Bjj Belt Progression
- Thread starter Spartan
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Kennedy_Shogen_Ryu
Blue Belt
My BJJ instructor told me that he earned his belt in 10 years. I asked him your question and he told me it's because it takes about 10 years to not only learn but to understand the techniques. To be able to apply them and teach them. To be able to prove yourself either on the mat or in a competition.
In general BJJ black belt standards are very high. However, I have noticed in the last four or five years a slight change with people getting belts black and otherwise earlier and earlier. While this is not everywhere it is happening a little bit. Still the standards and in general are high and that is a good thing.
Could be. It could also be that BJJ is big business right now and that some less than qualified people are teaching and advancing people. Or someone is advancing people faster for monetary reasons. A for instance I have heard of at least six people who got their blue belts in just a year. Ten years ago that did not happen very often. (if at all) It was more like two years plus for almost everyone I trained with.
Still in general most of the good BJJ schools that I know are maintaining standards and overall the BJJ belt ranking system is very, very good.
profesormental
Brown Belt
Greetings.
I've seen people earn their blue belt in about a year or so, maybe year and a half.
Normally, it is a question of skill and how well you do with others on the mat.
Since I've seen really good guys go from white to blue in a year or so... spend a year or two more in blue... then go to purple and stay there for a few more years...
So that's 5 to 7 years to get to brown... where you spend a few years... so yeah... 8 to 10 years to get to black is about right.
At purple, they can coach and open schools and train others... sometimes at blue... so there should be no problem with the business side while keeping a higher standard for black belt.
Hope that helps.
Juan M. Mercado
I've seen people earn their blue belt in about a year or so, maybe year and a half.
Normally, it is a question of skill and how well you do with others on the mat.
Since I've seen really good guys go from white to blue in a year or so... spend a year or two more in blue... then go to purple and stay there for a few more years...
So that's 5 to 7 years to get to brown... where you spend a few years... so yeah... 8 to 10 years to get to black is about right.
At purple, they can coach and open schools and train others... sometimes at blue... so there should be no problem with the business side while keeping a higher standard for black belt.
Hope that helps.
Juan M. Mercado
Kennedy_Shogen_Ryu
Blue Belt
The beauty with martial arts (in my opinion) is that everyone can do it. Sometimes it does take longer for someone to either grasp the concepts or get their fitness level up. And you are right, there is a lot of athleticism involved in BJJ, there's also hundreds of complicated techniques. I would rather take longer to achieve my black belt and know that I had earned it then receive it early and know that I wasn't deserving of it.
Ybot
Blue Belt
I don't agree. BJJ grappling in the gi is less athleticism and more technique. The gi really slows down the match and often negates some of the advantage that athleticism gives. I find that even uncoordinated klutzes when they practice can make great Jiu-Jitsu players.
One thing that may lead to this assumption is that Jiu-Jitsu players tend to be in good shape. I think this is less a function of what they were before Jiu-Jitsu, and more about what Jiu-Jitsu made them. It's pretty much impossible to train regularly in BJJ and not get stronger.
I think this has more to do with the fact that there are now more and more higher belts training in the US, so the beginner today has an advantage in training partners over the beginners of the past. My instructor promotes people to Blue typically around 14 months or so, and I can testify that the new guys at my school are getting better much faster than I did when I was a white belt training at a school with fewer higher ranked belts.
profesormental
Brown Belt
Greetings.
I agree that higher level training partners make you get better faster.
Also, in BJJ with the gi, a lot of technique is required... yet it IS still exhausting grappling... you will get in shape.
Yet, since the requirements for black belt are in terms of skills in the mat, rather than just knowledge... it is a very respectable and consistent standard... which is something I like.
By playing in the mat with peers, and being able to hang with them, is that which proves you level.
So if you're white and you start to dominate with technique some blue belts, you're ready for blue... if you're dominating purple belts... you're ready for blue... except if you're blue... then you go to purple, etc.
Enjoy!
Juan M. Mercado
I agree that higher level training partners make you get better faster.
Also, in BJJ with the gi, a lot of technique is required... yet it IS still exhausting grappling... you will get in shape.
Yet, since the requirements for black belt are in terms of skills in the mat, rather than just knowledge... it is a very respectable and consistent standard... which is something I like.
By playing in the mat with peers, and being able to hang with them, is that which proves you level.
So if you're white and you start to dominate with technique some blue belts, you're ready for blue... if you're dominating purple belts... you're ready for blue... except if you're blue... then you go to purple, etc.
Enjoy!
Juan M. Mercado
firstcoastfb44
White Belt
as a instructor of bjj, undefeated grappler, and martial artists of many styles the style of bjj is spreading like wild fire. it takes 10 to 15 years to earn a bjj black belt that is why you commenly see blue purple and brown belt instructors. another reason is because finding a true gracie black belt is rare it isnt like karate where a 2nd dan can promote a brown to black he must be a certain degree and that takes rougly 16 years to do. the awesome part is though 75% or bjj is learn in the 1st 6 months the other 25 takes 10 to 15 years to learn.. and there is no subtitute for mat time. i know it sucks being a white belt, or fresh into it and it is going to take forever, but when you get your belts and stripes you will know you earn them
dru123
Yellow Belt
I was humbled when I went to my first (gi) BJJ class. I consider myself in pretty good shape. I lift weights about 3 days a week, run 3 miles 2 days a week, do yoga 2 days, and do martial arts 3 days. I didn't think I would have any problem with BJJ class, but after one hour I was exhausted. I asked my training partner how long class was and I almost fainted when he said 2 hours. I have done gi and no gi training and I don't find one any easier then the other.
Ybot
Blue Belt
How long have you been training?
I have found that grappling requires a different type of cardio than stand up fighting and jogging, or just about any other exercise besides grappling. I didn't claim that the classes were easy to get through, but over time it becomes easier. Yes, you do get stronger from training, and things become easier as your body adjusts to the kind of exercise you are doing. But, also a huge thing I see in BJJ is that beginners fight and exert energy at the wrong times. As their technique improves they are able to find better positioning, and make it easier on them and harder on their opponents. In the gi especially you can find a tight position and hold on if you have proper technique. This is much harder to do in a no-gi setting because grips are slippery and people can more easily explode out of bad positions, which encourages a much more active competition. Certainly technique and strategy are essential in no-gi, but mistakes are much more forgivable if your athletic enough to explode out. In gi, tight non-slippery grips slow down the overall pace of a match, and if you get caught, it is much harder to escape, so in essense the less athletic, but more tactical and technical player has more of an advantage over the natural athlete in the gi.
Gentle Fist
Master Black Belt
BJJ brought meaning back to the rank of "Black Belt".
I remember my first couple of weeks and it royally sucked. I was in a class with only purples and high blues, no white belts came in during the morning hours. So I was getting ripped to shreds by everyone. Once I finally had some white belts to spar with. I realized how good I was getting. Only to be re-humbled by the purple belts.
I remember my first couple of weeks and it royally sucked. I was in a class with only purples and high blues, no white belts came in during the morning hours. So I was getting ripped to shreds by everyone. Once I finally had some white belts to spar with. I realized how good I was getting. Only to be re-humbled by the purple belts.
halfnote19
Yellow Belt
As I have been looking into schools I have come across the International BJJ Federation.
Some schools follow their recommendation for belt progression.
http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm
They have minimum time limits to advance in belt colors. Once you have a blue belt they have estimated 4 1/2 years min to get your black belt.
What do you think about this?
Some schools follow their recommendation for belt progression.
http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm
They have minimum time limits to advance in belt colors. Once you have a blue belt they have estimated 4 1/2 years min to get your black belt.
What do you think about this?
Also consider that nowadays many people are coming from other disciplines to Jiu-Jitsu. For example, I have my 2nd Dan in Hapkido. So, all the break falls and wrist locks are exactly the same. The take downs are virtually identical and some of the ground work crosses over. I've also studied numerous Judo techniques. Now, I admit I have a long way to go when it comes to serious grappling, BUT I am able to move through the "Q" belts rather quickly.
Remember, many people are trying BJJ for the first time - but they have been training in other M.A's for years.
Remember, many people are trying BJJ for the first time - but they have been training in other M.A's for years.
joemoplata
Yellow Belt
I agree with this 100%. People are getting better quicker because they are getting higher level instruction early on. When I first started training at my academy we had 1 black belt and like 10 blue belts. Back then, you were looking at about 2 years to get to blue. Now, almost 10 years later, people are getting blue belts on average in a year because they are training daily with black belts, brown belts and TONS of purple belts. And they are getting WAY better than I was at the same period in their training.
Marvin
Black Belt
So true Brian. I remember going to a seminar and the bjj instructor when he walked around asked everyone did they pay their seminar fee.Could be. It could also be that BJJ is big business right now and that some less than qualified people are teaching and advancing people. Or someone is advancing people faster for monetary reasons. A for instance I have heard of at least six people who got their blue belts in just a year. Ten years ago that did not happen very often. (if at all) It was more like two years plus for almost everyone I trained with.
Still in general most of the good BJJ schools that I know are maintaining standards and overall the BJJ belt ranking system is very, very good.
I know of 1 or 2 people who probably shouldent be the belt they are, but bjj has a wonderful way of showing this. It's called rolling. Any lacking of skill will quickly become apparent. Which is a good thing.
Also I think the quality of instruction has gone up as well, alot of us, when we started traing bjj were doing postures incorrectly (some were even shown wrong on purpose:shrug
. There is a lot more openness in the art now.
