Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu And Its Ranking System

By Rod Bourgoine


Ranking systems are common in many forms of martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Students of Jiu-Jitsu will earn specific belts as they add to their skill set, learning technical and practical skills as well as improving one's ability to utilize those skills. The belts of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu not only represent improvement of skills, each also marks the strengthening of the student's commitment to Jiu-Jitsu.

When you begin, you are given a white belt. Typically during this part of your training, you will focus on defensive positions and escapes, as these are highly important for beginning practitioners. However, in order to become a well-rounded fighter, most schools also incorporate some basic offensive positions, including a few guard passes and some submission holds. Some BJJ schools add a stripe to the black edge of the belt, signifying the passage from one level of expertise to a higher level.

Both young and adult fighters begin with a white belt, but the rankings in general are quite different for children. There are more belts to earn and they require less time commitment to earn them. Generally, students do not reach adult rankings until they are 16 and also have spent about two years training.

Generally, it takes about two years to move through the degrees of a white belt and on to a blue belt. At this point, you will add a huge variety of technical skills, both offensive and defensive. This level is a huge jump for fighters, and you will spend many hours on the mat learning and practicing these techniques.

Upon earning the blue belt, you can begin working toward your purple belt, which takes about three years to obtain. Once you have obtained the purple belt, you may be able to begin teaching some of the beginning ranks, as you have acquired a vast skill set. After the purple belt, follows the brown belt which also takes about two years to earn and for most us, this will be the highest belt we earn.

A black belt is a lofty goal, but the majority of fighters don't reach this level as it requires a massive commitment of time and more than a decade of training. There are degrees to black belts, as well, and once you make it to the seventh degree, you will earn a black and red belt, which is very rare. The highest belt ranking is the 10th degree red belt, and only five people have ever attained this ranking and they were all pioneers of the martial art. There are only a few 9th-degree red belts, and include Rorion Gracie, the co-founder of UFC.




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