How Do BJJ Black Belts Get Their Stripes & Promotions ?
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2024
- Today's video is a quick video about how BJJ Black Belts get their stripes and promotions.
So in the video I share the basics of how I've been promoted and how the common stripe/belt promotion practice takes place for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Black Belts. Now, I'm sure some systems could be different than the one I outline here. But this is the basic time requirements I'm familiar with and have been exposed to in my training.
Here's a blog post with the chart that I was going off of: www.chewjitsu.net/2021/05/how...
In the video I also share how old I'll be when I can get the Red/Black and the final Red Belt of Jiu-jitsu. Since I was promoted to Black Belt when I was 26, I'll be eligible for the final rank of BJJ when I am 89 years old.
. . . Let's see if I even make that.
Anyways, hope the video was useful to you or at the very least maybe slightly entertaining based on how old I'll be to get a Red Belt.
-Chewy
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If you’d ever like to train with the team and I. Check out my gym Derby City MMA in Louisville,KY. - Sport
I train under a coral belt. I asked when he would be a red belt. He said “I don’t want a red belt because that mean I’m fucking old!”
Which coral belt?
I train under Helio Soneca and whenever someone asks about his stripes or whatever he says the same thing 😂
that time span is wild
Yah the Gracies aren't going to be handing out any red belts to people except for their own family and best friends.
Yeah fr 🤣
There are red belts who aren't part of the Gracie family.
@@tjl4688 yeah, friends.
Are they supposed to promote strangers who don't train under them or something? Other masters aren't traveling outside of their own lineage or circuits to promote others, at least to my knowledge. What you're saying doesn't make any sense, just an attack on people you don't know and wouldn't know Jiu Jitsu without their benefit.
Gracie's have outlived their peak. They are no longer the dominant force in the sport
I believe if you’re a registered blackbelt with the IBJJF you can be awarded stripes through them based on time served. Ie., in the cases that your coach stops BJJ - closes academy, dies, or if you a falling out with them, etc.
This is true.
This is what I was wondering too. Thanks!
Yeah, although it can also be abused. Robert Drysdale talked about this on the Matburn podcast. Apparently in the 90s there was a rush of black belts registering with the IBJJF, and being awarded multiple stripes for time served. Many of whom hadn't trained since the 1980s.
I guess it doesn't really matter. Black belt Stripes/Dan graded are essentially ceremonial.
nic gregoriades did a seminar at a gym i once attended. at the end of the seminar, he said to our instructor something along the lines of, "do you mind if I give a student a stripe?" then he gave our instructor a stripe on his black belt.
Damn thats pretty baller
This channel has been so helpful getting me in a Jiu Jitsu gym and in turn getting me in a "regular" gym again. Thanks so much chewie! Love from Mississippi
Happy to help. Appreciate the comment. And glad to hear you’re getting into the gyms.
Y'all is now a thing that you will find everywhere now especially in teens
This is one of my favourite channels man, keep it up, with respect from Ireland!
This man literally has a video for every single question I have. Thank you, Chewy!
Thanks for all this great information, I was wondering as well. I have been training on and off for twenty years still a white belt. I’m cool with it because I was deployed a lot during these 20 years but back at it. Love your channel! Best of luck!
Watching this while waiting for class to start. This is my 5 lesson and second week of Jiu Jitsu, and Im loving it. I guess starting at 36 means i aint ever reaching the end 😂 loving the videos
You may still have a chance to earn a black belt if you keep at it for about 20 years or so. As far as red belts go...yeah you might be less likely to reach that level at this point. At least not before you're past the age of 80.
Brother ! I just started GB I’m 53 and i just got my first stripe in white belt
I go 3-4 days a week
I love it beats treadmill
I started BJJ at 36 also. Now I’m 48 and a completely different on the mats than I used to be. Obviously? Yes and no. I was a very aggressive blue belt and did as many tournaments as possible (highest ranking as #2 in ibjjf Master 2). As a purple I only did one tournament and took a break. I’ve been brown belt now for 2 years and I just do old man juijitsu. I have to conserve energy if I’m going to roll every round. I pull guard and an start defensive and wait for an opening. BJJ keeps me in shape but Father Time catches up to everyone.
Hey Chewie, love your videos! You have had a great impact in motivating me to start my jiu jitsu journey. I am attending my first class tonight!
Hell yeah! Congrats on getting into the gym!
I just watched the video fo Rickson Gracie getting his red belt and it was pretty cool to see one of the most stoic and tough dudes on earth, brought to tears. He definitely earned it.
Chewy ...! Always humble...
Chewy is such a STUD! I ❤️ him! 👊🏽
What I like about color-belt grading is that they differ from formal and proper to informal and sudden. I've seen big scheduled events with the awardee running the gauntlet, to the instructor simply pulling out the new belt from his gi in the rolls after the class was over with.
Thanks for the info . I have had that question in the back of my mind.
Ah the joy of being a white belt in the 30s... I'll aim for red, but end up dead 😂
I started BJJ at 33 and at 48 now I'm a 1st degree Black Belt and school owner. March of 2025 I get my 2nd degree. Don't worry about when you started, just keep going👍
Thanks for the video
Good video , I just promoted myself to sixth degree black belt after I was done watching
Hey chewy could you do a vid on ways to make money with jiu jitsu? Love the effort you put in the vids brotha!
Hey Chewie love the videos I was wondering if you can’t make it to some of your BJJ classes but can still get to some no gi classes would that effect belt promotions? Thanks and keep it the awesome videos coming 🥋
This is actually a really good question. I’ve always wondered how people like my instructor who doesn’t have an instructor of his own, gets his own stripes?
i love you chewy
Thanks for answering my question! And I’m from Raleigh North Carolina if your wondering where that y’all came from 🤣🤣🤣
Dang I train right below the SC border.
@@dinomra7771 I'm at Gracie Raleigh training under Brandon Garner :)
@@Paramoto959 Nice I'm training under Blake Wood.
Sweet Ducati bro!
@@dv7397 Thanks! I have a bunch videos where I ride it around Raleigh NC and generally be an ass outer on my channel feel free to check em out!
Hello! I love the channel! I have a question. I do train under a professor/friend that he does not care about belts at all. I've been training with him for over two years and half... how can I know where in belts I am? I have a dream and it is to be in ten years a black belt (at least to know everything a black belt should, and 'cuz the path to that is great! And you gotta know that I live by the French Alps in a very remote region. Nearest city is over 1h30 driving, (mountain road). So I feel blessed that I can train with him and friends here.
I was under the impression that 10° Red belt is reserved for the original Gracie brothers
It is. The highest rank that any living person can achieve is 9th degree Red.
I think they also say the red belt is reserved for bjj people how have made major impact on bjj as a whole dedicating their lives to the art
@@kylefee4822 watch the video of Rickson telling them he doesn't want this stripe and he says exactly what the higher degrees of black belt/red should be
Hey chewy I met you at my first comp in Louisville(my home town) at a Fuji comp back on December 19th, I got 2 stripes on my white belt a month ago and Ik I have a ways to go before I get my blue belt but as a white belt what do I need to focus on to achieve or Atleast be on a progressing path towards my blue belt. I’ve lately be submitting a lot of the other white belts and even a few blue belts a couple times but I feel like subbing them doesn’t mean anything other than I got lucky. so any advice on how I can improve my game and work towards my blue belt?
Great video! I am 42 and just a blue belt...I will be in the grave before being give the highest rank! Lol!
Hope by the time you get your coral and red built you’re still posting so we can congratulate you. And if you feel comfortable saying where’s your gym and what’s it called?
Google it bro. Not hard to find.
Brief history of colored belts. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Kodokan Judo, started the belt system. He wanted to promote judo as a national sport and get it in the Olympics. He was originally a school teacher. He knew that belts would give students incentive to learn. He also wanted to distinguish the difference between novices and advanced students. He chose black belts, because swimmers used to wear a black arm band to signify they were advanced swimmers. Kano also was passionate about history. He chose white and red belts to represent the two feuding sides of the Genpei War. The Taira clan carried red flags to war. The Minamoto clan carried white flags to war. Those colors also represent the Japanese flag.
Red velvet cookies are the shit dude. Keep up on the legit stanzas. Rutabaga until we die. Legitzu for life
What was it like switching affiliations? Especially after being promoted to blackbelt by one of them?
But what about when you're 84 and it's time to promote and there is no one around to promote you. Do you promote yourself then?
If your last name is gracie its ok
My understanding is the coral belt promotions get awarded by the next generation.
E.g. Mauricio Gomez was awarded his red and white belt by Roger Gracie, his son. And I think Renzo awarded a coral belt to one of his uncles a couple of years ago.
@@Jono793 Oh cool. Thanks.
The Gracie's (particularly Hickson, who did not want his red belt yet when he got it because it hadn't been 7 years) went by - degrees 1, 2, 3 are 3 years each, 4, 5, 6 are 5 years each (all black belt, 7&8 are coral and 9 is red) and 7, 8, 9 are 7 years each for a total of 45 years
wasn't it 6th-7th 7y, 7-8->8y, 8-9 9y and 10 is founders only? meaning when you get black at 19, then red is 67?
I train under master Renato Tavares so cool you and me have a part of the same lineage
Do most black belts go back and train with their coach regularly or do many only see them at new stripe time?
If you see this chewy- I didn't know you trained under RT?! I just joined one of his Florida schools
Chewy, you missed the most important step in black belt stripe promotions.
Cutting the IBJJF a fat cheque 🤨
Why would you pay them?
The IBJJF charge for registering belts, i believe.
Noti gang
I didn’t read that properly at first 😂
can you talk about professors belt skipping and what you think about it I am a kid ornage belt with 3 stripe im just curious.
Do you get a new black belt per stripe or is it the same black belt with a new stripe added on?
I find it weird to be purely time-based, but maybe there are some implicit requirements in the system. For example, in the system I used to train, you would do exams until the 3rd BB and then you would get next ranks based on contributions to the system: your students' competitions results, how many BB you "raised" (not allowed to give BB to your own students), if you organize seminars and activities etc.
Y’all gets around haha, I’m an urban-ish New Yorker and I use it sometimes, like “yall nuts!” Or something
Haha fair enough.
I have been wondering if there is a national or international data base for the records of BJJ belt promotion? How could one check or prove his belt color? Any records system for stripes ?
I'm a year overdue for my 2nd stripe bc I changed academies and I just think my new professor doesn't know. I'd never ever ask for a promotion, but I sure wish it would come.
I took off my 2 stripes when I moved gyms which I feel was a mistake, and now its been too long to change that, oh well, I'll be an even better blue belt when it comes
Q for next Q&A how do you know if a gym can teach you real good techniques reviews could be lies or from people that don’t know the instructor isn’t that knowledgeable
Y’all is Texas
Anyone notice Chewjitsu talks kinda like Elliot Hulse in the Yo Elliot videos? Less philosophical, but similar tonality.
I thought the first comment on this title would be “Affirmative Action” lol
If you are part of the Gracie family you can promote each other whenever you want but everyone else has strict parameters.
Even that isnt true. Just because Rorion gave Rickson a red belt doesn't mean anything.
That said, Helio himself didn't use time, he promoted when he felt like it. Rener is STILL a 4th degree at age 37 for example.
@@tjl4688 Jiu-jitsu is Japanese not Brazilian. All the gracies did is mutilate it and call it Brazilian. They shouldn't be giving anyone belts after Sakuraba beat their ass to prove it.
@@LightBender777 japanese jiu jitsu that came from count coma is leaps and bounds different than whats going on in Brazil. You either don't train at all or have one of those shitty professors that goes around running his mouth about one of the most important families in the art. What a sad life y'all have. I don't train under a Gracie school anymore but that doesn't change what they did for the art.
@@tjl4688 what's funny is Rickson tried so hard to say no.
Y’all is a southern thing lol. We say it all the time in Texas.
Max was here
does the stripes after black belt have any practical use ?, I mean, after getting new color belt you may then compete in higher belt divisions, but after black is there any other division on competitions or to be a teacher based on stripes ?
I believe at brown belt you may start to teach, but not called professor. At black belt stripes are then called “degrees” and you will be called professor. The degrees are just to show how long you have been training. As far as competition I’m not sure.
Hahaha this is funny. And looking at the comments. April of 2024! I am due for my 2nd stripe but my old coach got divorced, moved hours away, and now just snorts blow all day n doesn't train. But I have gotten really REALLY tight with his coach which essentially is a coach of mine. Lineage. I asked him this exact question and he told me that I could do one of two things. Either go up there whenever it is time and he will personally stripe me. Or that I can just not worry about the stripe physically because I know what I am. Hhe only advised that because he ended up without HIS coach cuz he stopped talking to him after he decided that he wanted to go on his own and start his own legacy. His coach got mad because it was a financial thing. My "coach" told all the affiliates here in our state that if they chose to stay as they were that it was perfectly fine. That he understood and there was not going to be any animosity at all because he is still his coach's student. That this was about his goals and his vision but all 13 schools followed my coach. So the ole' man got incredibly upset because the fees were $500 every month from each and every school here. So he was left with his affiliates schools in his state. But he should be more understanding if your student wants to grow you should let him and support him. his goals changed even if you was in his forties at the time. He wants to leave behind his legacy for his kids and God willing grandkids one day. It sucks that his coach was only mad because of the money thing. 78k a year off affiliate fees he was making from all the schools here. My coach doesn't charge you if you want to be an affiliate. When I open my school a few months ago I told myself and everyone that I had no interest in being under anybody. But if I ever do go that route it would be under my coach. Because the people that have contacted me all random they just start spitting out different "packages". 500 a month affiliate logo for your door, windows and wall. 750 a month.....affiliate logo with one visit a year from the owner a year. Must organize a seminar with minimum 30 people. I believe the seminar fee was 85 so you can tack on 15 dollars. But...if you didn't get 30 ppl you wouldn't get a penny. You had to buy his ticket, provide room n board, drive him around of course. And then 1000 a month...logo usage, 2 visits a year from the owner (he decides when), seminar of minimum 30 each time, and visits from 3 of his black belts spread out throughout the year. Also room n board, plane ticket, etc. Seminar was 65 ea student plus whatever you tack on. And their minimum is 20 students. You HAVE to get merch from him. Which his wholesale is not good at all!! Gis for 75 bucks 😂😂 so you can make a whole 30 bucks profit. Team rashguards, shirts, shorts, etc. ALL thru him. But hey jiu-jitsu lifestyle right??? Lol. My coach gave me his GI guy right away and was like email him, cc me, tell him your with me and he'll take care of you.... And he did. Really really well..... anyways rant over lol sorry about that. FYI he has zero of his five stripes on him. But he knows he's a fifth degree. Stripes or no stripes. But id like to get my stripes from him. One, because we are very close. And two, because he's part of my lineage obviously since he's my old coach's coach
My professor gets his stripes from GM Flavio Behring, professor also has a weekly zoom class him.
Advice for someone starting out again after a 5 year break... At my new school I'm getting destroyed by white belts and I'm a blue belt. Do I demote myself back to white belt? Or do I continue to train and bring myself up to the standard of blue belt in this new school?
Have a serious talk with your head instructor if you honestly feel you are not representing your rank.
Speaking from personal experience, I had 4 stripes on my blue belt back in 2014 and then took a 3 year hiatus. When I came back, I removed all 4 stripes, but stayed at blue belt. It took a little under 2 years from there to reach Purple.
Went through the same thing. Keep your blue belt on. Keep training and keep tapping. After some time (give it 6 months) you feel you earn your rank. Then it will be smooth sailing towards that purple belt. Oh, my break was 5-6years and it was horrible to step back on the mats. Currently a brown belt.
@@Kalopsia666 I had 3 stripes on my blue belt before quitting. They fell off so I'm just going to earn them again with my new instructor. He promotes stripes based on attendance, but a colored belt promotion is seen as more serious, so that's mostly based on performance/dedication/conduct, etc.
I appreciate your input, but I think I'm leaning toward just rolling with it and getting my butt kicked for the next few months until I get back to my previous strength, speed, technique. I'm gonna use getting tapped often as motivation to improve.
@@tra1in1 Thanks for the input. One of the toughest things to do is putting aside ego and coming back from a break and accept that it's okay to suck for a few months! Maybe that's why so many people quit at blue belt.
@@thomasorchard That is true. I was fairly fresh blue belt when I stopped training. Came back and got guillotine choked by white belts in Gi training. It is a rough road to make that come back but give it 6 months forced training anywhere from 1-5 times a week and you will be surprised how much suck turns to tolerable. Good luck!
I can see you at 89yrs old with a red belt... and a white beard LOL
😂
#bluebelt for life
What about the Red and White Belt? How does that time work? It’s hard for me to find the info on this. However, I know Luis Palhares has one.
Red and white is in judo not BJJ
I think the IBJJF recently added that for 8th degrees
lol..1st google score...white/red is 8th degree (coral), black/red is 7th. But the hierarchy was taken from judo
Covid took my belt power away had to wash it 🧼🤦🏽♂️
Can a purple belt coach give out promotions
I thought the promotion fairy gives you a new stripe while you sleep :)
Nah its when you change gyms and suddenly find a stripe on your belt before your first class
I am from Texas, we also say yall
Just to add to this topic, there are a lot of politics in Jiu Jitsu and if at Black Belt you go independent, your Professor whom gave you your Black Belt may not be willing to promote you anymore after that. So, with that being said, try to build as many bridges as you can and conduct yourself with enough integrity so when the time comes, you will have someone to give you your promotions.
That isn’t a great system of promotion. It should be based more on proficiency.
I think it depends on the school. I’ve always thought the same thing
That makes sense early on, white to black belt will obviously be based on proficiency. But once you get past that, it doesn't make sense to base it out of anything but time. An 85yo that received their black belt early on and has been consistently training since their teens, should have a higher black belt rank than a 25yo that just got their black belt (while the 25yo will obviously beat that 85yo easily and therefore be more "proficient"). So once you get to black belt, the ranks become a bit more "ceremonial?" they're not so much about proficiency but are more about the respect that someone who has been consistently practicing the art for 40+ years deserves.
If you think about Chewy for example. The current 36yo Chewy would easily beat 85yo Chewy, he's younger, faster, stronger... 36yo Chewy is more "proficient" but 85yo Chewy would deserve to have a higher rank to show all the years and experience under his belt (pun intended)
No way, basing it off proficiency sounds like a good idea but unless you want Jiu jitsu to be some kind of little elite boys club, it raises way more questions than just going off of time...
That was the thought process of promoting Rickson to Red belt early. He refuses to wear it and still wears his coral belt.
Would you rather be a white belt who can tap purples or a black belt getting tapped by purples?
nothing bad about getting tapped by a purple if your a black?
I have a question, fella. I’m only 17, quite short, and fairly skinny. I keep getting smashed by guys who are bigger than me who I know I’m better than technically. Any advice, mate?
Start lifting. Eat more. Start a stretching routine so you dont end up big and inflexible like me.
Big Bois help you get that guard retention. Keep rolling and become the unpassable little guy. Or start lifting and embrace GIRTH GANG.
I read an article by the gracies that you have to be an original Gracie brother to get the 10th degree on your red belt
In the Gracie system, sure but that's not the end all be all of Brazilian jiu jitsu anymore. There are people out there (Heath Pedigo) who, although he has someone he trains under, will eventually have his own jiu jitsu system entirely and they will promote how they see fit and won't give a shit about what the Gracie's think. The Gracie belt system is a scam. It's turned into Karate and this is coming from someone who trained under one of Royce's first American black belts for 5 years. In about 2010ish they completely revamped and changed how they promote. Before this Royce would promote at seminars every single seminar.
How do we get over claustrophobic feelings when getting smashed by heavier partners? Thank you for your help
When you roll, start from the bottom position, the only way to get over it sometimes is to deal with it. Talk with your training partner and just tell him/her its something you want to work on.
@@MKillrZ If I start on bottom its not bad, I start freaking out when I'm on bottom and gassed out. I haven't been able to recreate it or I would be doing it all the time. Thank you very much for the pointers. I need to start from bottom more often
@@jaewhomp just continue to start on bottom. Once you're gassed do another round from underneath and then another after that.....as they say "get comfortable being uncomfortable "
@@jaewhomp do a couple of rolls back to back then maybe start on bottom. I for sure understand it can be hard to artificially create that panic moment.
That's Texas
I always thought there were no 10th Degrees after Carlos and Helio.
No, 10th is reserved strictly for the founders. 9th Degree is the highest one can attain.
Slight adjustment.
You cannot attain 10 degree in BJJ.
It's been reserved for the founders of BJJ G.M Helio Gracie and GM Carlos Gracie. The highest degree attainable is 9th degree.
PS. Love the Chanel , keep up the great work. ✊✌️☝️
Ill be 50 years old when i get my red coral belt
If you still care about your ranks by the time you are 2nd stripe on black belt then something somewhere went wrong.
I did a fart at my club and everyone calls me fart maxer or Max, I had to quit through embarrassment
We say Yall in S.C bro lol
I'm going to have to pay more attention but I'm from Louisiana and say y'all but I have only the basic american accent. It feels like everyone says it, and I've been all over America with the Navy.
from kentucky, can confirm we use y'all way too much
I asked my BJJ coach if there are red belts he said "they're old and can't even walk properly". He's right in this.
Nobody can get 10th degrees anymore.
Even Carlson Gracie maxed out at 9th.
Red belts i heard only for gracie students?
"Yall? thats something Kentucky says" SIR have you been to any other southern state??? They all say YALL
Um “y’all” is more of a southern thing
Raleigh 🤗🤗
are you paying money to the instructor that promotes you still?
Watching this as a white belt with no stripes. Lol #oneday
How are you doing now
I am a black belt. Got mine in '14. I'm not putting tape.. I mean "degrees" on my belt. I'm a black belt. that's it. Degrees based on time is silly and pointless. If you want to do the math on how many 'stripes' i have go for it, if you want to know how good I am, roll with me.. and yeah.. I'm a wrestler who learned jiu-jitsu.
This is a big double standard I see in BJJ a lot.
BJJ community: "Belts don't matter. Remember it was Royce who said a belt only covers 2 inches of your ass, you have to learn to cover the rest ma friend! Don't stress about belts #Oss"
Also BJJ community: "OMG can you believe that guy got a 3rd stripe on his Black belt despite the fact he never won the Pan Ams or Mundials".
Belts either matter or they don't. If you are telling some kid who wants to get their blue belt 5 minutes ago to chill because belts don't matter, then it shouldn't matter what criteria someone used to stick another stripe on a black belt.
I never said belts don’t matter. They have their place.
I just don’t get to crazy about them.
@@Chewjitsu To be clear bud that wasn't directed at you, it was more a general observation and directed at some people commenting on the vid.
@@iorekby gotcha. Appreciate the clarification. And you’re right about the hypocritical ideas about the belt not being important and then somehow super important.
@@Chewjitsu All good dude apologies for any confusion. Keep up the good work and stay safe.
Yea no red belts for outsiders though
Pretty sure they say y’all anywhere in the bottom right quarter of the country
Here's my philosophy on belts:
If you think they're important; they're not.
If you think they aren't important; they are.
You should see the video of the guy who has been a 9th degree red belt for 10 years and since he isn’t a Gracie, can’t be a 10th degree, so he was promoted to white belt with a red bar. It was awesome!!
second!
Honestly it’s a really stupid promotion system, hopefully the growth of AJJ shifts it to a more merit based system.
American Karate will give you a 10th degree black belt in 3 years if you pay enough
The time span is dumb. Should be based on how well you teach your students which is the best possible demonstration of knowledge along with rolling ofc
How do you define how well you’re teaching?
you cant say bjj with out bj
This rank system was created to discourage people other than the gracies and friends to get the ultimate title.
Its kinda stupid its a meritocracy up until black belt then its nonsense. Well utter complete nonsense
I’ve had my Grey-Black belt since December but because Canada decided to shut everything down I haven’t had a chance to earn strips