Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Bjj Belts

Built to be as tough yet flexible as the gis they are paired with, BJJ belts are mainly made of cotton. The cotton they are made of have reinforced stitching to keep them from tearing and are lightweight to ensure fighters can move without snagging on them. The belts that are not made of pure cotton have spandex or foam stitched in to help improve their flexibility.

The BJJ belts are ranked the following from lowest to highest: white, blue, purple, brown, and black. Each major color has several stripe tiers that you must complete before you can progress to the next rank. To achieve stripes and belt ranks, you have to prove you have mastered certain techniques and train in BJJ for a minimum number of years.

The BJJ belts are ranked the following from lowest to highest: white, blue, purple, brown, and black. Each major color has several levels and stripe tiers that you must complete before you can progress to the next rank. To reach the next level, stripe, and belt rank, you have to prove you have mastered a list of techniques and train in BJJ for a minimum number of years.

Most white belts stay at the beginner tier for at least 1-2 years learning the basic forms and techniques. Blue belts can only progress after they have mastered submissions, defensive moves, and setups for at least 2 years. Purple belts take about 1 year and 6 months to learn combos moves, advanced guards, and multiple setups. Brown belts need a year or longer to balance offense, defense, setups, and submission techniques. You finally achieve the rank of black belt after 8 to 10 years or longer achieving mastery of the most difficult BJJ techniques. For the most ambitous fighters, it can take nearly 50 years to become the highest belt rank, a red belt.

The hardest belt to get in BJJ is the rank of red belt. Following the rank of black belt, earning the rank of red belt first requires you to have been a black belt for at least 48 years. Before becoming a solid red belt, a fighter also needs to achieve the following ranks: 1st-6th degree black belts, red/black coral, and red/white coral. Each of these tiers requires several decades of dedicated training and continued proof of mastery over black belt level BJJ techniques.

Micael "Mica" Galvao is the youngest fighter to become a BJJ black belt. He achieved the rank of black belt at the age of 17. A fighter hailing from Brazil, Galvao has participated in many famous IBBJF tournaments, including the Pan America, European, and World Championships. He started training in BJJ at 2 years old, much earlier than most BJJ kids. He also quickly rose in the belt ranks, proving himself a prodigy on the mat.

The rarest and most difficult belt rank to achieve is the red belt. Coming after black belt, there are less than 50 BJJ red belts in the entire world. The requirements, time, and technique mastery required to become a red belt is so difficult that many people do not bother trying to pursue after achieving black belt mastery.

Many white belt quits BJJ because they feel their bodies cannot handle the physical strain and pain that comes with training your body to handle BJJ techniques. Many feel they do not have enough time to dedicate to BJJ training due to work, school, or other obligations. Others lack mental fortitude and believe that the challenges that come with trying to rank up in BJJ are too difficult.

The youngest BJJ red belt ever is Carlos Rosado. A student of the late Carlson Gracie of the famous BJJ family, Rosado also received his black belt from the same man who trained him. Aside from being the youngest man to earn a BJJ red belt at the age of 40, he was also the only one to receive a red belt from Carlson Gracie. Rosado had close ties to the Carlson Gracie Academy. He would go on to become the founder of Rosado Jiu-Jitsu Academy.