Belts between White and Blue

[RangerDanger]

So I went to a new BJJ Academy that opened in my town for the promo ;esson. I realized it was a bit too expensive for me at the time (about $120 bucks a month) so I'm not able to sign up right now. Gonna work some overtime and try to save up.

Anyway, they had like 2 or 3 belts between White and Blue, I've done some homework on BJJ and that seemed odd to me. Anyone's gym have a belt structure similar to this? It's exclusively BJJ so it wouldn't be for another type of martial art. Any info is helpful as in the future I plan on training there.

Thanks!

 

[Balto]

There's plenty of ranks between white and blue. Just read the threads on here.

You have white, 3 month white, 6 month white, white belt who hangs with blues, high white, 4 stripe gatekeeper white, pretty much blue, almost blue, and blue.

But seriously, it is not very typical for a school to have many ranks between white and blue. Some schools use a green belt, but it's not that common.

 

[bnosam]

I've heard of one belt between white and blue but never 2 or 3.

 

[lechien]

some clubs are adding belts in between white and blue. no big deal. you still have to compete as a white belt. It would sucks if they charge for grading!

 

[RangerDanger]

There's an orange belt and another color, I forgot what it was

 

[lechien]

Yellow and orange is for kids

 

[BJJ_Rage]

so is green, under 15, you get your green...

more belts are not need it, they are just fine the way they are, and we dont want to go the TKD way, whats next? belt test every 3 months???

 

[Gerbiljiujitsu]

all schools that I've ever been to that have a kids program have yellow, orange and green belts but as someone stated before a lot of schools use the green belt inbetween white and blue.

For what it's worth when I open my school I'll have the green in between white and blue

 

[cjlewis01]

Are you sure it is exclusively BJJ or is it Traditional Jujitsu. I was always under the impression Traditional jujitsu had yellow, orange, then green. That's how my school does it, and its traditional

 

[MUFC]

What I don't get is, white to blue is usually the shortest time for a promotion (maybe brown to black can be shorter). Why would there be a need to put another belt in between?

 

[lechien]

Money!

or retention of students that are too embarrased to tell their workmates that they are still white belt while they have been training for more than 6 months.

 

[MUFC]

I dunno. I figure people who arent willing to put in the time for a blue belt would not have lasted in this sport if they got some halfway belt 6 months earlier.

 

[lechien]

tell me about it.

I was white belt for 3 years!

There is the blue belt curse! A lot of people seems to disappear as soonest they get their blue blet.

 

[MUFC]

I'm still a white belt, going on 1.5 years. Have to wait until December, just the way my instructor does things.

Isn't even a big deal. If I deserve other belts sooner than my instructor's usual, I will have to go to Mundials and show it.

We have some blue belts that quit, literally a couple of weeks after being promoted. It's not for me to say, other obligations could have been more pressing.

 

[redaxe]

Money!

or retention of students that are too embarrased to tell their workmates that they are still white belt while they have been training for more than 6 months.

Yeah, I mean it's not like everyone wants to get their black belt right away. They just want to be able to say they're not still a white belt. That's the best thing about getting your blue belt, is you don't have to answer "white belt" when people ask what belt you are, anymore.

 

[HomerPlata]

There's nothing wrong with adding a few more belts inbetween white and blue. In Luta Livre there's yellow and orange before blue, and it just gives you a better indication of steady progress.

I don't think this is ever done as a sleazy way to make a quick buck, I think it's done to ensure students feel they are making progress, and therefore continue to train and advance, obviously benefitting the school in the long run.

 

[Shemhazai]

I'm not a fan of the green belt, but at the same time I see it serving a purpose at open mat and other mixed-level training sessions, where it can be nice to know the difference beforehand between someone who's been training for less than a week, and someone who is just about to get the blue, or someone with, say, 8 years of no gi experience (like a guy I ran into in sparring the other day, donning a fresh white belt) who just hasn't learned his cross chokes yet. Academies that use stripes obviously avoid this problem, but a lot - like mine - don't, and the learning curve from white to blue is undoubtedly the steepest at any one belt level in a BJJ practitioner's career.

 

[Red Harvest]

Some folks gauge themselves by the color of their belt. While they may have 2 or 3 stripes ont heir white belt.....all they see is a white belt. It's probably an ego boosting thing. That or your rolling with kids.

 

[noble100]

I go to a school where they use yellow, orange, and green belts in between white and blue for adults. They don't charge for belt testing, and it is a BJJ school, not a jujitsu school. The owner/head instructor competed in Abu Dhabi, and a lot of students (including me) have competed at large competitions. Marcelo Garcia usually comes in once a year for a seminar and we just had Relson Gracie give a seminar. It usually takes a while for people to progress in belt rank, so I just think they want people to stay motivated to keep training without quitting. I suppose they could use stripes, but I am just a student I don't make the school rules.

Bottom line, don't discredit a school because of how they promote students, take a look at whether the culture of the school fits your needs, whether the students compete (if you are interested in competing), and the level of instruction.

 

[korleone1911]

all schools that I've ever been to that have a kids program have yellow, orange and green belts but as someone stated before a lot of schools use the green belt inbetween white and blue.

For what it's worth when I open my school I'll have the green in between white and blue

not trying to hijack the thread... but, may I ask why?