[blank step]

Hello everyone, I am fairly new to this site and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I have a few question about belt promotion how does it really work? Like the stripes and everything because at the place that I train at I see a older adult with a black strip across his belt from beginning to end. I thought the belt order was just white, blue, purple, brown, and black? Anyone mind telling me what rank is that?

[mr_smiley_]

Many schools have stripes that are incremental promotions between belt colors. Of the schools that have stripes most have 4 stripes between belts, but some have 8. Some schools do not use stripes. Since belt promotions are often years apart, they're just a way of measuring progress between belts. They are usually fairly informal and you don't have to get all of your stripes before you can get promoted to the next belt, frequently someone will receive multiple stripes at once, etc.

[blank step]

what i meant to say was is this adult blet? imagine a white belt but with a black line in the middle from beginning to end without strips.

[georgetteoden]

[mofo]

Believe it or not, it's not just the McDojo's that have multiple belts for white. In fact I believe there are several members of this forum that have mentioned that they receive a different belt instead of stripes. The white with the grey & the white with the black seem to be becoming more common. I guess with the more Americans entering the art there is a greater need for immediate gratification. Stripes just don't cut it anymore.

[lstbred]

These are the new kids ranking system from the IBJJF. Ive heard that some places (though not many) are doing something similar for adults.
http://www.ibjjf.org/docs/kidsbeltsystem.pdf
http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm

[georgetteoden]

I stand corrected, and I apologize if I have offended anyone.

I shouldn't make a blanket accusation... HOWEVER-- I find it hard to swallow that any academy/instructor who knuckles under to that kind of short term, immediate gratification kind of demand (or perceived demand?) would be providing the kind of quality that greatly exceeds a McDojo label.

For instance-- at my academy, we don't even do stripes. We peeled all our stripes off, if we came from other schools.

To me, jiu jitsu is about more than just learning the physical skills... it really is a lifestyle, a perspective, a life philosophy. So if you're not standing up for a long term perspective that emphasizes discipline, sacrifice, and at the very least, "doing without" the constant tiny affirmations of "ooh, I am now a white-and-black belt! my next promotion will be blue-and-white!".... I don't know that even the most bad ass techniques would be enough to encourage me to stay...

But again-- I apologize to anyone coming from a school with fifty different belts, I wasn't intending to offend, and obviously since I've never been there, maybe your instructor is amazing and you're lucky to be there!

[joshea]

Yep - my son has that belt, he's 7.
He'd laugh his ass off if he saw an adult with it...

[CWH]

[fuseone]

[Relentless]

For me, I just don't like the whole multi-colored stripe-this, stripe that look. From an 'nice to look at' point of view, I hate it.

Also, the whole instant gratification thing. I know we want to keep kids/people in the art, but I want dedicated, patient people who have the maturity to wait and work hard for a belt. Every parent talks about martial arts helping their kid learn patience and stuff, well, this new black bar thing won't help that...

I don't mind the stripes on the black bar at the end of the belt, but the whole black stripe through the entire belt is annoying... you shouldn't need to get a whole other belt just to have a black stripe on it... just give a fourth strip on the original belt...

For me it's:

-Looks bad
-You could get nickle'd and dime'd for the new belt
-Is handicapping the patience aspect and dedication of one's self.

[agotsmanov]

I also think they should keep it the way it is. I love the 5 belt system, the grind that it requires to advance all the way through. I read a quote somewhere that only 1% that start BJJ get to blackbelt, I wouldnt want it any other way. we shouldnt dilute the 5 belt system just because people want their instant satisfaction getting promoted every 6 months...buckle down and train more

[buhriyon]

We have four stripes for white and blue, but once you make purple the stripes stop, I guess that the idea is that it is harder to gauge progress when you are newer but once you make purple than you kind of have a better idea of where you stand.

[nicoverba]

[lstbred]

^no, thier talking about a stripe all the way down the length. Remember this is only just for the kids, a 6 or 8 yr old doesnt always have the maturity or drive or attention span for that matter lol it keeps kids motivated, some need attention, some are mature far beyond thier age. Were "grown" we understand commitment, sacrifice and real hard work and things like that. Unlike some of the other "Arts" you cant get a BB at 10, you need to be 10 for orange, 16 for blue and 19 for black, thats a huge step over the other MA's Now, I'm not convinced that we need 20 kids belts but i can understand broadening it a little.

[twoolf]