Discipline
BJJ
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, academies, and competitions. Explore BJJ on The Combat Network.
About BJJ
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, almost always abbreviated to BJJ, is a grappling art and combat sport built around ground fighting and submission holds. It descends from the Kodokan judo brought to Brazil in 1914 by Mitsuyo Maeda, a travelling Japanese judoka who taught Carlos Gracie and other early Brazilian students. The Gracie family and their contemporaries adapted Maeda's curriculum over the following decades, narrowing the focus from throwing to ground control and submissions, and tested it openly in vale tudo no-rules matches and inter-academy challenges. The sport gained global visibility after Royce Gracie won three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments in 1993 and 1994, demonstrating that a smaller grappler with submission skill could defeat much larger opponents from other styles.
The technical heart of BJJ is positional hierarchy: the idea that some positions are objectively dominant and others objectively bad, and that the fight is won by progressively moving up the hierarchy until a submission becomes available. A competitive BJJ practitioner needs a deep guard game from the bottom, reliable guard passes from the top, secure pinning positions including mount, side control, and back mount, and a finishing arsenal of strangles and joint locks. The sport is contested in both gi and no-gi formats, with the gi favouring patient grip-based control and no-gi favouring faster scrambles and a more leg-lock-heavy submission game. Tournaments are governed at the international level by the IBJJF and the ADCC for no-gi submission grappling.
BJJ has become one of the fastest-growing martial arts in the world for several reasons. It is genuinely effective, which is rare in martial arts marketing but well established here through three decades of MMA evidence. Live rolling against fully resisting partners is built into every class, so students develop honest skill quickly. The technical depth is enormous, which keeps long-term practitioners engaged for decades. The injury rate from controlled rolling is lower than most striking arts, making it sustainable into middle age and beyond. And the global culture of open mats, seminars, and inter-academy training is friendlier than most competitive sports. Beginners are often surprised by how welcoming and patient most BJJ schools are.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to earn a BJJ black belt?
The honest average is around ten to twelve years of consistent training, which makes the BJJ black belt one of the longest grading paths in any martial art. The standard belt order for adults runs white, blue, purple, brown, and black, with stripes awarded within each belt. Time spent at each colour varies by academy and student, but typical guidelines are two years to blue, two to three more to purple, one to two to brown, and one to two to black, with some students moving faster and many taking longer. Grading is at the head instructor's discretion and reflects technical knowledge, ability to apply it against resistance, and contribution to the academy.
Should I start in the gi or in no-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu?
Most coaches recommend starting in the gi, because the slower pace, additional grips, and clear positional control make it easier for beginners to understand the underlying mechanics. The gi teaches patience and detailed control that transfer to no-gi later. That said, students primarily interested in MMA, submission wrestling, or who simply prefer the faster pace are perfectly well served by starting in no-gi. The honest answer is that the gap closes quickly: a student who trains regularly in either format will be competent in the other within a few months of cross-training. Pick the format your local academy emphasises and the schedule that fits your life.
What gear do I actually need to start training BJJ?
For gi classes you will need a Brazilian jiu-jitsu gi, which is cut differently from a judo gi with a tighter sleeve and skirt, plus a white belt to begin with. Single-weave gis are fine for beginners; competition-grade pearl-weave gis are lighter and last longer. For no-gi you will need a rash guard and either grappling shorts or spats. Across both formats a mouthguard is strongly recommended, and finger tape becomes useful within the first few months as grip stress accumulates. Some students add knee pads for guard pulling. Avoid loose t-shirts, pockets, and anything with zips, hooks, or loose drawstrings, all of which catch fingers during rolling.