Will you make it to Blue Belt in BJJ?

Photo Credit: YouTube Krufessor Rad

As a Jiu Jitsu practitioner, I understand the challenges that come with the journey of achieving a black belt. It is not an easy path, and as a result, many people give up along the way. I recently conducted two surveys to determine which belt rank people felt was the hardest in Jiu Jitsu, and the results were clear. Over 90 percent of people who start the journey never make it to blue belt, and 99 percent of people who make it to blue belt never make it to black. This statistic shows just how challenging it is to become a black belt in this martial art.

As someone who has been on this journey for quite some time, I wanted to understand how blue belts felt about Jiu Jitsu at this point in their journey. So, I decided to talk to some actual blue belts to get their perspectives on the challenges they face and how they see their future in this martial art.

The journey from a beginner to a black belt can take years, and many students drop out along the way.

According to the survey, over 90 percent of people who start the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey never make it to blue belt, and 99 percent of people who make it to blue belt never make it to black belt. This shows that the journey to blue belt is a significant milestone and requires a lot of dedication, hard work, and patience.

To understand the challenges faced by blue belt students, the survey asked anyone training BJJ what they thought was the hardest belt rank in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Some of the common responses included the following:

Increased expectations: Students noted that the expectations are higher once you reach the blue belt level. There is more pressure to perform well in competitions and to execute techniques correctly during training.

Learning to implement techniques: While white belt level focuses on learning techniques step-by-step, blue belt level requires martial artists to put all the steps together to execute a technique. This level is compared to a chess game that requires critical thinking and strategy.

Surviving and breathing techniques: Students must learn how to breathe and not panic when in compromising situations such as being choked or having limbs locked up.

Despite these challenges, blue belt practitioners advise beginners not to give up and to keep showing up for training. They emphasized the importance of consistency and learning from all training partners, regardless of their rank or size.

Additionally, they highlighted the importance of setting achievable goals and celebrating small victories. One practitioner shared how difficult it was for her to reach the blue belt level, but she kept pushing through for four years because she wanted it badly.

In conclusion, the journey to blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not an easy one, but it is a rewarding one. It requires hard work, patience, and consistency. Beginners should focus on learning techniques step-by-step, not giving up, and celebrating small victories along the way. By doing so, they will be on their way to reaching the blue belt level and beyond.