather than forcing them. You could lean towards techniques that allow you to absorb pressure and reverse it, such as deep half guard, closed guard, or sneaky sweeps and submissions when your opponent overextends. In this passive style, you focus on capitalizing on mistakes and using your opponent's energy against them.

• The Aggressive or Assertive Person:

  On the flip side, if you’re more assertive or aggressive in nature, you’ll likely gravitate toward a fast-paced, attacking game. You might enjoy initiating exchanges and setting traps that lead to submissions. Aggressive, or should I call them pro-active, grapplers often thrive with top-pressure games, relentless guard passing, or explosive movements like takedowns and submissions that require less waiting and more initiative. If this is you, your game could feature a strong emphasis on submissions like armbars, triangles, or chokes that are set up proactively, often in quick sequences.

By recognizing how your personality influences your style, you can refine your technique and play to your strengths.

2. Who Is Your Instructor?

Your instructor plays a pivotal role in shaping your Jiu-Jitsu game. Their philosophy, techniques, and preferences inevitably rub off on you, especially in the formative years of your practice.

• Instructor’s Technical Focus:If your instructor has a specific area of expertise, there’s a high chance you’ll become proficient in that area too. For instance, if they have a passion for armbars or leg locks, their teaching will likely emphasize these submissions, and you’ll get plenty of exposure to them. This might mean that even if you naturally lean towards playing a certain style, you’ll pick up techniques based on what they prioritize in training.

• Instructor’s Game Style:Some instructors have a more traditional, pressure-based game, while others might favor a modern, flexible guard approach. A professor who values old-school basics may push you to perfect your fundamentals like closed guard, mount, and high-percentage moves like kimuras or cross-collar chokes. In contrast, an instructor with a more dynamic and creative game may encourage you to explore open guards, inverted positions, or unorthodox submissions.

  
  

It’s important to remember that while your instructor heavily influences your style, BJJ is a journey of self-discovery. You’ll absorb their teachings but also develop your own unique game over time.

3. What Body Type Do You Have?

Lastly, your body type will significantly affect what techniques and positions suit you best. Certain moves are simply more effective for specific body types, and acknowledging this can help you maximize your potential.

• Long and Lanky Grapplers:

  If you have a tall, lean frame with long limbs, you have a natural advantage in creating space and leveraging your body in ways that shorter opponents might struggle with. Techniques like triangle chokes, D’Arce chokes, and spider guard are often more accessible to those with longer limbs. Additionally, guards that rely on keeping distance, like De La Riva or lasso guard, are effective tools in your arsenal because they allow you to use your reach to control and off-balance your opponent.

• Shorter or Stockier Grapplers:

  If you have a more compact build, you might excel in a pressure-based game. Shorter athletes tend to thrive in closed spaces where they can control their opponent from top positions, often using their lower center of gravity to generate incredible pressure. Moves like arm drags, takedowns, guillotines, and positional control in side mount or half guard may come more naturally. Submissions like arm triangles or kimuras can also play to your strength in tight spaces.

• Flexible and Agile Grapplers:

  Some athletes are blessed with exceptional flexibility or agility. If this sounds like you, playing an open, dynamic guard might be a natural fit. Flexible practitioners often utilize positions like rubber guard, inverted guard, or even positions like berimbolo that allow them to move fluidly and capitalize on their body's unique abilities. This style can make you extremely unpredictable and hard to control, which is a massive asset in Jiu-Jitsu.

  
  

Finding Your Own Game

Ultimately, the type of Jiu-Jitsu you play is a reflection of who you are. It combines your personality, your instructor's influence, and your body type to create a style that feels natural and effective for you. As you progress in BJJ, you’ll likely experiment with different techniques and positions until you find what works best.

Over time, you’ll develop a game that is uniquely yours, merging these three key aspects in a way that highlights your strengths and minimizes your weaknesses. Understanding these factors will allow you to grow, play more efficiently, and enjoy the journey even more.

Conclusion

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an art of personalization. There is no single “right” way to play BJJ, it’s about finding the approach that works best for you. By understanding your personality, learning from your instructor’s wisdom, and considering your body type, you can develop a game that feels natural and fits who you are. This journey of discovery and adaptation is what makes BJJ so fulfilling, as you continue to evolve and grow both on and off the mats.