Purple is the new blue.

[Afrofeet]

Jon Olav Einemo won ADCC when he was purple (he beat Roger Gracie in finals I think).
But they are not "normal" purples, its one of thousands that are so good.

 

[TheHighlander]

Based on self-reported information from this forum, there are about a third to a half as many purple belts as blue belts, half as many browns than purples, and half as many blacks than browns. So I would expect that 50% make it through each level, on average.

Here you have a biased sample that wouldn't be reliable for any extrapolation like that. Bill's 10% would be more indicative of Ceasar's experiences, but doesn't seem that far off what I've seen. I know that way more than half of the guys I saw start training dropped out, and that continues through the higher ranks.

I've heard similar attrition rates for several martial arts (different ranks of course, but over similar time periods).

 

[DirectDrive]

As long as the quality of the ranks is upheld, who cares how many black belts there are? I hope everyone becomes a black belt, because then BJJ has succeeded.

totally agree. the more the better, so we can all learn from each other.

 

[Ranger]

I love Wendys but on the West Coast I go to In-n-out. I think in any legit BJJ program, a Blue Belt still represents a lot of dedication and hard work.

 

[UrbanSavage**]

No, it's not.

 

[Slithers]

I think its the opposite.
I think Blue is the new purple.

In Brazil, a blue belt takes a year or less. Its not a big deal.

Here in the US, a blue belt takes about 2 years from the stricter academies. Its a big deal.

hmm...
I wonder how long it takes to get a purple in Brazil.

 

[wOg]

I agree that it depends. Even as a white belt I could tell which blue belts kicking my ass were going on to purple, and which blue belts kicking my ass would do so only until I became a blue belt also.

I still appreciate the belt level differences in jiu jitsu. I can't get over rolling with a purple belt and getting killed, then watching that purple struggle with a brown belt and then seeing that brown belt getting completely dominated by our 160-pound black belt instructor ...

 

[350 lbs fist]

Yeah, sort of. Back in the day if you were a blue at my club you were seen as pretty badass.

Of course, two of the blues back then was Joachim Hansen and John Olav Einemo.

Now you have more blues, and more generic train once in a while blues, and the good guys are purple and up. Some blues are destined for perpetual bluedom but a small % are headed for purple.

 

[JRT6]

My school at one point had 1,800 waivers for 20 eventual regular students. It seems to me that people who train with a goal at least stick around till blue. Once I make blue I duubt I will be able to keep up the training pace to make purple.

 

[armbarking]

My school at one point had 1,800 waivers for 20 eventual regular students. It seems to me that people who train with a goal at least stick around till blue. Once I make blue I duubt I will be able to keep up the training pace to make purple.

Seriously. Your goal is to make blue, then quit... Why bother?

 

[blanko]

i never got that logic.. my goal is to get a "so and so " belt.. what? are you gonna stop training after that belt?

 

[cockysprinter]

my goal is to get a purple. but when i get it, my goal will be to get a brown.

 

[NJrocks]

i'm a white....my goal is to get a purple...everyone has a blue now. The blue will make me happy bc i'm getting closer to purple

 

[CoutureFan16]

It all depends on the person and the school. I got my blue in 11 months, and I had tested 3 times before that to get stripes, and I competed the entire time. I wouldn't think teachers would be too hasty in promoting people if they weren't ready, because a school is judged on its students performance. If a school puts out a bunch of blues that get raped in competition it isn't saying much for them.

 

[ozyabbas]

I think its the opposite.
I think Blue is the new purple.

In Brazil, a blue belt takes a year or less. Its not a big deal.

Here in the US, a blue belt takes about 2 years from the stricter academies. Its a big deal.

hmm...
I wonder how long it takes to get a purple in Brazil.

I think that you are right in a way, two of my instructors have said that the average blue today would be more than a match for a purple of 10 years ago. I wasn't training 10 years ago so I wouldn't know the accuracy of that statement.

Perhaps the ability of the blue belt just depends on what school you go to and perhaps this has always been the case. There are more people doing jiu jitsu now than before so there would logically be more blue belts.

 

[blanko]

I think its the opposite.
I think Blue is the new purple.

In Brazil, a blue belt takes a year or less. Its not a big deal.

Here in the US, a blue belt takes about 2 years from the stricter academies. Its a big deal.

hmm...
I wonder how long it takes to get a purple in Brazil.

yea but brazilians then to train more often

 

[tpham]

Maybe at your school

PWN'd.

 

[gordoplata]

I agree that it depends. Even as a white belt I could tell which blue belts kicking my ass were going on to purple, and which blue belts kicking my ass would do so only until I became a blue belt also.

I still appreciate the belt level differences in jiu jitsu. I can't get over rolling with a purple belt and getting killed, then watching that purple struggle with a brown belt and then seeing that brown belt getting completely dominated by our 160-pound black belt instructor ...

True

 

[JRT6]

Seriously. Your goal is to make blue, then quit... Why bother?

I'm not quiting, just won't do it five days a week at 2.5hrs of class. Due to health reasons, family obligations and the fact I have my goals and BJJ is just a part of them.

 

[Graunie]

I'm not quiting, just won't do it five days a week at 2.5hrs of class. Due to health reasons, family obligations and the fact I have my goals and BJJ is just a part of them.

Just curious, but why the rush to blue?