One of the most common questions students ask is how to progress in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt system. At SBG Sparks, our answer is simple but meaningful: progression is performance-based. It’s not about how many classes you attend or how many techniques you can memorize. It’s about how well you can apply what you’ve learned under pressure — with technical efficiency and consistency.
White Belt
First Two Stripes:
At this stage, we’re primarily evaluating your ability to survive from bottom positions. This includes defensive posture and composure from Mount, Back, Cross-Side, Knee-on-Belly, Turtle, Closed Guard, and Half Guard. The goal isn’t to avoid being submitted entirely — that’s unrealistic at this level — but to make it increasingly difficult for your opponents through solid, instinctive posture and survival strategies.
Next Two Stripes:
Now we shift focus from survival to escaping. You should begin escaping from those same positions using minimal strength, relying instead on framing, timing, and technical precision. At this point, consistency is key — can you execute with partners of different sizes, skill levels, and styles? It’s not about always succeeding but about understanding the how and the why of your movements.
Promotion to Blue Belt:
Once you’ve earned four stripes, you may be eligible for promotion to blue belt. If there are any gaps in your game, your coach will help identify them and give you guidance on what to focus on to move forward.
Blue Belt
First Two Stripes:
Here, we begin testing your top game survival. Can you hold dominant positions such as Mount, Side Control, Knee-on-Belly, Half Guard Top, and Turtle? Are you able to maintain posture, resist sweeps or reversals, and apply pressure effectively? We’re watching for the ability to control and transition, not just hold.
Next Two Stripes:
Now you must develop and demonstrate an active open guard. Whether it’s De La Riva, Spider, Butterfly, or something else, your guard should be dynamic, offering sweeps, submissions, and the ability to recover if it’s compromised. This open guard must work in both Gi and No-Gi settings — and, critically, should not rely on physical attributes like strength or speed.
Promotion to Purple Belt:
With four stripes on your blue belt, you become eligible for the purple belt. As always, a coach will help you assess what, if anything, needs refinement before you take that next step.
Purple Belt — The “Work Belt”
Purple belt is a unique phase in your journey. As my coach Matt Thornton says, this is the work belt — the time to experiment, refine, and develop your game.
You’re expected to continue honing all aspects of your jiu-jitsu: survival, posture, escapes, top control, and open guard. But now, you also begin building your personal style — the strategies and positions that align with your personality, body type, and preferences.
At this belt, individuality becomes apparent. Others in the gym will start to recognize what you’re good at and seek you out to train specific things. That’s a sign you’ve developed a game — something distinct and reliable. It doesn’t mean you’re limited to one style, but that you’ve found what feels like home on the mat.
Promotion to Brown Belt:
Once you’ve earned four stripes on your purple belt and have become technically sound across a broad range of scenarios, you may be considered for your brown belt. By this point, you should be comfortable rolling with all kinds of partners — big, small, young, old, athletic, or not.
Brown Belt
By now, your game is well-developed and uniquely yours. The focus during this belt is on refinement. You work to simplify, streamline, and smooth out your techniques. Your movement becomes more efficient, your transitions more seamless, and your decision-making more instinctual.
The brown belt stage is often shorter than the purple belt phase — it’s about sharpening the sword you’ve spent years forging.
Promotion to Black Belt:
After four stripes on your brown belt, you become eligible for one of the most meaningful milestones in martial arts: the black belt. This isn’t just a personal achievement; it’s a tribute to everyone who’s helped you along the way — your training partners, your coaches, your family, and your own relentless commitment.
On average, it takes 10 to 12 years to earn a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For some, it takes longer. For others, less. But time is never the most important factor — dedication, consistency, and honest effort are.
Final Thoughts
If your focus is on chasing belts and stripes, you’re likely to burn out or stall. But if you immerse yourself in the process — the training, the learning, the endless complexity and problem-solving of jiu-jitsu — the belts will come in due time.
To quote Pat McNamara:
“The probability of achieving the outcome you desire will increase once you let go of the need to have it. If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.”
Let go of the outcome. Focus on the process. And enjoy the journey.
COME TRAIN AT SBG SPARKS!!!!
