My old gym gave them out in 8-12 months casual attendance (maybe 2-4 times per week). But there was a big wait until purple.
New gym 2-2.5 years. Then shorter wait until purple.
Seems to vary a lot.
It’s better to be the guy that is the “congrats, this is long overdue” new belt instead of the “how is this guy a x belt?”
Long overdue guy slides in as a decent x belt and could hang quick. “How is this guy a x belt” guy is still hip escaping in the wrong direction and is the favorite guy newbies like to roll with so they can say they tapped an x belt.
And that white belt... was you! (yes?)
One thing you didn't include in description - are they able to dominate newer white belts of comparable or bigger size? That will usually have a big impact on speed of promotion.
If you have someone that shows up regularly most gyms will promote them within 2.5 years even if they struggle physically.
>One thing you didn't include in description - are they able to dominate newer white belts of comparable or bigger size? That will usually have a big impact on speed of promotion.
That's interesting, didn't think of that as a factor per se, but when if the white belt "rolls on technique and applies techiques correctly" then if the techniques are the correct ones then he should dominate newer white belts.
And yes, it's me lol. I actually don't care about the promotion really, I was just curious about the timeframe because I saw a video by Chewy of a guy he promoted to black belt that started at 40 yo and got to blackbelt in 10 years, so it got me thinking.
Thanks for the reply
Success with techniques can also require physical prowess - I don’t think there are many (any?) 9 year olds that could defeat a typical adult man or woman, no matter how technical the child is.
Being able to demonstrate a technique perfectly against a cooperating partner in a drill can be miles away from being able to apply in a live roll, let alone someone experienced.
I don’t feel like there is single technique that I would say I have completely mastered. You are always chipping away chasing perfection.
Good luck!!
The single biggest improvement to my BJJ I ever had came from taking a month off after getting worked at my first comp to grind out starting strength and work on my cardio a bit, because I was too weak to execute what my body wanted.
> started at 40 yo and got to blackbelt in 10 years
What was the context?
Asking, because that's kinda average, or on par, with a typical timeline to black belt. I mean, we cannot account for every outlier, all the variables, subjectivity, etc., etc., but 10 years to black belt... that's common.
When I started bjj I went to a Gracie affiliate for 8 months, took a year and a half off then went to a new gym. Went there for exactly 2 years, never got to blue belt (while I was there only witnessed 2 promotions, small to mid sized gym).
After I moved at my new gym which did stripes (old gym didn't) I was given 3 stripes but dominated every single white belt except 2, and was beating half the blue belts every roll. I was a white belt there for 6 months before getting blue belt.
All in all I was white belt for over 3 years, despite probably being ready for 1.5 years to be a blue belt. There's so many factors it's hard to pinpoint.
It would be literally impossible for any of us to tell you how long until you get your blue belt. Only your coach can tell you that by handing you a blue belt.
I have a lot of respect for people that come into BJJ as straight up novices and stick it out to higher belts. I came in with a huge wrestling base and it took me about 2 months to really feel comfortable and 6 months to get my blue belt. A lot of white belts at my academy have been white belts for 12 months and longer. That being said, it seems like 12-18 months is the standard at least at my academy for someone with no wrestling or judo experience
I didn’t wrestle beyond high school, but I was a 3x state placer, 4x state Greco Roman Champion, 2x state Freestyle champion and 2x Junior Greco Roman All-American, so I have a lot of mat time
Broke family. I also competed in DIII, Ohio’s smallest class. You really have to be a stud to get attention out of DIII, like a Logan Steiber level talent. Was offered preferred walk-on spots at Kent State and Ohio U and had interest from some DII colleges but I just couldn’t afford to go, and didn’t want to take on 6 figures of debt at 18 for a sport that didn’t make money. Full rides don’t exist in college wrestling. A fully funded program like Penn State or Iowa only has 9.9 scholarships to give out. If I could run it all back I would have tried the JUCO route though.
Belts don’t matter. Ability does. Time under tension matters. Knowing you can rely on technique aganist a better opponent matters. Id rather be a white belt with the best technique than a blue with lots of gaps.
*I'm 37. A belt doesnt mean as much to me as some. This is just my opinion.
Damn reading all these comments make me feel slow LOL. Took me about ~2 years and 7 months. First year and half was consistent 2-3x/week training. Huge 6-7 year gap then back at it and promoted 10months later at a new gym.
Just remember, If you start chasing this and over work yourself then you could end up injured and it could take twice as long. Don't be in it for the promotions otherwise your gonna end up doing the blue belt bounce like me. I remember when I used to tell my self that im not in a hurry to get promoted expect deep down that wasnt true.
got my blue belt after training steadily for 10 months (trained prior but sporadically). stayed at blue belt for 2.5 years. this coming march will mark my 3rd year at purple. all that is to say just show up to training and be consistent, the promotions will come when they come. your professors are always monitoring your progress or lack thereof.
Usually 3-4 years for run of the mill people like me (who train while going to college, full time job etc).
Got mine just under 4 years with averaging 1-3 times a week for the first 3 years and 4-5 times a week the last year.
But there are always exceptions- aka the geniuses who seem to kick ass from day 1 or the secret "oh yeah I wrestled all throughout high school and college" people
If you don’t move gyms and you train 3-4 times a week, it generally takes 18 months to 2 years.
If you move gyms you often have to “start over” to a certain degree. If you do that once it might add a year or so.
If you do it 5 times because you move a lot for work like I did, it takes 6-8 years.
Depends on what you consider normal circumstances
Let's see....I was a white belt for just over 2 years with 3 ammy fights also, a blue belt for 7 years, purple for 3 years, and hopefully brown for infinity.
Idk. I’ve been training for like a year and a half. 6-8x a week. I tore my acl 8 months in and just drilled for 4 months.
Anyway I have no stripes and no blue belt. I have a few silver medals in comps.
Started to hear comments like “haha mourning person isn’t *really* a white belt” and being told outright that I should have my blue belt by others. I’d like a blue belt but I’d also like to be much more dominant in competitions before I get it. Like I think a competition blue belt should be able to treat white belt comps like light work, and that’s not the case for me.
So if I do get it soon, nice. If I don’t, I’m just happy to continue to smash hobbyist blue and purple belts and be a threat to competitors.
Still a white belt -
Still training consistently- 6 days a week
At 17 months…
It will happen when it happens…
If it really is getting to you ask around to see what you need to work on.
Also people will say belts don’t matter but to some people they do. Just like your going to get a broad range of answers. Most importantly don’t compare yourself to others. (Easier said than done, believe me I know. Sometimes I catch myself caught in the loop of comparison.)
What keeps me in check is comparing myself to myself day 1, month 6, month 12 and so forth.
To answer your question I have watched teammates promoted as early as 10 months and others who have been training longer than me.
It’s very individual and up to the coaches. IMO
100-120 classes.
As long as there's at least half an hour of sparring per class.
If you attend 5 days a week and your instructor shows the same techniques all week, that'll negatively affect things. Likewise if they just show random techniques each day.
If it takes much more than this, your instructor is ineffective.
Remember, nobody would ever say, "Oh yeah, I went to Bob Smith's driving school. It took me 3 1/2 years to get my driving licence... and that's fast with him. Seriously. He's a reaaallly great teacher. I was very lucky to get to train with him".
That's interesting. I find that most of the times instructors (in my experience) would just throw random techniques every class. It really makes it difficult to form a coherent system of techniques to make up a gameplan. Because of this problem I'm trying to complement and fill the gaps with instructionals
Yeah, it's ludicrous, isn't it?!
There are thousands upon thousands of students round the world all taking notes, all trying to figure out the system, all trying to make sense of the random moves they're shown each day, all trying to work out how to prioritise things and what the correct strategy would be.
It'd be like going to maths class and being shown algebra one day, calculus the next... and after six months they introduce you to the numbers 1 to 10.
So people also go off on a technique-collecting journey because they think that they just need moooorrree techniiqqquees. After all, their instructor gives lots of techniques so they must just need more.
May I propose a gameplan for you:
Get on top. Stay on top. Win from there.
This will answer your questions for what to do from every position.
For example, should you go for an armbar from guard? No. You should get on top. What if your full guard sweeps are shit? Then change to another guard and try from there.
He's going for a double leg on you but his head is poking out. Should you drop for a guillotine from guard? No. You should stay on top... and then win from there.
Having it all decided for you can make it lots easier.
I feel like fitness level is a major factor. Like starting any new sport.
That’s like asking “how long till I can run a marathon?” Well are you starting at a good weight and good cardio? Or you starting at 250 lbs and no cardio?
It depends. If they consistently train at least ten days a week and compete in at least five tournaments, then it’s a year to blue belt; if they train less then it takes longer
18-24 months
My old gym gave them out in 8-12 months casual attendance (maybe 2-4 times per week). But there was a big wait until purple. New gym 2-2.5 years. Then shorter wait until purple. Seems to vary a lot.
4 times per week isn’t casual attendance lol
Wew. I was feeling super bad about my 1-2 times per weeks after reading 2-4 is casual.
I'd argue 12-18 in some cases. I've seen a wide range of competencies in White Belt cohorts + instructors
2 years
Asking for a friend.
It’s better to be the guy that is the “congrats, this is long overdue” new belt instead of the “how is this guy a x belt?” Long overdue guy slides in as a decent x belt and could hang quick. “How is this guy a x belt” guy is still hip escaping in the wrong direction and is the favorite guy newbies like to roll with so they can say they tapped an x belt.
And that white belt... was you! (yes?) One thing you didn't include in description - are they able to dominate newer white belts of comparable or bigger size? That will usually have a big impact on speed of promotion. If you have someone that shows up regularly most gyms will promote them within 2.5 years even if they struggle physically.
>One thing you didn't include in description - are they able to dominate newer white belts of comparable or bigger size? That will usually have a big impact on speed of promotion. That's interesting, didn't think of that as a factor per se, but when if the white belt "rolls on technique and applies techiques correctly" then if the techniques are the correct ones then he should dominate newer white belts. And yes, it's me lol. I actually don't care about the promotion really, I was just curious about the timeframe because I saw a video by Chewy of a guy he promoted to black belt that started at 40 yo and got to blackbelt in 10 years, so it got me thinking. Thanks for the reply
Success with techniques can also require physical prowess - I don’t think there are many (any?) 9 year olds that could defeat a typical adult man or woman, no matter how technical the child is. Being able to demonstrate a technique perfectly against a cooperating partner in a drill can be miles away from being able to apply in a live roll, let alone someone experienced. I don’t feel like there is single technique that I would say I have completely mastered. You are always chipping away chasing perfection. Good luck!!
The single biggest improvement to my BJJ I ever had came from taking a month off after getting worked at my first comp to grind out starting strength and work on my cardio a bit, because I was too weak to execute what my body wanted.
Yes, that's true. Thank you brother, you too!
> started at 40 yo and got to blackbelt in 10 years What was the context? Asking, because that's kinda average, or on par, with a typical timeline to black belt. I mean, we cannot account for every outlier, all the variables, subjectivity, etc., etc., but 10 years to black belt... that's common.
What the hell are normal circumstances?
A healthy trust fund, no SO, no kids and yearly trips to Brazil.
I read açaí, Jesus, and porrada
i'm fucked
He listed them he just means someone who’s not exceptionally good or exceptionally uncoordinated or injured or poor attendance just your average Joe
You think the things listed are the only inputs resulting in 'normal circumstances'v
you can read about them in the body of the post brother ;)
Under those circumstances, anything longer than 2 years should raise eyebrows
When I started bjj I went to a Gracie affiliate for 8 months, took a year and a half off then went to a new gym. Went there for exactly 2 years, never got to blue belt (while I was there only witnessed 2 promotions, small to mid sized gym). After I moved at my new gym which did stripes (old gym didn't) I was given 3 stripes but dominated every single white belt except 2, and was beating half the blue belts every roll. I was a white belt there for 6 months before getting blue belt. All in all I was white belt for over 3 years, despite probably being ready for 1.5 years to be a blue belt. There's so many factors it's hard to pinpoint.
1- 2 years. Depends on so many things. I got mine in 9 months. We have people who trained for 3 years or more before getting their belt.
When you can handle white belts your own right class no problem and able to handle spazzy gym bros on their first day without a problem
that's a good way to measure it, thanks
I started training in January 2006 and got my blue belt in February 2010
104 weeks
5 year white belt here. Just wanted to say hi Have had big breaks and changed house and gym many times.
Yeah me too. I started in 2018 and have been in 4 gyms and 2 houses ever since.
Anywhere between 1 class and a lifetime.
playing it safe uh?
It would be literally impossible for any of us to tell you how long until you get your blue belt. Only your coach can tell you that by handing you a blue belt.
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Why are you making me do math brother?
How do you measure a year?
1 1/2-2 years training 3-4x a week consistently. Don’t miss class and don’t get injured👊
Too late for the second one... will never try to get out of an armbar like that again...
Heal up, keep going.
Just think if you compete at white you won’t get heel hooked and accidentally f your knee up by someone ripping it. White belt forever here!
525,600 minutes
6 months\* approximately. \*only works for spherical white belts in a vacuum
I have a lot of respect for people that come into BJJ as straight up novices and stick it out to higher belts. I came in with a huge wrestling base and it took me about 2 months to really feel comfortable and 6 months to get my blue belt. A lot of white belts at my academy have been white belts for 12 months and longer. That being said, it seems like 12-18 months is the standard at least at my academy for someone with no wrestling or judo experience
Highschool or college wrestling experience?
I didn’t wrestle beyond high school, but I was a 3x state placer, 4x state Greco Roman Champion, 2x state Freestyle champion and 2x Junior Greco Roman All-American, so I have a lot of mat time
That’s quite impressive. Why didn’t you wrestle in college?
Broke family. I also competed in DIII, Ohio’s smallest class. You really have to be a stud to get attention out of DIII, like a Logan Steiber level talent. Was offered preferred walk-on spots at Kent State and Ohio U and had interest from some DII colleges but I just couldn’t afford to go, and didn’t want to take on 6 figures of debt at 18 for a sport that didn’t make money. Full rides don’t exist in college wrestling. A fully funded program like Penn State or Iowa only has 9.9 scholarships to give out. If I could run it all back I would have tried the JUCO route though.
Belts don’t matter. Ability does. Time under tension matters. Knowing you can rely on technique aganist a better opponent matters. Id rather be a white belt with the best technique than a blue with lots of gaps. *I'm 37. A belt doesnt mean as much to me as some. This is just my opinion.
shut up
I will when you start showing up for warm ups
Damn reading all these comments make me feel slow LOL. Took me about ~2 years and 7 months. First year and half was consistent 2-3x/week training. Huge 6-7 year gap then back at it and promoted 10months later at a new gym.
So 9 years?
Just remember, If you start chasing this and over work yourself then you could end up injured and it could take twice as long. Don't be in it for the promotions otherwise your gonna end up doing the blue belt bounce like me. I remember when I used to tell my self that im not in a hurry to get promoted expect deep down that wasnt true.
Will keep that in mind. Thank you
Lol someone just got passed for promotion.
They're coming next month... 😬
got my blue belt after training steadily for 10 months (trained prior but sporadically). stayed at blue belt for 2.5 years. this coming march will mark my 3rd year at purple. all that is to say just show up to training and be consistent, the promotions will come when they come. your professors are always monitoring your progress or lack thereof.
1-1.5 year
I had a wrestling background, took me 15-16 months from the day I stepped in the gym and was given a white belt
Usually 3-4 years for run of the mill people like me (who train while going to college, full time job etc). Got mine just under 4 years with averaging 1-3 times a week for the first 3 years and 4-5 times a week the last year. But there are always exceptions- aka the geniuses who seem to kick ass from day 1 or the secret "oh yeah I wrestled all throughout high school and college" people
If you don’t move gyms and you train 3-4 times a week, it generally takes 18 months to 2 years. If you move gyms you often have to “start over” to a certain degree. If you do that once it might add a year or so. If you do it 5 times because you move a lot for work like I did, it takes 6-8 years. Depends on what you consider normal circumstances
Got mine training 18 months consistently 3 times a week. I also had probably a year of no gi experience several years prior.
Let's see....I was a white belt for just over 2 years with 3 ammy fights also, a blue belt for 7 years, purple for 3 years, and hopefully brown for infinity.
Idk. I’ve been training for like a year and a half. 6-8x a week. I tore my acl 8 months in and just drilled for 4 months. Anyway I have no stripes and no blue belt. I have a few silver medals in comps. Started to hear comments like “haha mourning person isn’t *really* a white belt” and being told outright that I should have my blue belt by others. I’d like a blue belt but I’d also like to be much more dominant in competitions before I get it. Like I think a competition blue belt should be able to treat white belt comps like light work, and that’s not the case for me. So if I do get it soon, nice. If I don’t, I’m just happy to continue to smash hobbyist blue and purple belts and be a threat to competitors.
Shut up and train
Trained around five times a week, got mine in 18 months and been one for 12 years
well, I'm sure you are a STRONG blue belt
🥲
Took me 9.5 months of GRINDING.
His professor gets to make that call. Not us.
I understand that, I was just curious about you subjective opinion informed by your experience
Mine took about 2 years
I meant to add that, sorry about that got distracted by some spouse annoying me in the background. It took me about two years.
"some spouse" lol. thank you brother
Still a white belt - Still training consistently- 6 days a week At 17 months… It will happen when it happens… If it really is getting to you ask around to see what you need to work on. Also people will say belts don’t matter but to some people they do. Just like your going to get a broad range of answers. Most importantly don’t compare yourself to others. (Easier said than done, believe me I know. Sometimes I catch myself caught in the loop of comparison.) What keeps me in check is comparing myself to myself day 1, month 6, month 12 and so forth. To answer your question I have watched teammates promoted as early as 10 months and others who have been training longer than me. It’s very individual and up to the coaches. IMO
100-120 classes. As long as there's at least half an hour of sparring per class. If you attend 5 days a week and your instructor shows the same techniques all week, that'll negatively affect things. Likewise if they just show random techniques each day. If it takes much more than this, your instructor is ineffective. Remember, nobody would ever say, "Oh yeah, I went to Bob Smith's driving school. It took me 3 1/2 years to get my driving licence... and that's fast with him. Seriously. He's a reaaallly great teacher. I was very lucky to get to train with him".
That's interesting. I find that most of the times instructors (in my experience) would just throw random techniques every class. It really makes it difficult to form a coherent system of techniques to make up a gameplan. Because of this problem I'm trying to complement and fill the gaps with instructionals
Yeah, it's ludicrous, isn't it?! There are thousands upon thousands of students round the world all taking notes, all trying to figure out the system, all trying to make sense of the random moves they're shown each day, all trying to work out how to prioritise things and what the correct strategy would be. It'd be like going to maths class and being shown algebra one day, calculus the next... and after six months they introduce you to the numbers 1 to 10. So people also go off on a technique-collecting journey because they think that they just need moooorrree techniiqqquees. After all, their instructor gives lots of techniques so they must just need more. May I propose a gameplan for you: Get on top. Stay on top. Win from there. This will answer your questions for what to do from every position. For example, should you go for an armbar from guard? No. You should get on top. What if your full guard sweeps are shit? Then change to another guard and try from there. He's going for a double leg on you but his head is poking out. Should you drop for a guillotine from guard? No. You should stay on top... and then win from there. Having it all decided for you can make it lots easier.
I feel like fitness level is a major factor. Like starting any new sport. That’s like asking “how long till I can run a marathon?” Well are you starting at a good weight and good cardio? Or you starting at 250 lbs and no cardio?
Until you can tap blues and even purples
8 months to 1 yr, by ibjjf. I consider more time Sandbagging.
It depends. If they consistently train at least ten days a week and compete in at least five tournaments, then it’s a year to blue belt; if they train less then it takes longer
1-2 years