BJJ rankings/promotions

[KarateKen]

Help me understand BJJ rankings and promotions. I have never trained the art and do not intent to, I am just curious of learning about how they are done because BJJ might have a different approach to teaching than traditional styles. I've heard about people taking three years to get their first promotion or spending a decade as a blue belt. Not sure how accurate or common this is.

We had a student come into Karate who had zero MA training at all who took a trial class at a BJJ school and he said he was rolling with students within 30 minutes. They showed him a couple basic movies and then he was thrown right into the fire. He also said that he was instructed to try standing front and back rolls on his first day. He felt the class was unsafe due to his lack of training and experience. Again, not sure if this is common or not, it is only based on one student's explained experience. In the other styles I have done, which are several, it takes weeks before you spar. I realize some of this might vary depending on the school as well.

[DarthPenguin]

BJJ promotions vary a lot from school to school tbh. You are very much ranked under someone and as such you are an X belt under Professor Y. As a result most schools (that i am aware of - with some exceptions) have a tendency to hold off on promoting until someone is very clearly at a certain level as your ability reflects on the academy's reputation to an extent.

Some schools have a set list of criteria that you need to achieve to reach the next rank, some it is down to the instructors judgement. As such you can get people ranking in wildly differing times, though when you dig into it you usually see a strong correlation between mat hours / prior grappling training and faster progression.

When it comes to rolling i would say it is common for someone to start from their first class and i have (touch wood) never observed an issue with it. Part of the reason why i think it is important is everyone gets shown the techniques and drills them and they seem to be working smoothly but as soon as you start adding more resistance into the drills you start to see where the technique isn't working (not tight enough; not enough pressure in certain parts etc). I personally find that a lot of the time there is a large feel element to the techniques that you can't replicate other than against an opponent. I had a significant amount of time off the mats due to injuries and that was the thing i found that took the longest time to get back: i could feel someones weight and where it was but the feel of this is the time to do X took a while to return.

One of the differences is that (for me at least) it is very difficult to perform the techniques against a resisting opponent when you are/were new. We joke about it that you basically spend a year pinned on your back being crushed. After a year you get pinned less and can wriggle out more before you get submitted but can now pin some newer people etc lol. I was always told to aim for small wins: eg if trying to perform an armbar from guard can you get the first sleeve grip consistently? If so then that is a win. Next try to add the next part in etc etc until eventually you can perform the technique.

[bushido_man96]

One of my first TKD instructors texted me this week and told me he just got his BJJ black belt. He was at it for about 10 years, which tends to be the average.

He also stated there were no testings/gradings (hence, no fees for that sort of thing either). It does take quite some time to move up in the ranks, and it isn't unusual to see a blue belt running classes.

As for what students get thrown into in their first classes, I couldn't tell you. I'm sure this may vary from school to school, but I wouldn't doubt that new students get thrown into rolling on the first day. After all, what better way to learn to apply what you learn in the drills? I think this is a good thing. After all, you can't learn to swim without getting into the water.

[DarthPenguin]

Congrats to him on his BB, it is a massive achievement for anyone and a dream of the far off future for me lol

Interesting to hear your comment on Blue belts leading classes. Would be really surprised to see that anywhere now really: certainly in the USA where there are a lot more bjj practitioners. Years ago you would occasionally see it in Scotland (when i originally started there were only 2-3 black belts in all of Scotland), but now, while it is still not a common sight, there are plenty more and lots of Brown/Purple belts so most clubs would be run by a brown belt at minimum, though some individual classes would be taken by others.

I was chatting to someone about it the other day how it used to be very rare to see a purple belt 'in the wild' taking part in classes, brown belts were almost unheard of and Black Belts were like mythical creatures, but nowadays you see all of them regularly in class and not just teaching!

[Nidan Melbourne]

When I did BJJ, I think it took my instructors several classes before considering having us start rolling with other students.

Doing Rolls; we did start learning them in our 2nd lesson, but the instructors took their time to teach us how to do them safely. But standing was only if we were 100% comfortable doing so from lower "crouching" positions.

Gradings/Promotions in BJJ does vary from club to club or organisation to organisation.

[KarateKen]

I worked out at a UFC gym for about a year and every Wednesday they had a purple belt teaching BJJ. Most of the time nobody was in class though, he just sat there while everyone else was boxing, weight training, ect. Again, this is not my area, so I don't know how it would be viewed for a purple belt to lead class, or how much experience a purple belt would have. Just thought it was strange that he showed up every week and rarely did anyone train, I think the most people I ever saw there were two.

[DarthPenguin]

I worked out at a UFC gym for about a year and every Wednesday they had a purple belt teaching BJJ. Most of the time nobody was in class though, he just sat there while everyone else was boxing, weight training, ect. Again, this is not my area, so I don't know how it would be viewed for a purple belt to lead class, or how much experience a purple belt would have. Just thought it was strange that he showed up every week and rarely did anyone train, I think the most people I ever saw there were two.

It would depend on the area tbh. When i first started BJJ black belts were semi mythical beasts so a purple belt would definitely teach in that situation. Nowadays, while Black belts are not common there are enough of them that most academies here will be run by a black belt or at the very least a brown belt (there is the odd exception such as credentialed mma fighters who are a purple belt still etc.).

Compared to the average person a purple belt is still significantly skilled enough to be able to handle them easily and teach them with no problems though.

Not sure if there are more bjj academies in your area?

[KarateKen]

Not sure if there are more bjj academies in your area?

There are several BJJ schools in my city.

[DarthPenguin]

Not sure if there are more bjj academies in your area?

There are several BJJ schools in my city.

That will be why the purple belt's class is quiet then! Unless they are a big name competitive bjj guy / mma fighter, if there are other schools then most people will gravitate to the more senior ones

[KarateKen]

Not sure if there are more bjj academies in your area?

There are several BJJ schools in my city.

That will be why the purple belt's class is quiet then! Unless they are a big name competitive bjj guy / mma fighter, if there are other schools then most people will gravitate to the more senior ones

Makes sense.