One of the first questions people ask when starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is simple: how do the belts work? The answer depends on many factors — your academy, your professor’s philosophy, even the culture of the gym. That said, most schools today follow the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) belt requirements, so in this article we’ll break down the ranking system they use and what the belts mean (in our opinion).
Before we get started, remember: everyone’s journey is different. The way your professor grades you may not be the same as someone else’s professor. Many factors come into play — age, athletic ability, training frequency, knowledge, and more. The key is to focus on improving your jiu-jitsu, not chasing the belt. The belt is just a reflection of where your professor feels you are on your overall path and potential.
The White Belt: The Hardest Belt
The hardest belt to earn in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the white belt. That might sound strange — isn’t white the starting point? But in reality, most people never even make it this far. The toughest part of BJJ is simply walking through the door on your first day. If you’ve done that, you’re already part of a rare group.
Getting through white belt is a grind. Everything is brand new — the terminology, the movements, even the way your body feels after training. You hardly know anything, and sometimes it feels like you’re not progressing at all. That’s completely normal. This is why so many people quit early, and why making it through white belt is such an achievement.
Stick with it, and you’ll be grateful you didn’t give up. On average (though it varies by academy and student), people spend about two years at this belt. White belt is where you build your foundation: learning fundamentals and, above all, developing strong defense. After all, you’re the one everyone else is practicing their new moves on.
Blue Belt: The Deal Breaker (2 year minimum)
While white belt may be the hardest to start, blue belt isn’t much easier. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a demanding sport, and simply showing up consistently is proof of anyone’s toughness. At blue belt, your offense starts to take shape. You begin experimenting beyond the fundamentals, and for the first time your personal “game” starts to emerge.
But here’s the catch: blue belt is also where the dropout rate is the highest. Why? A mix of reasons — injuries, life commitments, time constraints, or the feeling that progress has slowed to a crawl. The IBJJF requires a minimum of two years at this rank, and many practitioners spend even longer. For some, that stretch feels endless.
Still, if you push through, blue belt is where things begin to click. You’re no longer just surviving — you’re starting to apply strategy, build confidence, and see glimpses of the grappler you’re becoming.
Purple Belt: No More Warmups (1.5 Year Minimum)
Congratulations — you’ve made it past the blue belt blues and you are officially MID. Just kidding about being “mid,” but in truth, purple belt is the point where you’ve solidified yourself as a serious practitioner. By now, most people who reach purple are in it for the long haul, and the majority will make it to black.
At this stage, you’ve built an “A-game.” You’re not just surviving or experimenting — you’re chaining techniques together, setting traps, and picking up new moves or strategies much faster than before. The IBJJF requires practitioners to stay at purple for at least 1.5 years, though many remain here longer.
Purple belt is where the skill gap really becomes visible. You can see just how far you’ve come from white, and while brown and black belts still have your number, you’re close enough now to feel like you’re biting at their heels.
Brown Belt: Refining it All (1 Year Minimum)
I’ve heard people say over the years that the brown belt shouldn’t even exist. But in my opinion, it’s one of the most important steps in the journey. Brown belt feels like the “get your mind right” stage — a preparation belt before the black belt.
By this point, you’ve spent years at purple developing your game, figuring out what works, and building dangerous combinations of transitions and submissions. But it’s often still a little rough around the edges. The IBJJF requires at least one year at this rank, and most practitioners use that time to polish the details — the timing, the weight distribution, the precision of every grip and movement.
In many ways, brown belt is like a warning sign: “Hey, you’re almost there. Time to refine everything you’ve built.” It’s less about adding new techniques and more about sharpening what you already know to black belt quality.
Black Belt: Now the Journey Begins
Many practitioners say that when they finally earn their black belt, it feels like the journey is just beginning. By this point, on average, you’ve spent 7–10 years shaping your grappling style, refining your abilities, and experiencing things most people will never understand. Your technical understanding of how the human body moves and bends is shared by only a small percentage of the world — and an even smaller percentage ever achieve this rank.
But the work isn’t over. In fact, it’s just getting deeper. At black belt, the focus shifts to the smallest details — tiny adjustments, subtle weight shifts, precise grips. These details are what separate black belts from everyone else, and by now they likely come to you second nature.
And while the black belt is a milestone, it’s not the end of the line. According to the IBJJF, there are three belts beyond black:
- Red and Black (Coral Belt): after 31 years as a black belt
- Red and White (Coral Belt): after 38 years as a black belt
- Red Belt: after 48 years at black
That means the black belt isn’t the finish line — it’s the belt you’ll spend the most time wearing, and the one where the real journey unfolds.
Ever-Evolving Rank Changes
As you continue your jiu-jitsu journey, you’ll notice that not every academy follows the IBJJF system to the letter. Most keep it relatively close, but each school has its own approach. Some require stripes — often four per belt before promotion. Others track the number of classes attended. And some academies have even introduced an extra belt between white and blue.
We also haven’t touched on the kids’ belt system here, which is a whole world of its own. The IBJJF chart shows a wide range of belts for kids, from white to green, with black-and-white striped variations in between. Even then, requirements can vary from school to school.
At the end of the day, the main focus in jiu-jitsu should always be growth — building skill, improving ability, and enjoying the process. Remember: a black belt is just a white belt who never quit.
And if you’re looking for a new BJJ belt, ButterflyX has you covered. We offer high-quality, affordable belts for both kids and adults — built to last through every step of your journey.
