The Ultimate Guide to Belt Levels in Jiu Jitsu

Every form of martial arts has its own peculiarities, and jiu jitsu is no different. While it does have a history of descending from other forms of hand-to-hand combat, it has developed into its own complete art. There are degrees of progress that are measured by the color of the belt a participant wears, but many of them are unique to this particular style of fighting. As adult students progress by mastering each level, new belts will be available for wearing and display.

From White Belt to Black Belt: The Jiu Jitsu Belt Order

White belts are the beginning in many forms of martial art, and you will wear one when you begin your adult martial arts classes with us. Students at this point are expected to study and work on their mastery for at least half a year before progressing to the blue belt.

Progressing to the blue belt is next, and it should take at least a minimum of two years before the next color promotion to purple.

Earning a purple belt is where you will find even more interaction and excitement in progressing through the levels. It takes most students who have begun by searching martial arts near me approximately five years to get through all the necessary levels of this stage.

The brown belt is about dominance and perfection, and it takes approximately one year to completely master. Challenging the next belt level will lead to it.

Judo students often find the black belt is the ultimate, but jiu jitsu belts are slightly different. The black belt is a challenge, yet there are still a few more color levels left to master.

Black belts in this form of martial arts are divided into more categories as red belts. The seventh degree black belt is actually red and black, and it has a minimum requirement of fifty years of age.

Obtaining one more level will bring you to the red and white belt known as the eighth degree black belt. Minimum age requirement for this level is fifty-seven.

The ninth degree black belts are for those with a minimum age of sixty-seven. They represent the highest category of those who have learned from the original founders and mastered their techniques and come up with their own moves. Teaching is an integral part of their duties as well.

The final belt, the tenth degree, has been reserved for the five members of the Gracie family considered to have been the founders of this branch of the martial arts. They are Carlos, Oswaldo, George, Gaston and Helio.

What Are the Different Jiu Jitsu Belts Capable of Doing

Learning the basics in jiu jitsu means being able to survive in a street fight, and that is where the lessons will take students. The very first belt worn, the white, requires students to learn how to escape a larger or stronger opponent before they can progress to the next level.

Exploring personal abilities is what the blue belt encourages in each student, and it is a belt where promotion is earned on merit instead of time or mastering specified moves. Students looking for progress will find out what works best for their personal fighting style, and it you should be able to defend against a larger or stronger opponent at this point.

The purple belt is an attainment for those of merit in their studies. As far as the learning responsibilities go, there are many. What becomes exciting when earning a jiu jitsu belt in this color is the ability to mentor other students at the blue belt level. Students mastering all levels of purple will find they should have confidence in their abilities, and they should master the complexities of combination moves. Their goal will be to become a challenge to those in the next belt level as they mentor those in the previous color belt.

Moving up through each color belt is about mastering techniques, but confidence and the ability to finish an opponent in a match are also part of what constitutes progress. For those students in the brown belt category, it is time to polish their own abilities. The time spent here will provide them with opportunities to take on opponents at various levels, and they will be ready for progression once they are a real challenge to those in the next belt color.

Mastery for the black belt in adult martial arts classes is about entering an entirely new level in jiu jitsu. Only those affiliated with IBJJF and passing a host of courses will be able to be certified in it. First aid classes are required, and they include CPR. Being able to pass the referee course for matches is also required. Certification is further dependent upon the ability to teach Brazilian jiu jitsu as a trained professional.

The red belts associated with jiu jitsu are for those who have spent most of a lifetime learning and perfecting their abilities. They are expected to pass on their knowledge to their students, and many of them have come up with their own unique moves that have been added to the repertoire as it continues to evolve.

The very last belt, the pure red, is reserved for the founding members of the Gracie family.