HOW MANY BJJ BLACK BELTS ARE THERE?

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become a worldwide sensation, as the popularity of the Martial Art is growing everyday. Kids and adults alike are lining up to be a part of the amazing culture that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has to offer. Students that begin Jiu Jitsu will aspire to become a black belt bjj practitioner, and as they train hard and show their dedication, they will head down a path that leads all the way to the coveted black belt promotion.

What This Article Covers:

• How Long Does It Take to Earn a Black Belt In BJJ?
• How Has BJJ Progressed Since the Beginning
• How Many Black Belts in BJJ Are There Across the Globe?
• How Easy Is It to Earn a Black Belt In BJJ?
• Why Should A BJJ Student Never Give Up

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu started with only a handful of black belts, and as Helio and Carlos Gracie expanded their Martial Art, the growth of the sport that followed was exponential. Nowadays BJJ has thousands of black belts across the globe, as many countries have spawned BJJ academies like wildfire. The recent birth of No Gi BJJ has put the sport firmly in the international limelight, with the exciting talents of exceptional athletes like Gordon Ryan, Andre Galvao, Marcelo Garcia and Craig Jones. These athletes are leading the way for the younger generation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners to be inspired by.

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO EARN A BLACK BELT IN BJJ

This article will focus on adult progression and not youth jiu jitsu belt ranking which will obviously add more years.It can take a seriously long time to achieve a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Many practitioners will train for a decade or more and still not reach the prestigious black belt level. Students will need to go through a vigorous training system that includes mastering techniques in all aspects of BJJ. For the average student it can take anywhere from ten to twenty years to achieve a black belt promotion. 

Some students will achieve the honour of becoming a black belt more quickly than others, this is usually due to their high volume of competition success and their extraordinary presence on their training mats. Some students have been known to receive their black belt in only four years, but they would have to train extensively showing technical excellence and a high success rate at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournaments. The fastest person to get a black belt in bjj only spent eighteen months going through the BJJ belt system. Some instructors will award a black belt to a student based on their pure technical abilities, while others coaches will have a more stringent set of requirements. In most cases a student must become the epitome of a black belt coach and role model before they can earn a promotion to the highest levels. 

Developing skills in coaching Jiu Jitsu is far different from the skills needed in practising the art. Practitioners will spend a significant amount of their time learning how to identify different learning processes that students have. Practitioners should build a reputation as a role model and master their skills in coaching principles. For most practitioners it is extremely hard to gain a promotion to the black belt level without becoming an exceptional coach and mentor. Becoming a good coach takes a slow accumulation of developing concepts and learning the ability to clearly and concisely teach their knowledge. 

HOW HAS BJJ PROGRESSED SINCE THE BEGINNING 

Since Helio Gracie first developed his style of defensive Martial Arts, there has been significant changes over the course of its evolution. The art itself has seen many high profile grapplers add concepts and techniques to its high calibre arsenal over the years. Pioneers like Rixon Gracie, Fabio Gurgel, Marcelo Garcia, Pedro Sauer, and Leo Vieira have all helped in the growth of the Martial Art, through their dedication towards the sport and the development of their Jiu Jitsu game style.

In more recent times Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has split into three different arts. The first is the traditional IBJJF Gi style, where grapplers utilise grips on each other's uniforms to sweep or submit in order to secure wins. This style is very sport focused as it relies upon a points system to win, when a submission cannot be secured. The second style is the more traditional self defense aspect which is taught by the Gracie Academy, as they utilise programs like the Women's Empowered Program and the Gracie Combatives Program. This style of Jiu Jitsu is based around self defense scenarios, as it builds skills when the student is under highly stressful situations. This style is what Helio had envisioned for his Martial Art for future generations, which is now being heavily adopted by Rener and Ryron Gracie at the Gracie University in California, USA.

The third style of BJJ is the more famous brand of No Gi Jiu Jitsu. This style has become extremely focused as a sports orientated version of the famous Martial Art. No Gi BJJ still uses many of the traditional styles of techniques, but it has evolved to add more of a wrestling style to it. When you have to utilise neck ties and wrist grips, the art does have to be altered. There have been several athletes over the years that have helped the style evolve, guys like Dean Lister, Andre Galvao, John Daniher, Marcelo Garcia and Gordon Ryan. Their style has seen many modifications over the years like the impact of the leg lock game and the inverted style of berimbolo attacks.

HOW MANY BLACK BELTS IN BJJ ARE THERE ACROSS THE GLOBE

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has almost split into three different sports, as the difference between Gi, No Gi and self defense Jiu Jitsu is huge. A difficult question to answer is how many black belts are there in bjj, as many of them are not registered through the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). As of 2021 the IBJJF statistics show there are just over 4000 registered black belts worldwide. All this means is they are the ones that compete in tournaments across the IBJJF competition scene.

There are many black belts in BJJ that don't compete, or only compete in No Gi tournaments like the ADCC. A commonly asked question is does no gi bjj have belts, and even though the answer is negative all No Gi practitioners are still ranked at the same levels as students that practise in the Gi. Some of the world's most talented grapplers mainly focus on the No Gi variant of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which has become more of a wrestling/submission grappling hybrid. Athletes like Gordon Ryan, Geo Martinez, Craig Jones, Nick Rodrigues and Willian Tackett are superstars in the world of No Gi Jiu Jitsu, and can be added to the overall figure of worldwide Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts.

There is no real way of knowing exactly how many black belts there are worldwide, as many are not registered and only train in their academies rather than compete. The IBJJF tries to keep records, but unless a practitioner registers themself as a black belt, the number will only be an estimate. There are thousands of academies worldwide and nearly 3000 in the United States of America alone, so it's only fair to say there could be anywhere up to one hundred thousand black belts across the globe. With the rise of the sport exponentially across the globe, that figure is definitely set to rise more and more.

HOW MANY FEMALE BJJ BLACK BELTS ARE THERE: THE RISING REGIMENT

The number of female black belts in BJJ has been steadily rising, a testament to the growing popularity of the martial art among women worldwide. While accurate numbers can be elusive due to non-registered practitioners and the lack of a centralized tracking system, it's safe to say that thousands of women have achieved the black belt rank. These women, each a paragon of skill and determination, have not only ascended the ranks of BJJ but are instrumental in promoting the sport among their peers and inspiring the next generation of female grapplers.

FAMOUS JIU-JITSU BLACK BELTS: THE ESTEEMED ENCLAVE

There is a legion of famous black belts in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, individuals who have etched their names in the annals of the sport with their contributions and achievements. Included in this prestigious roster are personalities like Rickson Gracie, a figure synonymous with BJJ's roots, and Marcelo Garcia, renowned for his aggressive, high-pace style. Then there are black belts like Eddie Bravo, who revolutionized the sport with his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, and Kron Gracie, a UFC fighter carrying forward his family's rich martial arts legacy. These famous black belts, each unique in their journey and style, continue to inspire countless practitioners worldwide.

LIST OF BJJ BLACK BELTS: THE LUMINARY LEGION

An exhaustive list of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts would be a roll call of grit, determination, and relentless pursuit of mastery. It'd include celebrated names like Roger Gracie, Marcelo Garcia, and André Galvão, legends known for their distinctive grappling styles and laudable contributions to the sport. Accomplished competitors like Cobrinha, Buchecha, and Kron Gracie would find their places in the list, each having left an indelible imprint on the mats. This illustrious list would also feature relentless warriors such as Michelle Nicolini, Kyra Gracie, and Beatriz Mesquita, luminaries who have blazed a trail for women in the sport.

NUMBER OF BJJ BLACK BELTS: THE EXPANSIVE BATTALION

Exact numbers for BJJ black belts worldwide can be challenging to pin down due to the decentralized nature of the sport, the number of unregistered practitioners, and the burgeoning growth of BJJ globally. However, as of 2021, the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) had over 4,000 registered black belts. This figure, however, does not include countless black belts who do not compete or register through the IBJJF. So, it is fair to speculate that there could be tens of thousands of BJJ black belts globally.

HOW EASY IS IT TO EARN A BLACK BELT IN BJJ

Earning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most complicated Martial Arts belts to earn. It takes some serious dedication and  perseverance to reach this incredible goal. As a white belt a student will have to go through a series of fundamental principles in order to grasp an understanding of Jiu Jitsu. Students will often ask how long are you a white belt in bjj for, and after spending up to two years learning basic foundations like control positions, utilising grips, sweeps, submissions, positional and submission escapes, students will earn their next belt promotion. 

As a beginner hits the next level they will wonder how dangerous is a bjj blue belt. They will soon realise the depth of skill they can acquire as they train hard by constant repetition, as they look to rise up the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belt ranking ladder. The blue belt level is infamous for athletes quitting the sport, but for the ones that stay and keep persevering they will take another step closer to the coveted black belt level. Blue belts will continue to improve on their technical proficiency and become more in tune with their academies philosophy. In most cases they will begin competing at a more serious level, as they soon realise it is a good way to fast track their progression through the belt ranking system.

By the time a student becomes a purple belt, they will be fully entrenched into their BJJ game style. A purple belt will be a trusted leader at their academy and will spend up to two years mastering their flow chains and adding different concepts to their repouture. The purple belt level is all about exploring their proficiency and expanding their technical knowledge, so they can rise up the ranks. At the middle belt level, students will start to get more serious about their coaching status as they become highly valued members of their academy's coaching team. Purple belts will often begin running classes for adults and children, they have also been known to start their own academies, as many BJJ practitioners have a goal to own their own gyms. 

Often students that reach the purple belt level will have gone as far as they can go in the Martial Art. There are many factors that hinder a student's progression towards a brown belt, like injuries and various life commitments. Statistics show that only a third of students that reach the purple belt level will go on to earn a brown belt promotion. For the dedicated few that work hard and move up to the penultimate belt, they begin to see the light at the end of the journey. Usually a student will spend twelve months to two years at the brown belt level. In order to fulfill the final ascension into the black belt realm, brown belts must comprehensively refine their skill set. They will also strengthen any weakness they may have, by continuous repetition of those movements.

Moving up to a black belt is a reflection of their instructor, so they must represent their ideologies and lead the way with humility and integrity. Brown belts will often set a ferocious precedent by showcasing their technical abilities inside their academy and on the competition mats. In order to receive that final promotion, brown belts must perfect their coaching capabilities, as most instructors will only promote a student to black if they have an outstanding aptitude for teaching students. After all a black belt must be able to be a good coach and have a considerable amount of knowledge, because many lower belts will look up to them for guidance.

WHY SHOULD A BJJ STUDENT NEVER GIVE UP

Training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a tremendous amount of advantages, as students who dedicate their time and their focus will achieve an extremely rare accomplishment. Staying in Martial Arts has many benefits to a student like, helping them to belong to a cause that offers them so much help and camaraderie. Many people suffer from mental health issues these days,  and when they add Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to their lives it acts as not only a release but a therapy that gives them stability.

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies are widely famous for their great atmosphere, and when a student joins the ranks they will start to build amazing friendships. Human connection is what makes BJJ a great sport, as the camaraderie is strong within the community. Another important aspect of BJJ is the self defense skills they will learn. Students will learn how to remain calm under high pressure situations as it will bolster their self confidence. If students stay dedicated and don't give up they will earn many rewards for their application. Becoming a black belt is an outstanding achievement and students will relish the opportunity to join the higher ranks of their academy's coaching team. 

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