A Journey Through the BJJ Ranks
Last year really went out with a bang. It felt surreal but very deserved when I finally got my black belt, a personal journey over a decade in the making. It made me think back on belting in general and all the milestones that come with them. Those things really stick with you. Even this past week in Gi class it was two white belts, a blue belt, a purple belt, and two black belts, all working toward a common goal. Getting better and making each other better in the process. So what does each rank mean in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? There’s five adult ranks in BJJ, white, blue, purple, brown, black. We hear it all the time, so and so is a blue belt, or the cranky only black belt that says that ranks don’t mean anything. They definitely mean something though it doesn’t mean a high rank is going to submit a lower rank all the time. But here are my reflections and insights on this discipline and this art I’m glad to be a part of.
White Belt: What is Happening in BJJ?
It’s easy to forget what it felt like 13 years ago. Everything was brand new. Here I was, no athletic background, no balance, no cardio… and the most frustrating part was I barely understood what was going on in Jiu-Jitsu. It felt like sitting behind the wheel of a car for the first time while not fully understanding the rules of the road. I didn’t understand how the car worked, road signs didn't make sense yet, and sometimes other drivers were impossible to understand. That road is the journey of BJJ. I always tell my students, the first hard thing we do in life is learn to stand up. 13 years ago, I was being asked to go back to the ground, learning to move in all new ways while training with others. Yes, it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. But it’s worth it. As I learned I began to embrace the wonder.
For me, being a white belt in BJJ was not as much about survival as much as it was about proving that I could do this. Proving I belonged on the mats. I might get submitted 218 times in a class, but the next class it would only be 217. I look back on my time as a white belt and am still learning things, even now as I teach them.
Blue Belt: I Learned to Play the Game in Jiu-Jitsu
By the time I earned my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I had gained an understanding of the core of BJJ. I knew the basic submissions, guards, and common passes. I started to understand jiujitsu at a fundamental level, how the physiology works and how it doesn't. I was still learning new techniques, and (excitingly) started to chain them together. That blue belt caused a shift to happen. The white belts, some of whom were my peers the previous week, now wanted to kill me and upper belts stopped taking it easy on me. I sometimes felt like a toy more than a threat. It was truly the belt of survival in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and I know I’m not alone in that feeling. Being a blue belt comes with a lot of effort, often even some burnout with training. That's ok! We work hard to reach this milestone in BJJ, only to realize we have barely scratched the surface. Being a blue belt is tough and admirable.
For me, blue belt was about staying on the mats and balancing real life while training jiu-jitsu. I had just become a father. Bills and responsibilities were piling up. Getting to BJJ training was hard enough, and once I got there, no one took it easy on me. But I persevered, and I’m glad I did.
Purple Belt: The belt of Rolling in BJJ
By the time you get your purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you are ready to roll. On a good day, with the wind at your back, you’re tapping Bjj black belts. On a bad day, white belts are giving you problems. It is a belt with heavy contrast, a lot of experience, and proof of dedication.
The range of jiujitsu between entering the purple belt and leaving it is huge. This is where you start to play and experiment with BJJ. It is also where you should begin mentoring white belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Teaching forces clarity. If you cannot explain it, you probably do not fully understand it. I still abide by this rule as a coach.
For me, this is where everything started coming together in Jiu-Jitsu. I was competing more and winning. I rolled more than I drilled, and I spent a lot of time troubleshooting. Why did this work here? Why not here? Can I blend these ideas? How would I counter this? I became obsessed with breaking down mechanics. I was going to grab something and find a submission, no matter what position we were in. The details became an obsession, that gave way to the next level.
Brown Belt: Polish and Refine Your BJJ
As a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you should have a strong A-game, and that A-game should be really, really difficult to stop. This is the belt where you start extracting concepts. Individual techniques should become concepts, able to be applied creatively. This is where the art in martial arts can really shine. I realized there actually are not that many movements in jiu-jitsu; just combinations, timing, and application. I had built a sensitivity and could really feel the currents of jiu jitsu while rolling. At this level, most of us are polishing our control. We start funneling people into submissions instead of just taking what is there.
For me, brown belt was about understanding that lines beat lines and circles beat circles, refining pressure, tightening transitions, and controlling myself as much as others. It became less about effort and more about precision.
Black Belt: Poetry in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Earning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a big deal, on average it takes 10 to 12 years of consistent training. Staying consistent through everything life throws at you is honestly an achievement in itself, not even considering the obstacles on the mat. Give yourself a high five. I know I did. At this point I truly understood BJJ, not just the techniques, but the concepts, tactics, and philosophies. It is no longer necessarily about expanding your knowledge of jiu-jitsu, but deepening it. You’ll start playing with things you stopped doing along the way. We joke that there are some moves that really only work at white belt and black belt, but it's true. A black belt can simplify a complicated move, and extract all the intricacies from a simple one. The deconstruction and reconstruction are complete. It feels like a circle closed.
Getting my black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu really took some pressure off me. I did not have anything to prove. It's no longer a simple question of can I submit someone, it's a question of how I submit them that matters. And if I can’t, can I make the necessary adjusts along the way? Now it's about helping others improve in BJJ. Guiding them to their own jiu-jitsu while still making progress on my own. And beyond that: How can I use BJJ to help people be the best versions of themselves?
The Next Belt
Story time. When I was a blue belt I moved from Florida back home to Asheville, and I started training at a small local gym close to my house. After a few months of training at this gym I was watching a bunch of my training partners in Florida getting their purple belts. I remember feeling like I was rolling really well, but also feeling kind of stagnant at the same time. Despite things starting to click, I felt like I was hitting a plateau. I sat down with my coach at the time, and asked him where the holes in my game were. I asked what he thought I should be focusing on to progress further. What was I missing?
I will never forget his answer, partially because it was the most frustrating and enraging answer I've ever gotten, and partially because I now understand where he was coming from. It was a Wednesday night, I had just helped with a kids class and trained for two hours. My Gi was wet with sweat, and almost everyone had left for the night. He sat with my question for a moment. And do you know what he said?
“You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be”.
See you on the mats,
-Coach Brian.