If you’ve ever looked at a black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu and thought, "That person must be some kind of superhuman" — well, you’re not alone. In fact, that’s exactly the sort of myth the sport thrives on. There’s this glorified, mysterious aura that surrounds the black belt in BJJ, a status reserved for those who have achieved "ultimate mastery," having seemingly unlocked the secrets of the universe while performing an arm bar in their sleep. But here’s the cold, hard truth: the black belt is not the end; it’s just the beginning of a new chapter. The real value of Brazilian Jiujitsu lies in the journey, not in how quickly you can speed through the belts.
And trust me, you will speed through the belts — but very slowly. Or, more accurately, you’ll plod along, gritting your teeth, occasionally throwing a punch at the unrelenting grind that is the BJJ journey. So let’s talk about that, shall we? The humble, slow, (and often painful) journey to that glorious black belt — or as we call it, "the destination."
The "Journey" Begins... Right After You Forget What You Learned in Class
The first lesson in BJJ is simple: It doesn’t matter how much you think you know, you probably know nothing.
You walk into your first class with a cocky swagger, brimming with hope. You’ve seen all the UFC fights. You’ve watched enough YouTube videos to think you can submit someone using a triangle choke — even though you have no idea what a triangle choke actually is. And, sure, you may not have the grace of a gazelle on roller skates, but how hard can this Brazilian Jiujitsu thing be? You’ve heard it’s just a bunch of "rolling around on the floor."
Then, reality hits. You end up grappling with someone who may or may not be a third-degree black belt in the art of "destroying your will to live."
They calmly and effortlessly transition from side control to mount to back control, and before you know it, you’re tapping out because you can't breathe or move your arms. It’s a moment of brutal humility, and it’s just the start.
On that first day, you don’t really understand what you’re signing up for. What starts as a fascination with the cool submission holds, the fast sweeps, and the slick submissions quickly turns into an unrelenting truth: this is going to take years to even get halfway good.
White Belt: The Struggle is Real (But So Are the Bruises)
The white belt is where dreams go to die. You’re not good at BJJ — in fact, you’re so bad at it that your first belt feels like it’s made of cheese. You’re perpetually winded. You forget the moves you just learned. And every time you get in a scramble, it feels like you’re wrestling with a toddler who has somehow figured out how to escape your grips and use your face as a springboard.
But here's the thing about white belt life: it's not supposed to be easy. In fact, the true beauty of the white belt phase is that it forces you to confront how little you know. Like, really confront it. You’re learning fundamentals — positions, escapes, sweeps, and submissions — that you’ll spend the next few years trying to perfect. Meanwhile, you’re walking around looking like someone who just got out of a bar fight every time class ends.
But don’t worry, you’re not alone in this awkward stage. Every person who has ever put on a gi and stepped onto the mats has been through the same battle. At this point, you are essentially the adorable little puppy who trips over its own feet while trying to run.
Eventually, you’ll start to piece together some of the moves, and you’ll be slightly less terrible. But don’t expect to be able to finish a round without getting submitted at least four times. And don’t expect to tap your partner with any consistency either — unless you count accidentally rolling into a leg lock while you’re trying to escape mount. That’s when you’ll realise that success in BJJ has little to do with being fast, and a lot to do with being consistent.
Blue Belt: The “Good Enough” Stage
After surviving your time as a white belt (and somehow still making it back to class), you’ve earned yourself the title of blue belt. Congratulations! You now have a belt that symbolizes the next level of your progression, but don’t get cocky. This is the belt that turns you into a target. The blue belt is when other white belts begin to think you know everything. They’ll watch you like you’re some kind of Jedi, waiting for you to demonstrate the secrets of the force, and you’ll probably feel the pressure to show off your newfound knowledge.
Spoiler: You don’t know that much. In fact, you’ll spend more time being reminded that you still don’t have things quite right, or that you forgot an important detail in a move, than actually perfecting a move. But that’s okay. The blue belt is the stage where the true beauty of BJJ starts to reveal itself. You’re not just learning moves now — you’re learning why they work and when to use them. You can see the path forward. You can almost taste the purple belt.
But don’t get too attached to that blue belt. I mean, look, the blue belt is nice and all, but you’ll still be tapping to people who’ve been training for longer than you. And, honestly, that’s humbling in the best possible way. It’s not about how quickly you progress; it’s about how much effort you put into improving and refining your skills. You’re not out here trying to fast-track your way to black belt stardom. You’re enjoying the process — the highs and the lows, the endless cycles of triumphs and defeats.
Purple Belt: The "Oh, Now I’m Starting to Get It" Phase
If you’ve made it to purple belt, you’re in the elite category of people who can kind of put together a whole game. You’ve learned enough that you can string together a few submissions, you can transition fluidly between positions, and you’re no longer getting caught in submissions as often (although it still happens with the regularity of a bad Netflix recommendation). You start developing a sense of "flow," where you can move between techniques like a river (but with more sweating and grunting).
At this point, you’ve probably spent several years on the mats. The purple belt is like a giant “I’m finally getting good at this thing” sign that goes off in your head. You still get tapped, sure, but now you tap with purpose. There’s a sophistication to your game. You have options.
However, let’s not kid ourselves: you still have plenty of gaps in your technique. You’ll look around at the black belts, watch them gracefully tap people out, and you’ll think, "Wow, I’ll never get there." That’s the thing about BJJ — you hit a point where you’re good enough to realise just how much further there is to go. And you’re okay with that. Why? Because the journey itself is fun.
Brown Belt: The "Seriously, How Much Longer?" Stage
The brown belt is like being stuck in traffic while you’re almost at your destination. You’re so close to being a black belt, but somehow you’re still sitting there in the backseat, gnawing on your frustration. You’ve been grinding for years at this point, and you’re wondering if it’s ever going to end.
But that’s the point: it’s not supposed to end. BJJ is an ongoing process. You’re at a point now where you’re refining your style, adapting it to your own strengths, and finally figuring out how to deal with higher-level opponents. But if you’re expecting to breeze through to black belt, think again. You’ve learned that the pursuit of mastery never truly ends. There’s always more to learn. Always more to improve upon.
And if you’re looking for a quick way to the top, you’re going to be disappointed. You’re getting the message loud and clear: it’s not about speed. It’s about dedication. The time and effort you put in are what matter, not the shiny belt at the end.
Black Belt: The "Okay, Now I’m Really Just Getting Started" Moment
And then — after all the years, all the bruises, the frustrations, the late-night Googling of techniques you can never quite perfect — you finally make it to the black belt. You can hear the music playing, and there’s a certain magic that surrounds the moment. You feel proud, but also… a little bit confused? The black belt is an achievement, yes, but it’s also the beginning of a whole new phase of your BJJ journey.
At black belt, you start teaching, you start to become more like the mentors who helped you along the way. And you realise that the road to black belt was never about getting the belt. It was about the journey — the endless quest to improve, the personal growth that happens on the mats, and the profound understanding that, no matter how good you get, there will always be something new to learn.
So, the next time you look at a black belt, don’t think, “That person is a magical being who must know everything.” Instead, remember that they’re just like you: They’re a person who fell in love with the journey and stuck with it long enough to make it to the top
It took me 10.5 years to get my black belt, I started BJJ as something different to do outside of surfing and gym workouts, I was bored and wanted to change my training up, when I started at 32 years, old little did I know that after a 22 year career in the Royal Marines, 4 tours of Afghanistan and Iraq I would be a black belt in BJJ, have my own academy and teach something that still even now seems like looking at the Matrix binary code to me.
The key to all this is consistency, a thirst for knowledge, and participating in something that not only challenges you physically and mentally, but has a community of people sharing the same struggle and goals of progressing in this amazing sport.
Adz
Comentarios