So far, we’ve acknowledged that having a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu means you’re pretty well equipped for fighting. However, what do you know about being a BJJ brown belt? This is the penultimate belt in the BJJ ranking system. Statistically, less than 5% of people starting the martial art will ever make it to brown belt. So, even though it’s not the best belt – it still comes with an accomplished reputation. Having said this, how dangerous is a BJJ brown belt outside of a BJJ setting? Read on for more information…
Table of Contents
A brown belt is advanced, but not the finished article
Simply put, a brown belt is not to be messed with. Whilst they aren’t quite at the level of a black belt, they are still a position of authority. Let’s say a black belt is a 10/10 at BJJ, a brown belt may be an 8 or 9/10. With this said, they are definitely highly skilled. Perhaps the main difference between the two is timing and foresight. If a black belt can react to mistakes and attacks in half a second, a brown belt may be closer to a second.
Because of this, it’s not uncommon at all to see brown belts tapping black belts and so forth. Generally, they can quite easily defend against most purple belts and blue belts – whilst still being vulnerable to being submitted by lower belts if caught out.
In terms of a self defense aspect, any brown belt worth their salt should know how to handle themselves. This means takedowns, sweeps and submissions should all be done to a high level. By brown belt, the average practitioner should have completed around 8 years of regular training.
Because of this, a brown belt shouldn’t really fear untrained opponent’s in a fight. Only if the opponent is significantly stronger or younger could they cause them a problem. Of course, if the opponent is trained in another martial art then it is a different story.
Even though brown belts aren’t as complete as their seniors, they are still very advanced. Most will know all of the fundamental moves very well. Not only this but most brown belts will also have a specialist game and know some unusual, gimmicky moves that can catch people out. For example, you may find the odd brown belt who is deadly at omoplatas. This will make for a special, dangerous area that you would have to look out for.
A brown belt is probably in better physical shape compared to a black belt
This is probably the one area that a brown belt surpasses a black belt. Usually black belts have trained for at least 10 years of consistent Jiu Jitsu. By this point their bodies are often injured and worn due to years of training. However, in this area the body of a brown belt is usually less worn down. This means that brown belts may be able to rely on athleticism more and be able to do things slightly easier.
For example, a black belt may be able to rely on lazier moves – but a brown belt may be able to do flashier stuff. This means that in theory, brown belts can use more of a broad range of attacks. Imagine getting caught in a headlock with a bad neck.
Even though more skilled, it may cause more damage. The brown belt is less likely to have a bad neck in this case, buying them more time to escape and risk less long-term damage. Obviously, on average most brown belts are younger than black belts too. As well as this, they are often physically very strong and conditioned due to years of hard training.
A brown belt should be well rounded
In terms of Jiu Jitsu knowledge, a brown belt should know more than enough and also be able to use it adequately in a self defense scenario. For instance, some of the lower belts may lack in takedowns. However, by now you should be able to rely on a couple of moves that you have done for years. Similarly, your brain should be more naturally in tune with defending attacks.
For example, if a blue belt got put in guard in a real fight, they would have far less options and think at a slower pace. This is different as a brown belt. Generally, you should have an answer for most things by now and should really ‘feel’ what Jiu Jitsu is all about. This skill of thinking on the spot could potentially be a life saver.
Even if your opponent opted for unorthodox moves, you should be able to have enough experience and feel to be able to dictate the tempo. Usually by brown belt you should also be able to assert your BJJ and be aggressive with it. This differs to the lower belts who can sometimes struggle against aggressive, explosive people. However, a brown belt should have seen it all before and be able to handle it.
Some brown belts may have bad leg locks
This is a point that is exclusive to those who train in gyms that strictly follow the IBJJF rule set. Usually these are more gi-based gyms that are traditional in their approach. Often this means that practitioners can only stick to achilles locks until brown belt. Sadly, this means no knee bars, no heel hooks or toe holds. Whilst these moves aren’t essential in a fight, they obviously give you more options. Simply put, more options means more routes to victory.
This would mean having a big hole in your game that could possibly let you down. With this said, it’s probably an idea to learn leg locks as quickly as you can. As long as it’s done in a safe environment, there’s no reason to shy away from leg locks. Having said this, even if you barely touch leg locks until brown belt – the reality is that you wouldn’t really need them in a fight. At the same time, why would you still choose to disadvantage yourself?
Final thoughts on the skills of a brown belt
In summary, a brown belt should be more than able to handle themselves in a fighting situation against an opponent who is evenly matched in physical size. Within the setting of a BJJ gym, a brown belt is even more dangerous due to sparring under BJJ rules.
To answer the original question, you could say that BJJ brown belts are very dangerous. Of course, there’s always a degree of randomness but still…if you’ve put in 8 years of training, the chances are you’re going to be more than good enough when it comes to combat.
Check The Price Of BJJ Brown Belts On Amazon
