Why it’s best to be short in judo

Throughout your childhood years, you may be taught that generally it’s better to be tall and that height equates to success. Whilst this idea may be true in many cases, it’s actually the opposite for Judo. Generally speaking, a short and stocky build is ideal for most forms of grappling. However, in Judo specifically, this is even more so the case. Looked at from an opposite angle, you could also make the claim that being tall and lanky is ideal for most striking-based martial arts.

For kickboxing and boxing in general, long limbs are ideal to give you reach and offer benefits offensively and defensively. The same can be said for height in Judo. Typically, you want to be smaller for several reasons that will be listed below. Having said this, tall people shouldn’t worry either. If you happen to be tall, you can still excel in Judo and master your own style.

However, as far as Judo goes – in a general sense a short and stocky build is the ideal platform to work with. We should stress the word ‘general’ here. Remember, some people are built differently and there are always outliers. With that said, we are looking at typical examples of short vs large.

Being short helps defend against submissions

One issue with having long limbs is that you’re more likely to get caught in submissions. Let’s say for example, a lanky Judoka has a forearm length of 25 inches, compared to 20 inches of a short Judoka. That means the taller grappler has 5 inches of arm that is more likely to get caught in a juji gatame. Whilst this may not seem like much, over a lifetime of training it means you will get caught in more arm locks compared to someone with smaller arms. This isn’t to do with technique either, it’s simply a genetic fact.

Another similar example is in defending chokes. For instance, a smaller grappler may also typically have a shorter, sturdy neck with wide shoulders. This means it may be difficult to sink in an Okuri Eri Jime. Of course, having a thick, smaller neck won’t make you invincible to chokes but it will definitely give you a slight edge.

If you happen to have a long, thin neck that typically taller grapplers will have, then you may be forced into tapping one second earlier. Again, this may not seem like much but over the course of years, it’s the small micro details that can be the difference between victory and loss. In brief, being short offers a defensive layer of protection. In the big scheme of things, it may not mean that much but there’s also definitely a noticeable difference.

Being short means a naturally lower center of gravity and base

Imagine trying a foot sweep on a lanky Judoka with really long legs. Now, imagine this against a short grappler with far smaller legs. The result is that you would have much greater ease against the lanky grappler. An example of this can be seen in the animal kingdom. For instance, imagine a foot sweep on a giraffe.

Naturally, it would be quite easy to accomplish due to their legs mostly being long meaning their body is far from the ground. Now, imagine trying this on a gorilla. The gorilla may actually weigh the same as the giraffe, but their weight is distributed differently, and has more weight in their legs. Most importantly, their upper body is closer to the ground. This means the giraffe would be the far easier target.

It’s not just animals or Judo that this idea works with either. In soccer, arguably the greatest ever player was Lionel Messi. He was naturally small for a footballer at roughly 5’6 in height. However, this worked well for him due to his low sense of gravity. As a result, he could glide through the pitch elegantly and was difficult to get off the ball. Basically, due to having his upper body so close to the ground, it meant he had greater control of his balance. Compared to a far taller defender, his control was much better.

This same concept works in Judo. Being closer to the ground helps your weight distribution and means you can balance much easier. As you will know, balance is key in Judo, and without it, you can get thrown with ease. Being shorter naturally means better balance. Arguably, this is the biggest benefit of being a small Judoka compared to the other parts of the article. Although he wasn’t a Judoka, former UFC champion Henry Cejudo was a brilliant grappler which was partly due to his 5’4 feet height which allowed him to get low and take people down.

Being short helps for strength in competition

Let’s say you have two competitors. Both are 80KG, but one is 6’5 and the other is 5’6. Similar to the giraffe vs gorilla example, it isn’t hard to figure out who will be stronger. Naturally, the taller Judoka’s weight will be spread around his body. However, the smaller grappler will have bigger muscle mass meaning they will be far stronger as a result.

Put another way, having long arms and legs isn’t very necessary for Judo and can be a hindrance if anything. It doesn’t really add anything in terms of benefits. However, if you’re the same weight as a taller opponent, it means you will be far heavier pound for pound. Of course, we’re working on the idea that both grapplers are of the same BMI and the smaller guy isn’t obese.

If you’ve ever competed then you will know very well how much strength can play a part. Although Judo welcomes technique, sometimes extra strength can go a long way. With both competitors equal in technique, the smaller grappler should win most of the times. This is simply due to being stronger. With hip throws that involve explosive strength and grip strength, the smaller grappler would definitely have an unfair advantage. Unlike MMA, there is no striking to equal the playing field either in terms of reach and longer limbs. Therefore in a competition, being smaller can give you a big advantage in terms of physical dominance.

Being short can help build a scrappy mindset

The above example focused on being a small, but strong Judoka. But what if you’re small without the strength? Well, there is a theory that these guys become fearless during randori…because they have to. Imagine being a far bigger, stronger Judoka. You may be used to having things go your way and due to your physique, things may naturally feel easier. This is like playing Judo with cheat codes where your strength can make up for inferior technique at times. The smaller, weaker Judoka simply doesn’t have these tools or natural gifts. As a result, your technique will have to be on point at all times. Not only this but it will help build a scrappy mindset.

For instance, if the big guy is caught in a sankaku then they may tap quicker. However, if the smaller grappler is caught here, they may fight until the very last moments. This is because the bigger practitioner may rarely get caught in sankaku’s. If you’re that big and physical then getting into this position to begin with maybe unusual and as a result, you may panic or tap out of inexperience.

This isn’t the case for the smaller Judoka who has been here a million times before. Not only does this bring vital experience and teaches how to escape submission holds correctly, it also creates a tough mentality. As the saying goes, it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, instead it’s about the size of the fight in the dog. Although cliche, this rings true with smaller guys who typically have more to prove. Anyone who has trained martial arts will have probably seen this during training at some point.

Usually being smaller means being quicker

So far, we’ve looked at attributes such as strength and base. However, it should also be noted that being smaller usually means that you will move quicker too. In Judo, timing is everything and this will only benefit you further. For example, if there is a quick scramble, generally the smaller Judoka will win. Let’s say you both hit the floor from a scrappy throw. Typically the smaller player will get up quicker and possibly gain an advantageous position as a result.

Whilst standing, speed also helps as you can quickly move around your opponent. Being mobile and static is not a good idea in Judo, so speed is yet another bonus when grappling. This isn’t just for offense either. Defensively, if you need to retreat then having quick feet is very beneficial. When attacking, obviously speed is equally as good as it can create entries into throws before your partner can even think about reacting.

Short Judo is great for hip throws

In terms of practical, real-life examples – Judo is fantastic for hip throws. Translated as Goshi, this means the hips and there are various throws that utilize your hips. From Uchi Mata to Harai Ogoshi, hip tosses are very common and important in Judo. This is where being smaller definitely comes in useful. Due to height, you don’t have to squat or duck under your partner as much as a taller Judoka. For instance, your hips will naturally be below the hips of your opponent which means the throw is already set up for the most part.

Looked at from a tall perspective, you would instead have to crouch down to win the hip line battle. Of course, this is still doable, but it involves more movements that can only slow things down and make them harder. Compared to the starting point of a smaller practitioner, it just makes life a bit harder. As a result, being short in Judo will naturally make hip throws far easier.