I was just curious, how will promotion go for bjj? Normally in most other styles of M.A. I've been exposed to, you are tested on specific material and what not. How will it go for bjj???

well, from what i've heard about... you Do have to learn some specific technique per rank but the promotion is base on how you perform those techniques while rolling instead of just knowing the techniques and doing them on a kata fashion.

It something like if you are white belt and can hang with the blue belts then the you pass..

Also, some instructors don't even do a formal exam. they test you by see you rolling and ask you to bring you belt next class.

I think that some of it may be based on competition performances as well.

In our school there are specific techniques tested for the four stripe gradings between white and blue. After blue, I believe gradings are awarded based on technique shown during rolling in class and/or competition. A friend of mine, however, studied BJJ at a school where promotions were based solely on competition.

Solely on competition??? and what about the people who don't want to compete???, i think its not fair to force people to compete to get a promotion.

It may not seem right, but different instructors have different opinions on how things should work.

I don't think it necessarily means that the person has to win a tournament to get promoted. What it does is allow the instructor to see how the student does against someone he doesn't work with in class on a regular basis. He won't know the opponent's patterns and strategies. The instructor can also see how the student does in putting his own strategies into play, and how well he does when he is being pressed.

Just some different ideas there. I could be wrong, but it could work well.

Usually competition is only used as a promotion tool. That is, if a purple belt goes in and does great at competitions and wins or fares well in the absolute (any rank and size competitor). Their instructor may choose to promote them based on the fact they are doing so well. However, it's usually not a mandatory part of the promotion process.

Here are some general guidelines from the International Brazilian Jiujitsu Federation:

http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm

The rest of the website is pretty good for general info as well.

Where I am, it's all about skill. My teacher just says when it's about time, and next seminar, you get promoted. Tada.

I am fortunate enough to have a black belt at my school now. before, we had to get promoted at seminars as well.

bjj is skill based. this is different from many knowledge based styles. For example, in karate, you can test when you know all of the required techniques for a particular level and demonstrate reasonable skill with them - kata, self defenses, etc.

bjj isn't like that. In bjj, you are usually are not considered for promotion until you can consistently keep up with or beat people one rank higher than you. This ensures continually progressing skill level.

bjj is skill based. this is different from many knowledge based styles. For example, in karate, you can test when you know all of the required techniques for a particular level and demonstrate reasonable skill with them - kata, self defenses, etc.

bjj isn't like that. In bjj, you are usually are not considered for promotion until you can consistently keep up with or beat people one rank higher than you. This ensures continually progressing skill level.

I kind of like that. Much like Wrestling, you know where you are by what you are able to do when you practice.