Judo Vs Wrestling – what is the best and what are the differences?

When it comes to stand up grappling, there are probably three main martial arts of note. The first is Judo, then Wrestling, then Sambo. As this article is not about Sambo, we won’t be mentioning it. However, if you’re interested in the Russian martial art then click here for more information.

Back to Judo vs Wrestling, there are several differences which you may wish to consider if starting out. Similarly, if you just want to find out what is more effective then we will be mentioning the key points too. In brief though, both are fantastic martial arts that are good for self defense, fitness and fun. Both Judo and Wrestling also have active competition scenes too which is good if you wish to test yourself against others in the field. Here are the main differences…

What’s the difference between Judo Vs Wrestling?

Firstly, the outfits are very different and help dictate the rules of each sport. To begin with, we’ll also be assuming that this is based on Freestyle Wrestling too which is the most common form of Wrestling. If we went on about Greco-Roman Folkstyle and others and their respective details then we’d be here all day. Instead, we shall be comparing Judo with Freestyle, which is what most people come to think of when thinking of Wrestling.

Anyway, the outfits change everything. Judokas train in a traditional Japanese gi or kimono. This is similar to the outfit used in Karate but is generally smaller and tighter. Wrestlers train in a singlet or shorts and don’t wear a heavy uniform. As a result, there are certain rules that come from this. Elsewhere, Judokas will train without footwear, whilst Wrestlers will use Wrestling shoes to fight against turf toe.

The first is that Judo is incredibly grip-heavy. That means, you will often see Judokas grip elbows, collars and sleeves. Wrestling simply doesn’t have this option so relies on collar-ties to the back of the head, underhooks and overhooks which involve grabbing the arms to help off balance and throw the opponent.

Of course, there are certain other rules which are quite big. For instance, in Freestyle Wrestling you can grab the legs and this is a very common way to take someone down. Here, Wrestlers will shoot for double leg or single leg takedowns. The idea is to remove the base of the opponent by taking their balance from the legs. With this disrupted, you can then throw them into a pin.

In modern Judo, you cannot legally grab the pants as it’s deemed dangerous. The reason for this is that certain Judo throws from leg grips can compromise the neck if done badly. It should be added that many Judokas do not like these new rules and see it as disruptive against the long-term growth of the sport.

Anyway, as a result you won’t see Judokas grabbing legs which means the takedowns are very different. Usually in Judo these are referred to as throws, or trips if they involve sweeping the feet or legs. For instance, an Uchi Mata involves pulling the opponent over your hips and using the hips as leverage to put them on the floor.

This technique is very reliant on the gi and grips, which means it would be very difficult to do without the gi. This shows how Judo and Wrestling differ in terms of taking people to the ground. You could argue that both arts have the same endgame, putting someone to the floor and pinning them. The difference is the journey getting there, which has a different route in Judo compared to Wrestling.

Judo uses submissions, Wrestling doesn’t

Judo is often credited as the forefather of submissions which Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was based upon. Here, you can end matches by submitting people, which is often done on the ground. The Japanese term for ground fighting is Newaza, which is usually where most of the submissions happen.

Here Judokas will use moves that are often used in BJJ as a result. In Judo, armbars are called juji gatame, whilst triangle chokes are referred to as sankaku’s. In short, if you can submit the opponent then you instantly win the match. However, unlike BJJ certain moves aren’t legal. For instance, an achilles lock is illegal in Judo, as is a calf crush. With this being said, most submissions are actually legal in Judo. In Wrestling, all submissions are illegal.

Differences in pin counts in Judo and Wrestling

In Judo, you can win a match through submissions and an Ippon. An Ippon is when you land an opponent directly on their back. For instance, if they fall on their side or stomach, then that is not an Ippon. Alternatively, you can also win by pinning someone for 20 seconds. Often, this is done by holding a kesa gatame hold which is also referred to as scarfhold elsewhere. If the opponent cannot escape within 20 seconds, then they lose. Because of this, learning how to control and hold a pin is very important in Judo. To escape a Judo pin, you must somehow get off your back.

As for Wrestling, the rules are very different. In brief, you have 2 seconds to escape a pin which is a significantly smaller window to escape from the ground. In Wrestling, a pin constitutes to having both shoulders touching the ground at the same time. Thus, if someone escapes one shoulder, even if they’re being held to the mat – then they have technically escaped a pin.

As mentioned earlier, these rules help shape the different arts. Wrestling is based on speed, whilst Judo is based on precision. That isn’t to say that Wrestling isn’t technical either because it is. However, it just means that different rules create different styles and philosophies.

Other differences in rules between Judo and Wrestling

Lastly, another difference in the rules is shaped (literally) by the mats. In Judo, a competition will take place on a square mat. Whilst competitors are meant to stay towards the middle, if they go out of bounds they will be told to reset if they do so. Wrestling differs, as the mat is circle-shaped. Here, if you can get your opponent to the floor outside of the main circle and in the outer circle, then you will score points. This means that usually the mat shapes and sizes are also different

More differences between Judo and Wrestling

Due to the differing styles and rulesets, you will often see people beginning from different stances. A typical Judo stance involves getting a deep collar grip on the opponents shoulder, then using their other arm, their hand will grab below the elbow of the opponent. Their lead leg is usually the one on the same side as the arm that grips the collar. The reason for this is to establish dominant grips, whilst also offering a solid defensive posture against counter throws.

In Wrestling, the stance differs greatly. Due to being able to grab the legs, Wrestlers will often crouch and squat quite low to start thinking about attacks. They will also do this whilst physically not touching their opponents which allows for the possibility of low singles. Alternatively whilst standing, they will often jockey for inside space by using a collar tie to set up throws and control the posture of the opponent.

Cultural differences between Judo and Wrestling

Generally speaking, Judo follows a more traditional way of thinking and has themes of discipline that are in line with its Japanese origins. This will involve bowing, using Japanese terminology and also teaching a big emphasis on the humble side of thinking outside of training. You could say that because of this, Judo has a distinct hierarchy and system. This can be seen with the belts, beginning with white and ending in black belt. Everything is systematic and involves uniformity.

Wrestling is quite different. Whilst Wrestling requires great discipline, its terminology is usually English and it doesn’t have a recognized belt system. This means that in some ways, it’s also more casual and whilst respect is earned, there’s also no bowing. In Wrestling, your mat time is often determined by cauliflower ear too, which is more likely to happen by the nature of its takedowns. This differs to Judo which involves less friction on the head, so although Judokas can and do get cauliflower ear, it’s not as bad compared to those who Wrestle.

Finally, Judo and Wrestling are relatively inexpensive as far as martial arts go. Many countries will teach Wrestling as part of their curriculum anyway whilst Judo is famously cheap to learn. This is great as they’re both highly skilled and there are worse martial arts out there to learn that are far more expensive.

What is best, Judo Vs Wrestling?

So far, we’ve looked at the main differences between the two. Now it’s time to look at what is best. Really, there’s no set answer to that and it really depends on your preference. The good news is that you can still Wrestle against someone in baggy clothes, whilst you can still use Judo against someone without clothes. The outcome of this means that each system is relatively versatile and can be used in various environments.

It should also be added that both systems are also heavily reliant on being explosive. Judokas will use speed to win grip fighting to set up throws, whilst Wrestlers will use athleticism to level change to enter takedowns. Whilst these are different methods, they also have a lot in common.

Overall though, it’s down to you. If you like the idea of submissions and grips to throw people, then Judo is probably the best option. Alternatively, if you want something more stripped back then Wrestling is ideal. In conclusion, there’s really no right or wrong answer. Instead, we should be looking at the effectiveness of both and realizing that they’re both very useful martial arts. In having an open mind, you shouldn’t be dismissive of either art and instead should appreciate that great grappling is great grappling whatever name it’s from.