Unlike most other martial arts, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has more of an arduous process in achieving the rank of black belt. Whilst many martial arts can give out black belts in under 5 years, this isn’t the case in BJJ. Because of this, many martial artists will take the black belt very seriously as a rank in BJJ. Put simply, as it takes longer to achieve than in other arts, it holds greater status and is a true testament of putting in the time and effort over the course of a decade. It should be noted that the occasional prodigy such as BJ Penn has received his black belt in under 5 years, yet this is incredibly rare.
Of course, some will earn it after 8 years or so, however others will earn it in 12 years or even later. As a result of these different time frames, the general rule is that it takes 10 years to achieve for the average practitioner. Below we shall address the how and why questions that are commonly asked about the time it takes to achieve your black belt.
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How long would it take to become a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu?
As mentioned, this takes 10 years on average. There are several reasons for this that will now be addressed.
Injuries
Over the course of 10 years for the average practitioner, you will have at least 6 months off training due to injuries. This isn’t always the case and some people can avoid injury for those 10 years. Whether this is due to sensible training or whether it’s luck isn’t really known. However, for most people you will have at least 6 months off. This may be a big lay off such as a broken ankle, or it may just be weeks off every now and then that adds up over the years. The result is that your BJJ journey will take periods of rest and delay over the years. It’s no secret that BJJ is hard on the body and this is one of the reasons why it takes a while to obtain a black belt.
Moving gyms, travel and taking breaks
As mentioned, injuries are somewhat inevitable in BJJ and will force you from training. However, there are also other issue that will typically crop up during your first 10 years on the mat. These can be summed up briefly as lifestyle events and changes. For example, you may move gyms due to re-locating for work.
Often, this results in delaying your belt promotion as new teachers will often take a while to promote you due to analyzing your personality in the meantime. Similarly, you may take a few years out due to have a baby or you may even turn away from Jiu Jitsu for a few years out of boredom. Over a 10 year span, these things happen to most people and it’s completely understandable.
Training intensity and pace will also dictate how long it takes to get your black belt
Let’s say the average person trains three times per week for 10 years. This may result in them achieving their black belt. However, if someone trains only once per week, it may take them 15 years. Whilst 15 years takes longer than 10, if you add it up – they may have actually trained less than the person who did three classes per week for 10 years. This means your promotion will be judged on how much you train. Amongst other qualities such as how naturally skilled you are and your attitude, this is probably the main factor that determines your promotion.
There is also the issue of competing. Competition promotions are based on the discretion of the teacher and depending on who you ask, will have differing requirements for promotion. For instance, if you win a major competition or clean up locally, your teacher may deem you too good for your rank and grant a quick promotion. However, in some gyms, there is the opposite logic.
In some cases, top competitors may be held back to sharpen their skills and get competition experience under their belt. This means some people may stick at blue or brown belt for years beyond their skill level. It all comes down to the interpretation of whoever is doing the promotions.
So, can you get promoted to black belt quicker than others?
The answer to this is ‘yes’ and it has been alluded to previously in the article. One way to do this is to train as much as possible which is the easiest way to progress. Although not for everyone and this method does risk injury, if you train more than most then you will usually get promoted quicker. Earlier, we used the example of BJ Penn who was undoubtedly very talented.
His promotion in under 5 years happened because he allegedly trained two or three times per day, 7 days per week for several years. Based on the previous example we looked at in regards to the 10 year theory, it’s no wonder that BJ Penn got promoted so quickly as he definitely put the time in. The main problem is being able to do his schedule consistently. For most people, there’s the small issue of having a job or family in the way. Further, you have to be careful whilst training like this as injuries are more likely to occur due to over-training.
Other methods in gaining a quicker promotion include competing often, watching DVD instructionals away from class to improve your knowledge, taking privates to sharpen skills and cross-train to gain a broader skill set. With these combined, you should get promoted quicker than most. It should be noted that taking this route requires quite a commitment and certainly isn’t for everyone. With BJJ however, there are no short-cuts and usually belts can be a very slow, hard-earned process. If you’re looking for a quick black belt for status, BJJ is probably the last place to look for it.
Is the term ‘professor’ relevant when wearing the black belt?
Although the term professor is used to translate the Portuguese term that means teacher, some people have a problem with this. Typically, a professor is someone who is an academic and has an area of expertise. This is a far cry from someone who is a trained martial artist. Nonetheless, usually those who earn the rank of professor have easily earned the right to have the title. Imagine training at something weekly for 10 years. The result would be that you’re basically an expert and deserve a little credit.
This title isn’t for everyone and it doesn’t give you the right to be arrogant. Neither will you always be the best guy in the room. However, it should also be acknowledged that you’ve put considerable time into mastering your craft.
Summary
To conclude, the road to black belt roughly takes 10 years. For a detailed micro-breakdown of each individual belts, be sure to check out this guide. When looking at the black belt, factors such as age, fitness, dedication and natural ability will of course play a role in your progression. It should also be added that when training any martial art, your goal shouldn’t simply be obtaining belts for recognition.
Instead, you should enjoy the journey and realize that it may take a while. To build on this, for some people the black belt may even take closer to 20 years to get if you have numerous breaks in between. This is completely ok and although it’s a great achievement, really no one cares or is judging you. With this in mind, the question of black belt length is relevant, but there are deeper questions out there in the world of BJJ to be explored.
