The Myths and Claims of BJJ: What’s True or False?

January 20, 2025 2 min read

I remember back in grade school, when a former friend of mine told me that BJJ was a “fake sport” and that he could easily beat up any jiu-jitsu athlete.

He had never done a sport, but he got into fights pretty often and won a brag-worthy amount of them.

However, when it came time to fight an actual, trained individual, he got absolutely steamrolled.

We went to this martial arts gym in the middle of nowhere in Ohio, and when it came time to do live rolls, he decided to challenge the best guy there.

You can already imagine how that turned out.

Within 20 seconds from the start of the match, he got submitted with a rear-naked choke.

His ego was shattered, and from that point forward, he thought twice about belittling BJJ.

As you can see, people have some misconceptions of BJJ.

There are so many myths about jiu-jitsu that seem like fact, and there are several truths that are oftentimes less known.

In this blog, we will tackle several BJJ myths and determine whether they are FACT or FICTION.

Claim #1: BJJ is easy and not intense

While BJJ can seem calm and calculated at times, it can be very intense and competitive.

In a BJJ match, grapplers are constantly looking for submissions and new positions to get into.

This can result in a scramble, which is a situation where grapplers quickly move around to dominate their opponent.

Verdict: False. BJJ can be pretty intense.

Claim #2: BJJ can help you in a street fight

Street fights are nasty. You generally should avoid these conflicts as they can result in life-long damages or death if all goes south.

But what if you are forced into a corner? Can BJJ be of any use in these scenarios?

It depends on the situation you’re in. You have to really bank on your opponent making a mistake and taking advantage of the slip-up. For example, if they’re just mindlessly throwing punches, you can grab one of their arms and drag them to you and get a submission from nearby.

This is very situational and may carry certain risks though.

Verdict: True, but you have to be tactical as things can easily go the wrong way.

Claim #3: BJJ is one of the best ways to stay fit

If you’ve grappled for a considerable amount of time (1-3 months), you know how sweaty rolls can get.

BJJ is actively engaging in cardio and muscle growth. You are using every muscle in your body as you grapple, which burns a ton of calories.

Just an hour long BJJ session of moderate intensity will burn around 240–480 calories for a person weighing 200 lbs (91 kg).

BJJ also produces endorphins after each session, which promotes good mental health. This is why you may feel relaxed and satisfied after training (similar to a runner’s high).

Verdict: True. There is no disputing the effectiveness of jiu-jitsu in regards to general health.

Claim #4: BJJ is a dying sport

The rise of jiu-jitsu cannot be understated. Over the years, interest in the sport has risen worldwide.

This rise in prominence can be attributed to organizations like UFC streaming BJJ matches on their subscription services.

The influence of creators like Craig Jones and Mikey Musumeci has also broadened the sport’s audience through their use of entertaining and engaging content.

Verdict: False. BJJ is one of the fastest growing sports right now with no sign of it stopping any time soon.

Conclusion

BJJ is a relatively new sport, so it makes sense that there are some things people take as fact just based off a lack on information.

That’s why it’s important to always verify any belief you see on the internet.

After all, knowledge is power. So if you have knowledge that’s just wrong, you’re powerless!

See you on the mats!

FAQ

Porrada is a Portuguese term commonly used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Brazilian culture to describe a tough, intense, and gritty style of training or fighting. The direct translation of porrada from Portuguese to English is "beating" or "brawl." It embodies the spirit of going all out, giving your maximum effort, and pushing through challenges. In BJJ, practicing porrada means training with high intensity and determination.

This website is a collection of resources curated by grapplers, for grapplers. Our goal is to provide you with all the information you need to succeed. Whether you want to learn about nutrition, training on the mats, lifting, or anything in between, we are here for you. We want to see you on the podium most of all, and we hope to help you do exactly that. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot us an email or DM us on any of our social profiles!

There are two main ways you can get started with training: 1) You can find a BJJ gym near you and do a trial day, or 2) you can create your own mini home gym and start training with friends. Option #2 is how our team at Porrada got started! We ordered 1-inch thick puzzle mats in a 10’x10’ square and began training using online resources. If you do start with the second option, we recommend eventually finding a gym down the road in your career. It will help you by allowing you to roll with more people and receive high-level instruction.

BJJ is quite similar to wrestling. Both start standing and use takedowns as a method to score points. Both use very similar mechanics overall. The main differences are that there are no pins (you can be on your back in Jiu-Jitsu), BJJ involves submissions, and the points system for each is very different. BJJ grants points for takedowns/sweeps, back control, mount, guard passes, and knee on belly. Wrestling grants points for takedowns, escapes, and back points (back exposure for freestyle).

BJJ is a very unique sport in many ways. There are so many incredible benefits to training Jiu-Jitsu. The biggest reasons we advocate for it are the mindset training and the added ability to defend yourself. In BJJ, you are forced to humble yourself over and over again, every single day. This sport is a great way to mature rapidly and generally become a better person (in our opinion). You will also have a better ability to defend yourself than 99% of the population—a pretty big bonus.

You’re never too old to start training! We see people on the mats of all ages and sizes. Large and small, old and young can, and should, train BJJ. If you are on the older side, it is perfectly acceptable to take it slow and learn at your own pace. You don’t always have to go full speed—don’t worry. There are typically also classes that separate people by goals. Certain classes are for those who want to compete, some are for general instruction, and some are specifically for self-defense teachings. There is a place for everyone on the mats.