Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ranking system

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ranking system awards a practitioner different colored belts (worn as part of the uniform) to signify increasing levels of technical knowledge and practical skill. While the system’s structure shares its origins with the Judo ranking system and the origins of all colored belts, it now contains many of its own unique aspects and themes. Some of these differences are relatively minor, such as the division between youth and adult belts and the stripe/degree system. Others are quite distinct and have become synonymous with the art, such as a marked informality in promotional criteria, including as a focus on a competitive demonstration of skill, and a conservative approach to promotion in general.^[1][2][3]

History

In 1907, Kanō Jigorō, the founder of Judo, introduced the first use of belts (obi) and gi (judogi) within the art of Judo, replacing the practice of training in formal kimonos.^[4] In 1914, Kanō dispatched Mitsuyo Maeda on the trip to Brazil, which resulted in the development of BJJ. At the time however, Kanō implemented only the use of white and black belts, with white representing the beginner, as a color of purity and simplicity, and black being the opposite, representing one who is filled up with knowledge.^[4] Mikonosuke Kawaishi is believed by many to have been the first to introduce additional colored belts. He originated this practice in 1935 when he began teaching Judo in Paris, France. Kawaishi felt that structured system of colored belts would provide the western student with visible rewards to show progress, increasing motivation and retention.^[4]

Kawaishi's adoption of colored belts came only 10 years after Carlos Gracie opened his academy in Brazil. Since then, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and many other martial arts have adopted the use of colored belts as a way to denote a student's increasing progress.^[5]

Individual adult belt ranks

The following sections are provided as brief synopses regarding the general themes surrounding each individual belt rank.

White belt

White belt is the beginning rank for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu students.

White belt is the lowest ranking belt within Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is the rank held by any practitioner new to the art and has no prerequisite. It is the rank immediately preceding the blue belt.^[2] Some instructors and other high-level practitioners feel that white belt is the rank where most of the student’s training emphasis should be placed on escaping and defensive positioning, as it can be argued that a white belt will do much of his or her fighting from inferior positions (especially when training with higher belts).^[6]

While this may be largely true, and forms a solid training base for belts to come, most academies will require a prospective blue belt to show a well-rounded skill-set, with a knowledge of not only survival techniques, but basic offensive moves, such as common submissions and guard passes.^[7][8]

Blue belt

A general estimate of the time required to obtain a blue belt in most academies is 1 to 2 years.^[9][10][11]

Blue belt is the second lowest adult rank within the most commonly accepted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grading system, bridging the way between the beginner rank of white belt and the intermediate rank of purple belt.^[2]

To progress to a purple belt, a blue belt level student must acquire a vast technical knowledge regarding all aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and hundreds of hours of mat-time to know how to implement these moves efficiently.^[7] Perhaps because of this, blue belt is often known as a rank where a student collects a large number of techniques.^[12]

The IBJJF requires that a practitioner be at least 16 years old to receive a blue belt (thereby officially entering into the adult belt system).^[2]

Purple belt

A general estimate of the time required to progress from blue belt to purple belt in most academies is 2 to 3 years.^[9][10][11]

Purple belt is the intermediate adult ranking within the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, coming after the rank of blue belt and before brown belt.^[2] It is often considered one of the longer held ranks, and typically takes at least 3 years of dedicated training as a blue belt to achieve (total training time of 4-5 years from white belt).^[3]

Even as an "intermediate" rank, the purple belt level practitioner holds a formidable amount of knowledge, and purple belts are generally considered qualified to instruct lower belts. In other martial arts, students with a similar amount of time and effort invested would often be ranked as a black (instructor) level belt. ^[13]

The IBJJF requires that a student be at least 16 years old and have spent a minimum of 2 years ranked as a blue belt to be eligible to receive a purple belt (with slightly different requirements for those transitioning straight from the youth belts).^[2]

Brown belt

A general estimate of the time required to progress from purple belt to brown belt in most academies is 2 to 3 years.^[9][10][11]

Aside from the exceptional belts awarded at the highest levels, brown belt is the highest "color" belt rank within the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, providing a transition between the intermediate purple belt rank and the elite black belt.^[2] Brown belt is arguably the beginning of the elite ranks in and of itself, typically taking at least 5 years of dedicated training to achieve.^[3] As a transitional rank, it is often thought of as a time for refining rather than accumulation, where a practitioner hones already acquired technical and practical skills until they reach a black belt level.^[14]

The IBJJF requires that a student be at least 18 years old and have spent a minimum of 1.5 years ranked as a purple belt to be eligible to receive a brown belt.^[2]

Black belt

A general estimate of the time required to progress from brown belt to black belt in most academies is 2 to 3 years.^[9][10][11]

As with many other martial arts, the black belt is the highest common belt within the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, denoting an expert level of technical and practical skill.^[2] Estimates vary on the time required to achieve the rank, with 10 years total (or more) an often heard estimate.^[9] No matter how many actual years are required, every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt will have undoubtedly invested thousands of hours of mat time (randori) into the art and hold a skill-set that demonstrably reflects such.

The IBJJF requires that a student be at least 19 years old and have spent a minimum of 1 year ranked as a brown belt to be eligible to receive a black belt.^[2]

Black and red belt

Current IBJJF regulations places the time it takes to progress from a 6th degree black belt to 7th degree black-and-red belt at 7 years.^[2]

When a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt reaches the 7th and 8th degree, the practitioner is awarded an alternating red-and-black belt (similar to the alternating red and white belt earned at the 6th degree in Judo).^[2][4] This belt is also referred to as the "coral belt".^[15][16] Black-and-red belt holders are very experienced practitioners, most of whom have made a large impact on the overall art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Some notable black-and-red belt holders are Royce Gracie, Carlos Gracie Jr., Rickson Gracie, Sergio Penha, Carlos Machado, Rigan Machado, Jean Jacques Machado, Pedro Sauer, Carlos Caique Elias, Marcus Soares, Fábio Santos, Luiz Palhares, Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti, Joe Moreira, Mauricio Motta Gomes, Mauricio Robbe, Ricardo Liborio, Aloisio Silva and Relson Gracie.

Red belt

Current IBJJF regulations places the time it takes to progress from a 8th degree red-and-black belt to 9th degree red belt at 10 years.^[2]

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the red belt is reserved "for those whose influence and fame takes them to the pinnacle of the art".^[3]

It is awarded in lieu of a 9th and 10th degree black belt (identical to the art of Judo). Assuming that someone received his or her black belt at 19 years old (the minimum age to receive a black belt under the IBJJF's graduation system) the earliest they could expect to receive a 9th degree red belt would be at the age of 67.^[2]

Examples of 9th Degree Red Belt holders include the late Carlson Gracie, Rorion Gracie, Oswaldo Fadda and Geny Rebello. The 10th degree red belt is permanently reserved to the pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Carlos, Oswaldo, Jorge, Gastão and Hélio Gracie.^[2]

Promotion criteria

There have been few published guidelines or standards that determine when a practitioner is ready for promotion, with the criterion generally determined on an individual instructor and/or academy basis.^[17][18] Even the IBJJF, while maintaining an extensive graduation system that takes into account time-in-grade and membership standing, makes no mention of specific performance or skill requirements.^[2] When instructors or academies do comment on the criteria needed to achieve the next belt, the most widely accepted measures are:

• The amount of technical and conceptual knowledge a practitioner can demonstrate, and;^[10]
• Performance in grappling (randori) within the academy and/or competition.^[9]

Technical and conceptual knowledge is judged by the number of techniques a student can perform, and the level of skill with which they are performed in live grappling. This allows for smaller and older practitioners to be recognized for their knowledge though they may not be the strongest fighters in the school. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a distinctly individual sport, and practitioners are encouraged to adapt the techniques to make them work for their body type, strategic preferences, and level of athleticism. The ultimate criterion for promotion is the ability to execute the techniques successfully, rather than strict stylistic compliance.^[3]

Informal versus formalized testing

As noted above, the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu historically has had an informal approach to belt promotions, with one or more instructors subjectively agreeing that a given student is ready for the next rank.^[3][18] In recent years however, some academies have moved toward a more systematic, formalized testing approach. This is especially true for the lower ranks, where the decision to promote is arguably the least contentious.^[19]

One of the first instructors to publicly publish some of this formalized testing criterion was Roy Harris, who has formalized promotion tests, up to and including black belt.^[20] Formal testing is now becoming common-place in many Gracie Academies as well as organizations such as Alliance.^[21] Some Gracie systems have even introduced formalized on-line testing that allows you to become proficient in the art without stepping into the dojo.^[22]

Formalized tests are generally based around the same elements as a normal promotion, that is, technical/conceptual knowledge and the ability to apply those techniques against a resisting opponent. Some tests however, take other aspects into account, such as a student's personal character or a basic knowledge regarding the history of the art.^[17]

Formalized testing may also contain conditions more familiar to traditional martial arts, such as testing fees and a required amount of pre-testing private lessons with the instructor.^[7]

Competitions

Students are generally encouraged to compete, as it can play an important and oftentimes accelerating role in a practitioner's growth and overall speed of promotion. Competition allows an instructor to gauge a student's abilities while grappling with a fully resisting opponent, and it is not uncommon for a promotion to follow shortly after a good competition performance.^[10] In most academies it is not an essential prerequisite for promotion, but there are exceptions to this and in a minority of schools, competing is not only endorsed but required.^[10]

Stripes/degrees

A blue belt with three stripes.

In addition to the belt system, many academies award "stripes" as a form of intra-belt recognition of progress and skill.^[23] The cumulative amount of stripes earned serves as a rough indication of a practitioners skill level relative to others within the same belt rank (i.e. a blue-belt level practitioner with four stripes would be more adept than a blue-belt practitioner with one, but not a purple belt with one.)^[24]

Stripes can be as formal as small pieces of cloth sown onto the sleeve of the belt, or as informal as pieces of tape applied to the same general area. Although the exact application (such as the amount of stripes allowed for each belt) varies from school to school, the IBJJF sets out a general system where 4 stripes can be added before the student should be considered for promotion to the next belt.^[2]

Stripes are only used for ranks prior to black belt, after black belt is achieved, the markings are known as "degrees" and are only formally awarded (with time-in-grade being as significant a factor as skill level). Unlike the belt system, stripes are not used in every academy and, where they are used, they may not always be applied consistently.^[2]

Extra-promotional customs

One long-standing tradition practiced in many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools immediately following a promotion, is a custom known as "running the gauntlet" ("passar no corredor" in Portuguese).^[25]

The gauntlet can come in many forms, but generally follows two basic patterns:

• The newly-promoted student is hit on their back with belts—once by each of their fellow practitioners—as they walk or run past;
• The newly-promoted student thrown by his instructors, and sometimes also by each of the students with equal or higher grade in the academy.

In recent years some have criticized the practice, citing philosophical and even legal reasons, and it is no longer part of some prominent academies.^[26] Advocates for the custom argue that "running the gauntlet" serves as a method of team building and reinforces camaraderie between classmates.^[25]

See also

• List of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners
• Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Rio de Janeiro
• Dan (rank)
• Black belt (martial arts)

References

1. ^ "Martial arts ranking". The similar graduation system of another martial art (Karate). http://usadojo.com/learning-center/martial-arts-ranking.htm. Retrieved October 13, 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r} Camargo, Bruno. "IBJJF Graduation system". http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm. Retrieved October 13, 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Gracie, Renzo & Royler (2001). Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique. Invisible Cities Press Llc. pp. 304. ISBN 1931229082. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Ohlenkamp, Neil (January 5, 2009). "The Judo Rank System". Contains the history of the Judo rank system. http://judoinfo.com/obi.htm. Retrieved October 16, 2009. 
5. ^ "A Comprehensive History of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu". A work that documents the origins of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. http://www.onzuka.com/graciehistory.html. Retrieved October 16, 2009. 
6. ^ Riberiro, Saulo (2008). Jiu-Jitsu University. Victory Belt Publishing. pp. 368. ISBN 0981504434. 
7. ^ ^{a b c} Harris, Roy (February 7, 2006). "Harris International Blue Belt Requirements". A formal test for blue-belt.. http://www.royharris.com/articles/?sec=6&id=1024. Retrieved October 16, 2009. 
8. ^ "BJJ Spokane blue belt test". An example of techniques often required for a blue belt.. http://www.bjjspokane.com/BlueBeltTest.php. Retrieved October 23, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu FAQ". An approximation of time spent at each belt rank. http://www.bcbjj.org/page/page/3247053.htm. Retrieved October 16, 2009. 
10. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "BJJ Promotions Through Tennessee BJJ Club". An estimate of time between each belt rank and the skills needed to achieve them. http://www.tnbjj.com/linkedpages/promotions.html. Retrieved November 2, 2009. 
11. ^ ^{a b c d} "F.A.Q. on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Thailand". An FAQ on BJJ with an estimate of time between each belt rank. October 9, 2010. http://www.bjjthailand.com/mma/index.htm#5. Retrieved June 1, 2011. 
12. ^ Harris, Roy (October 12, 2005). "Progression in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu". A BJJ black-belt's perspective on belt progression. http://www.onthemat.com/articles/Progression_in_Brazilian_JiuJitsu_10_13_2005.html. Retrieved October 26, 2009. 
13. ^ "Tarpein's dojo packages & Programs". A martial arts academy that guarantees a black belt within a certain time frame. http://www.tarpeinsdojo.com/membership.html. Retrieved October 26, 2009. 
14. ^ Thornton, Matt (February 13, 2007). "Exploring the map". A BJJ black-belt's perspective on belt progression. http://aliveness101.blogspot.com/2007/02/exploring. Retrieved October 26, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
15. ^ "A Day With A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coral Belt". Interview referencing a "coral belt". May 27th, 2011. http://www.submissioncontrol.com/main/2011/05/a-day-with-a-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-coral-belt/. Retrieved October 24th, 2011. 
16. ^ "Joe Moreira BJJ". Prof. Moreira's website referring to his "coral belt". http://www.joemoreirabjj.com/. Retrieved October 24th, 2011. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Team Tookie belt requirements". A page mentioning the traditionally informal promotion structure of BJJ. http://www.teamtooke.com/brazilianjiujitsu-beltrequirements.html. Retrieved October 27, 2009. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "Robson Moura academy enrolling". A page mentioning the traditionally informal promotion structure of BJJ. http://robsonmoura.com/academy/academy_enrolling.html. Retrieved October 27, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
19. ^ "Kioto Quogue". The formalized promotion structure of one BJJ academy. http://www.kiotobjjny.com/quogue.html. Retrieved November 2, 2009. 
20. ^ Harris, Roy (April 1, 2009). "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Belt Promotions". A list of Roy Harris' formal belt tests. http://www.royharris.com/corner/?id=1162. Retrieved November 2, 2009. 
21. ^ "Jiu-Jitsu Belt Requirements". Alliance Tallahassee Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 2011. http://www.zicrobjj.com/belts.php. Retrieved April 6, 2011. 
22. ^ "Training Programs". Summary of the Gracie on-line program. 2011. http://www.gracieacademy.com/training_programs.asp. Retrieved April 6, 2011. 
23. ^ "SBG Belt Testing". A page discussing one academy's particular use of the stripe system. http://www.straightblastgym.com/bjjtesting.htm. Retrieved November 2, 2009. 
24. ^ "Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Network Official Belt Ranking System". A document that mentions one academy's use of the stripe/degree system. http://www.threeriversacademy.com/pdf/belt_system.pdf. Retrieved November 3, 2009. 
25. ^ ^{a b} Goldberg, Elyse (May 11, 2009). "Jiu Jitsu, Anthropology, Societies, Rituals". A description of the gauntlet as practiced in one academy. http://www.gringabjj.com/2009/05/jiu-jitsu-anthropology-societies.html. Retrieved November 2, 2009. 
26. ^ Burosh, Matt (June 2009). "Bacoming a black belt". An article mentioning the gauntlet and reactions to it. http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/mma-article.asp?aid=298&issid=22. Retrieved November 3, 2009.