Blog | Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu | Renzo Gracie NH

The Progression of Jiu Jitsu Belt Levels

Just like with several other martial arts forms, a person’s level of experience in Jiu Jitsu is recognized based on the color of their belt. In order to progress from one level to the next, students are required to master a certain skill level, which could happen over the course of a few weeks, a few months, or maybe even a few years.

For those of you who are new to Jiu Jitsu, today we’re breaking down each belt to give you a better understanding of what each color represents. You’ve probably heard what it means to be a black belt, but before you can get there, there are a ton of other colors you must go through!

White Belt

The white belt is the first belt a new student receives – think of this as your first job, it’s your “entry level” belt. At this stage, students learn the fundamentals of the sport and begin to gain an understanding of how to perform certain moves and techniques.

Blue Belt

After successfully moving through the white belt stage, students move on to being a blue belt. Here, they put their new-found knowledge to the test and are usually expected to be able to escape from most, if not all, of the major positions with ease. However, since this is only the second rank, performance may be a bit inconsistent on the mat, but this is normal. As a blue belt, students are still working on mastering certain techniques.

Purple Belt

The third belt, the purple belt, is commonly referred to as the belt of movement and momentum. At this level of training, students really begin fine-tuning their skills and techniques and place a lot of their focus on learning how to use their weight and momentum to achieve certain goals. Additionally, students at this level will also begin combining several different moves and actions.

Brown Belt

Before obtaining a black belt, students must pass through their brown belt training. By now, there aren’t many techniques or situations that students do not know, and in fact, they should be starting to feel comfortable in their ability to teach Jiu Jitsu to others. As they work towards receiving their black belt, students at this stage should be able to perform their moves smoothly and near perfectly, and they should also be able to counter just about any move that an opponent uses. Furthermore, students should also have an idea of which technique(s) they are best at and work on those to master them as their signature moves.

Black Belt

Anyone with a black belt is viewed as a true master of Jiu Jitsu – these are the experts you want to learn from. At this time students continue will continue to work on mastering their signature techniques and will have a level of focus that has been higher than ever before. Although this is the highest belt, students at this level realize that their training remains a learning process and continue to refine their skills.

Here at Renzo Gracie NH, we understand the proper progression of Jiu Jitsu belts and promote our students to the next level when they’ve shown that they are ready. Have questions about each level and how our team helps students advance from one to the next? If so, please give us a call at (603) 777-2775; we’d be happy to speak with you about our training process!

March 7, 2016/by Renzo Gracie NH

How To Prepare For Your First Jiu Jitsu Competition

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If you’re thinking about competing in a Jiu Jitsu tournament, we’re super excited for you! There’s nothing like putting your skills to the test and watching all of your hard work and training efforts pay off. But, as a team of martial arts experts who have watched many of our students progress to become martial arts champions in local and state tournaments, IBJJF International championships, and Pan American championships, we know that taking the mat for the first time can sometimes be intimidating. So, we’re here to help you prepare! Below, we’re sharing three tips that can help you get ready for your first Jiu Jitsu competition:

Rest Up: When you want to stay up all night perfecting your techniques – don’t. You’ve trained long and hard to get to this point, so reward yourself with some rest! And when we say rest, we don’t just mean physically, we also mean mentally. On the days leading up to your tournament, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and try to think about something other than Jiu Jitsu to avoid getting yourself worked up.
Eat Up: Like we’ve mentioned before, your diet plays a big role in your ability to succeed in any form of martial arts. Knowing this, you need to make sure you’re eating properly, especially as competition day gets closer. If you’re not sure what foods to reach for, aim for those that provide energy, not those that will slow you down. And remember, always eat a nice hearty meal before the competition so that your body feels fueled and ready to go.
Warm Up: To avoid an injury during your first time on the mat, it’s important that you warm up correctly. Since you may have some down time before it’s your turn to compete, come up with a warm up routine that you can do while you wait. You always warm up before training, so competition day shouldn’t be any different!

By following these tips, we’re confident that you’ll have a great experience during your first Jiu Jitsu competition. And even if you don’t win the first time, don’t get discouraged! What really matters is that you give it your all, so be proud of yourself no matter what!

Are you hoping to be the next Jiu Jitsu champion? If so, Team Renzo Gracie is the team for you! Our very own Professor Kevin has over 21 years of training men and women in mixed martial arts, and he can help YOU become the next person to succeed in the sport!

For more information about the Jiu Jitsu programs we offer, please give us a call at (603) 777-2775 today.

March 4, 2016/by Renzo Gracie NH

Mistakes To Avoid In Jiu Jitsu Training

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Your first day in a Jiu Jitsu class is an extremely exciting one, but before you get ready to take the mat, there are a few basic training tips you should know to get the most out of your class time. Of course you’ll learn these from your instructor as you progress, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to go into your first class with a few tips under your belt now does it? Definitely not!

Below, let’s take a look at some mistakes you should do your best to avoid over the course of your Jiu Jitsu training:

Not Eating Right

Your success doesn’t just come from what happens in the gym, it’s also a result of what you do outside of that. So, follow a healthy diet and always make it a priority to eat well before and after your training session. And don’t forget about the water! Staying hydrated is key, so always have a water bottle near by.

Having Bad Posture

We’re all guilty of slouching every now and then, but during your Jiu Jitsu training, it’s important to focus on your body’s alignment. Especially considering that having good posture can help you with things such as staying balanced, it’s crucial that you start practicing this early on so that it becomes second nature.

Always Making It A Competition

Your class time is meant to help you get better, and although it’s always nice to win and be the best, you should look at your time in the gym as a learning experience rather than a competition. When you view your training as a learning process, it’ll be much easier to shoot for the stars and continue to excel, whereas when you always try to win, you may wind up limiting yourself.

At both our Salem and Exeter training academies, we have a group of expert instructors that are ready to help students of all ages become the best martial artists they can be. If you’re interested in pursuing Jiu Jitsu, sign up for a FREE introductory lesson with Professor Kevin Landry or give us a call at (603) 777-2775 to learn more about the programs we offer. We’d love to see you in one of our gyms soon!

March 1, 2016/by Renzo Gracie NH