The
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...
ranking system signifies a practitioner's increasing level of technical knowledge and practical skill within the art. Colored belts worn as part of the
uniform
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, se ...
are awarded to the practitioner. The ranking system shares its origins with the
judo belt-rank system, but the Brazilian system incorporates some minor differences from Judo such as a division between youths and adults and the issuance of stripes and degrees. Some differences have become synonymous with
the art
The Art (sometimes stylized as THEART) are an Australian alternative rock band based in Sydney. They began performing under the name The Follow in 2002, changing their name to The ART in 2004.
History
Founded in 2002 and plucked from the ob ...
, such as a marked informality in promotional criteria, a focus on competitive demonstration of skill, and conservative promotion.
History
In 1907,
Kanō Jigorō
was a Japanese educator, athlete, and the founder of Judo. Along with Ju-Jutsu, Judo was one of the first Japanese martial arts to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport. Pedagogical inno ...
, the founder of
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
, introduced the use of belts (''
obi #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
'') and
gi (''
judogi
''Judogi'' (柔道着 or 柔道衣), also called keikogi or dogi, is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Judo practice and competition.
A judogi is somewhat similar to a karategi (空手着 or 空手衣, Karate uniform) ...
'') in the martial arts, replacing the practice of training in formal
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
.
In 1914, Kanō's pupil
Mitsuyo Maeda
,Virgílio, pp. 22–25
a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Maeda (),Virgílio, p. 9
was a Japanese ''judōka'' (judo practitioner) and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions, also being one of the first documented mixed martial artists of t ...
arrived in Brazil, a journey which led to the development of
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...
. At the time, Kanō used only white and black belts.
Some believe that
Mikonosuke Kawaishi
was a Japanese master of jujutsu and judo who achieved the rank of 7th Dan. He led the development of Judo in France, with Shozo Awazu, and much of Europe and is credited with introducing the colored belt system for differentiating early grades. ...
was the first to introduce additional colors in 1935 when he began teaching Judo in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, ten years after
Carlos Gracie
Carlos Gracie (September 14, 1902October 7, 1994) was a Brazilian martial artist who is credited with being one of the primary developers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Along with his younger brother Hélio Gracie and fellow students Luis França and ...
opened his academy in Brazil. Kawaishi thought that a more structured system of colored belts would provide the student with visible rewards to show progress, increasing motivation and retention.
However, written accounts from the archives of London's Budokwai judo club, founded in 1918, record the use of colored judo belts at the 1926 9th annual Budokwai Display, and a list of color-ranked judokas appears in the Budokwai Committee Minutes of June 1927. Kawaishi may have arrived in the UK by 1928, and appears to have first visited London and the Budokwai in 1931. From there he was probably inspired to bring the colored belt system to France.
[
] Since then, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and many other martial arts have adopted the use of colored belts to denote students' progression in the arts.
The first official belt ranking system was created in 1967 by the
Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Guanabara
The Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Guanabara (Federação de Jiu-Jitsu da Guanabara), located in Rio de Janeiro, was founded in 1967. The federation was established under the authorization of the National Sports Confederation of Brazil. The federation was ...
. Before those days, there were three belt colors in Brazilian jiu-jitsu that primarily distinguished instructors from students. The white belt was for students, light blue for instructors, and dark blue for masters. The
Sport Jiu Jitsu International Federation (SJJIF)
Sport Jiu-Jitsu International Federation is one of the international governing bodies for the sport of Brazilian jiu-jitsu also known as BJJ.
Sport Jiu Jitsu International Federation (SJJIF) History
The Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Guanabara, in ...
and
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Ji ...
implemented much of the current criteria and modern belt ranks.
Adult belt ranks
White belt
White belt is the beginning rank for all Brazilian jiu-jitsu students. The rank is held by any practitioner new to the art and has no prerequisite.
Some instructors and other
high-level practitioners think that a white belt's training should emphasize escapes and defensive positioning since a white belt will often fight from inferior positions, especially when training with more experienced practitioners.
Most academies will additionally require that a white belt level practitioner works to obtain a well-rounded skills set, with a knowledge of basic offensive moves, such as common
submissions and
guard passes.
Blue belt
Blue belt is the second adult rank in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at schools that do not use yellow, orange, and green belts for adults.
At the blue belt level, students gain a wide breadth of technical knowledge and undertake hundreds of hours of mat time to learn how to implement these moves efficiently.
Blue belt is often the rank at which the student learns a large number of techniques.
The IBJJF requires a practitioner remain a blue belt for a minimum of two years before progressing to purple.
As of 2022, the IBJJF allows coaches to ignore this minimum time-requirement if the practitioner has won an adult world championship at blue belt.
Although many Brazilian jiu-jitsu organizations adhere to the IBJJF standard of awarding the yellow, orange, and green belt exclusively as part of a youth belt system (under 16 years of age), some supplement the time between white belt and blue belt with one or more belts of these colors with adult practitioners as well.
The
IBJJF
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Jiu ...
requires that a practitioner be at least 16 years old to receive a blue belt, thereby officially entering into the adult belt system.
Purple belt
Purple belt is the intermediate adult ranking in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
The purple belt level practitioner has gained a large amount of knowledge and purple belts are generally considered qualified to help instruct lower-ranked students.
The IBJJF requires students to be at least 16 years old and recommends they have spent a minimum of two years ranked as a blue belt to be eligible for a purple belt, with slightly different requirements for those graduating directly from the youth belts.
The IBJJF requires a practitioner remain a purple belt for a minimum of 18 months prior to achieving a brown belt.
As of 2022, the IBJJF allows coaches to ignore this minimum time-requirement if the practitioner has won an adult world championship at purple belt.
Brown belt
Brown belt is the highest ranking color belt below black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Progressing from a beginner white belt through to a brown belt typically requires at least five years of dedicated training.
It is often thought of as a time for refining techniques.
The IBJJF requires that students be at least 18 years old and recommends they have spent a minimum of 18 months as a purple belt to be eligible for a brown belt.
The IBJJF requires a practitioner to train at the brown belt level for a minimum of one year before ascending to black belt.
As of 2022, the IBJJF allows coaches to ignore this minimum time-requirement if the practitioner has won an adult world championship at brown belt.
Black belt
In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the
black belt denotes an expert level of technical and practical skill.
BJJ black belts are often addressed within the art as "professor" or "coach", although some schools and organizations reserve these title for the more senior black belt instructors.
To be eligible for a black belt, the IBJJF requires that a student be at least 19 years old and to have spent a minimum of a year as a brown belt. The black belt itself has nine different degrees of expertise, similar to the ''
dan
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...
'' in traditional
Japanese martial arts
Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts.
The usage ...
, with rankings at seventh degree and eighth degree commonly denoted by a coral belt, and the ninth degree represented with a red belt.
The IBJJF requires a practitioner to practice and teach at the black belt level for a minimum of three years before progressing to the next rank for the first 3 ranks. Ranks 4, 5, and 6 require 5 years from the previous rank.
As with most things in jiu-jitsu, there is no standardization from one academy or organization to another. This is also true for the black belt, as there is no set guidance from the IBJJF related to variations of the belt.
However, there are three common variations of a black belt, each of which has its own general meaning: a black belt with a white bar generally indicates a competitor or practitioner, while a black belt with a plain red bar is the standard black belt (but sometimes differentiates a coach from a professor), and a red bar with white borders on both ends sometimes comes after at least a year or more of teaching as a black belt and can differentiate a professor.
Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie (; born 12 December 1966) is a Brazilian retired professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer, and a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A member of the Gracie family, he is considered to be one of the most influential figures i ...
and the Valente brothers started a black belt with a blue bar to honor the legacy of
Hélio Gracie
Hélio Gracie (October 1, 1913 – January 29, 2009) was a Brazilian martial artist who together with his brothers Oswaldo, Gastao Jr, George and Carlos Gracie founded and developed the self-defense martial art system of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, also ...
, but this has not been widely adopted.
Royce Gracie now wears a navy blue belt without rank insignia following the death of his father.
Red / Black belt (Coral belt)
When a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt reaches the seventh degree, he or she is awarded an alternating red-and-black belt similar to the one awarded fourth degree black belt by very few
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
bodies such as the USJA.
[ This belt is commonly known as a coral belt, after the ]coral snake
Coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups, the Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 16 species of Old World coral snakes, in three genera (''Calliophis'', '' Hemibungarus' ...
. Coral belts are very experienced practitioners, most of whom have made a large impact on Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and are often addressed within the art by the title ''master''. The IBJJF requires a minimum of 7 years of training and teaching at the black and red belt level before progressing to the next rank.
Red / White belt (Coral belt)
The International Brazilian jiu-jitsu Federation in 2013, amended the graduation guidelines with respect to the transition between seventh degree and eighth degree black belt. In short, a practitioner who has achieved the rank of 8th degree black belt will wear a red and white belt similar to the one worn on formal occasions by sixth to eighth degree holders in judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
which is also commonly called a coral belt. The IBJJF requires a minimum of 10 years of teaching and training at the red and white belt level before progressing to the next rank.
Red belt
According to Renzo and Royler Gracie
Royler Gracie (born December 6, 1965) is a Brazilian-American retired mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. Gracie ran the Gracie Humaitá school in Rio de Janeiro for many years under his father Helio's dir ...
, in Brazilian jiu-jitsu the red belt is reserved "for those whose influence and fame takes them to the pinnacle of art". It is awarded in lieu of a ninth and tenth degree black belt. If a practitioner receives his or her black belt at 19 years old, the earliest they could expect to receive a ninth degree red belt would be at the age of 67. Brazilian jiu-jitsu red belt holders are often addressed within the art by the title '' grandmaster''. The 10th degree was given only to the pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and the Gracie
Gracie may refer to:
Names
* Gracie (name), a given name and a family name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Gracie family, a Brazilian family known for their practice and development of martial arts
* Hurricane Gracie, a 1959 Atlantic ...
brothers: Carlos
Carlos may refer to:
Places
;Canada
* Carlos, Alberta, a locality
;United States
* Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community
* Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County
* Carlos, Minnesota, a small city
* Carlos, West Virginia
;Elsewhere ...
, Oswaldo, George, Gaston and Helio. The highest ranking living practitioners are 9th degree red belts, as there are no living 10th degree red belts.
Youth belt ranks
Children between 4 and 15 years old can receive belt colors that reward progress after a white belt but before earning a blue belt, which can only be awarded to people 16 years or older. In 2015, the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Ji ...
specified 13 belts for competitors aged 4 through 15. The group of three gray belts are for competitors aged 4 through 15 years old. The group of three yellow belts are for competitors 7 through 15 years old. The group of orange belts are for competitors 10 through 15 years old. The group of three green belts are for competitors 13 through 15 years old.
When a competitor turns 16, they must move to the adult system of belts according to the belt that they have at the time. White belts remain at white belts. Gray, yellow or orange belts can turn to white or blue belt at the professor's decision. Green belt can turn to white, blue or purple belt according to the professor's decision.
Conversion between youth belt systems
The table below shows an approximate conversion between the Gracie jiu-jitsu ranking system and the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Ji ...
system, including striped sub-ranking within each belt. These are the two most common systems for kids belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Both systems span practitioners from 4 years old through 15 years old.
Promotion criteria
Few published guidelines or standards determine when a practitioner is ready for a promotion; the criterion is generally determined by individual instructors and/or academies. The IBJJF maintains an extensive graduation system that takes into account time-in-grade and membership standing, but makes no mention of specific performance or skill requirements. When instructors or academies comment on the criteria for promotion, the most widely accepted measures are the amount of technical and conceptual knowledge a practitioner can demonstrate, and; performance in grappling (''randori
is a term used in Japanese martial arts to describe free-style practice (sparring). The term denotes an exercise in 取り ''tori'', applying technique to a random ( 乱 ''ran'') succession of ''uke'' attacks.
The actual connotation of ''rando ...
'') within the academy and/or competition.
Technical and conceptual knowledge are judged by the number of techniques a student can perform, and the level of skill with which they are performed in live grappling, allowing smaller and older practitioners to be recognized for their knowledge, although 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 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.
Formal testing
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has had an informal approach to belt promotions, in which one or more instructors subjectively agree that a given student is ready for the next rank. Some academies have moved toward a more systematic, formal testing approach, especially true for lower ranked students, where the decision to promote is arguably the least contentious. One of the first instructors to publicly publish formal testing criteria was Roy Harris, who has formalized his promotion tests from white belt to black belt. Formal testing is now becoming commonplace in many Gracie Academies and organizations such as Alliance
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
.
Some Gracie systems have introduced formal online testing where the student can upload his or her qualification videos to qualify for promotion. Formal tests are generally based around the same elements as a normal promotion, such as the student's technical and conceptual knowledge and the ability to apply those techniques against a resisting opponent. Some tests take other aspects, such as a student's personal character or a basic knowledge of the history of the art, into account. Formal testing may require the payment of testing fees and a require a minimum of pre-testing private lessons with the instructor.
Competitions
Students are generally encouraged to compete, as this can help them gain experience. Competition allows instructors to gauge students' abilities while grappling with a fully resisting opponent, and it is common for a promotion to follow a good competition performance. In most academies, competing is not essential for promotion, but in a minority of schools, competing is not only endorsed but is required.
Stripe degrees
In addition to the belt system, many academies award stripes as a form of intra-belt recognition of progress and skill. Within each of the belts, students have the opportunity to earn up to generally 4 stripes on their belt, indicating progress within that belt. The cumulative number of stripes earned serves as an indication of the student's skill level relative to the total curriculum of that belt color. Stripes may consist of small pieces of cloth sewn onto the sleeve of the belt, or simple pieces of athletic tape
Athletic taping is the process of applying tape directly to the skin or over pre-wrap in order to maintain a stable position of bones and muscles during athletic activity. It is a procedure that uses athletic tape (pressure-sensitive tape similar ...
applied to it. Although the exact application, such as the number of stripes allowed for each belt, varies between institutions, the IBJJF
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Jiu ...
sets out a general system under which four stripes can be added before the student may be considered for promotion to the next belt rank.BJJ belt
/ref> Stripes are only used for ranks prior to black belt. After black belt is achieved, the markings are known as ''degrees'' and are awarded more formally and far less frequently. Time-in-grade and skill level are both important factors. Stripes are not used in every academy, and, where they are used, they may not be applied consistently.
''Passar no corredor''
In some schools running the gauntlet
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
("passar no corredor" in Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
) is practiced immediately after a promotion. This generally follows one of two basic patterns. The newly promoted student is hit on their back with belts—once by each of their fellow practitioners—as he or she walks or runs past ("faixada" in Portuguese), or he or she may be thrown by each instructor and sometimes also by each student in the academy of equal or higher grade. Advocates for the custom argue that "running the gauntlet" serves as a method of team building and reinforces camaraderie
The term ''comrade'' (russian: товарищ, tovarisch) generally means 'mate', 'colleague', or 'ally', and derives from the Spanish and Portuguese, term , literally meaning 'chamber mate', from Latin , meaning 'chamber' or 'room'. It may also ...
between classmates.
Other initiation customs may involve being hip thrown by the instructor.
See also
* List of Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners
*Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Rio de Janeiro
Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Rio de Janeiro also known as Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Guanabara is a governing body of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The current president of the federation is 9th degree red belt Carlos Robs ...
*Black belt (martial arts)
In East Asian martial arts, the black belt is associated with expertise, but may indicate only competence, depending on the martial art. The use of colored belts is a relatively recent invention dating from the 1880s.
Origin
The systematic use ...
*Sandbagging (grappling) Sandbagging is a term used in martial arts to denote a practitioner who competes at a skill-bracket deemed less rigorous than their actual level of competitive ability.
The term is adopted similarly in golf and various forms of racing. In contrast ...
References
External links
IBJJF Graduation System
(PDF)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ranking System
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Martial arts ranking
pt:Brazilian jiu jitsu#Gradua.C3.A7.C3.A3o