One of the questions that I hate getting asked at my Baltimore Mixed Martial Arts school is “What do I need to do to get my Blue Belt?” One out of ten times, it is an honest request for guidance and advice. The other nine times, it is the student letting the instructor know that he thinks he should be wearing a different color belt. Sometimes, a few training tips are all that is necessary. Other times, it ends up being a very long discussion.
BJ Penn - UFC Champion and 3 year BJJ Black Belt
In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, there are only 4 belt ranks; these levels are blue, purple, brown, and black. Because there are so few promotions, each one becomes much more important to the student. Unfortunately, focusing on the color of the belt usually implies that the student has taken his eyes off the prize, which was to develop the skills that are represented by the belt color. These skills are sometimes best developed by the coach promoting the student a little early and having them struggle at the next belt, and other times these skills are best developed by holding the student back in pursuit of consistency and psychological / mental development.
A good coach should be able to “read” his students enough to figure out when a promotion would be most helpful in a student’s development. This “bespoke” approach for each student is the mark of all good coaches and why schools that focus on seminar promotions or video promotions will never be able to match the quality of old-school hands-on programs. It’s also why answering the question can sometimes take a very long time…
Ronaldo Jacare - Had to win the Worlds 2X at Purple and 2X and Brown to be Promoted
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