Jiu Jitsu Black Belt: How Strong and Dangerous
I’ve been wondering on what the community knows about Black Belters in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and I’ve found that most people are actually interested in the potential of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belters. Actually, how strong and dangerous are Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belters anyway?
Jiu Jitsu Black Belters are very Dangerous and strong in a one versus one situation. They can easily see your next moves and they are usually a few steps ahead of you. In sparring, most of them will know what move you are going to do next. They can make you submit in however they want.
However, there are lots of questions such as how is their dedication to reach that level, just how dangerous they can be and what they can do in fights. We will answer them all in this article.
Are BJJ black belts dangerous?
Jiu Jitsu Black Belts are dangerous to fight with especially if they are serious. But it is also usual to see Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts helping and teaching the people in BJJ classes. They are good at showing and teaching you moves So you can be better.
Usually, they are easier to spar with since, granted that you expect to lose the fight, they know that they are more experienced than you. Thus, they will be lighter when fighting.
They are also good in testing your skills when fighting, they will sometimes open themselves so that you will have a chance to fight and show of the things you already know.
What makes them good is their experience. It took them a lot of years of dedication and practice to reach that level.
In the gym, they are usually called “Professor” but on some, it is given to people who are higher in rank.
But generally speaking, it is good to have a spar with them, and if you are a white belter, always think of your match with them as a learning experience.
What’s good is most of the time, while you’ll always lose, it is better to have a match with them than fellow white belters.
Most white belters will use a lot of force in a fight, that’s why you’ll always see white and blue belters get injured more often than people on brown and black belts.
That is because along with experience, they came to realize that it is the skill that counts.
When sparring with fellow white belters, what usually happens is they use too much strength that the match will look like a bar fight.
Almost all black belters are good in knowing how to control their strength. Actually, they are really good in preserving their strengths for key moments which we will discuss later on.
What can a BJJ black belt do?
But on fights like really serious fights, what can a BJJ black belter can do?
A Jiu Jitsu Black Belt can easily fight and win against people who are a lot heavier and stronger than them. They have a variety of moves and techniques to also see what the enemy will do, and they are always a few steps ahead in a fight.
What’s more, is that it is expected for BJJ black belters to know more than grappling. Most are also good in takedowns like what is shown in Judo. This makes them dangerous even if you are fighting in a standing position, which Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not specialized.
This means that they know how to fight even if standing. It is expected from them to do so.
On real fights, once they get the right positioning, they have a series of moves that will render people fighting them useless with various joint locks and hold.
They are also good at baiting you into using the moves they want you to do.
If there is something similar to BJJ black belters, it is that they are always a few steps ahead of you like in chess.
That’s why BJJ is also known as human chess.
Black belts are also more gentle in fights because they are good in conserving their power such as using their weight to give more impact. This preserves their energy and only use it in key situations.
People in white belts are usually the opposite, they give their all at the start, leaving them tired just a few minutes on a match. This makes the game easy for black belts.
Black belts know this, so not only do they have good cardio, but also have good techniques in using their strength wisely.
Also, BJJ black belters have multiple plans in their mind. Granted that you will sometimes not do what they expect, their experience makes sure that they have a lot of moves up in their sleeves.
But take note that black belters in Jiu Jitsu are usually not good in striking which is what they usually lack. Some of them study Muay Thai or Boxing to solve this. This turns them into an all around fighter.
Can anyone become a BJJ black belt?
Anyone can become a BJJ Black Belt but it requires extreme dedication to the sport, and not quitting. In fact, the only difference between white belters and black belters is that black belters did not quit. They continued practicing their craft for years with full dedication.
If you ask black belters, it is not the skill that made them black belt. In fact, there are good black belts and not so good black belts.
While beginners see it as they are all the same and strong, the truth is once you’ve reach a higher belt such as Purple, Brown and Black, you are going to see that not all black belts are the same.
This is because we are all human.
And to be honest, you can define black belters as: “a white belter who did not quit.”
That’s basically what a BJJ black belter is. Through ups and downs, various rolls and matches, they did not quit.
And that’s what made them special. Their experience, the more they get it, the better they come.
Jiu Jitsu is hard, everyone knows that.
To give you stats, 90% of white belts quit before becoming blue. Then 99% of Blue Belts quit before black.
I have discussed this in great detail in this article: How Hard is it to Learn or Master Jiu Jitsu?
Just imagine the amount of dedication those people did to become blackbelt. And that’s what made them a black belter. Their extreme dedication to the sport.
They are not perfect. As you can also see in matches where a black belt BJJ gets beaten by strikes from another martial art.
In a match against other martial art, you can’t say the winner. Matches are unpredictable that even a lucky punch can finish a match.
But we know one thing.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is really good in a 1 versus 1 match even against someone 40 pounds more than their weight.
That’s how strong Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is.
How long does it take to get a black belt in Jiu Jitsu?
As a general rule, it usually takes 10-15 years for a person to be a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. However, people who are extremely dedicated, and always practice their moves can have a black belt in 8 years time. But this is very rare as it usually takes 10-15 years of hard work to reach black belt.
The fastest person to reach the black belt in Jiu Jitsu is Travis Stevens which only took 1 and half years to get a black belt. But take note that he already studied Judo at age 6.
Judo is the brother of BJJ that came from Traditional BJJ. This means that he already has experience and he is extremely talented.
Most of us will take 10 years of continuous hard work and dedication to reach black belt. It is the usual.
There might be outliers but we need to say what the usual really is.
Remember that if you see black belters in your class, they must become an inspiration to you that you should not quit.
They are not the skilled ones. They are the ones that never quit the sport.
You should too. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu maybe one of the hardest to attain a black belt, but it is possible and very rewarding.
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Welcome to my recommended list of Jiu-Jitsu gear.
In this section, you are going to see my recommended Jiu-Jitsu gears both for beginners and pros.
Grappling Shorts
When getting some grappling shorts, you first need to understand that the thing we are looking for in grappling shorts is the ones that will provide flexibility.
This means that we are not looking at designs but what we are looking for is how comfortable it is and if you can do a full range of motions while wearing the shorts.
If that’s the case, I recommend an IBJJF approved grappling short which has no pockets that can interfere with rolls, and most importantly, allows a full range of motion. This can help you in rolls since you need to have fluid motions to do some maneuvers.
Here is the link for the product: BJJ Shorts
Grappling Spats
Grappling spats are a great alternative to Grappling shorts and are sometimes used in conjunction with Grappling shorts.
The reason for using a Grappling spat is to prevent friction.
Remember that BJJ is focused on rolls, locks, and takedowns. This is prone to friction that can cause injuries such as burns and mat cuts.
In choosing a good pair of grappling spats, you need to take note that it is important that it is also flexible so you can easily do some full-range motions while rolling.
Furthermore, since you will be covering your whole legs with it, it is important for it to absorb some sweat while still being comfortable for the wearer.
If that’s the case, I recommend these Grappling Spats which are very stretchable making them good for fluid motion. Furthermore, it is well made to handle friction which prevents any unwanted injuries.
Lastly, its cloth is breathable which means that it is very comfortable for your skin.
Here is the link for the product: Grappling Spats
Rashguard
Think of a rash guard as the grappling spat for the upper body.
Rashguard helps in preventing friction that can cause injuries such as mat cuts and burns.
When finding one, it is important to find a comfortable rash guard which is breathable. Furthermore, have one that allows a full range of motion.
Thus, I recommend this rash guard which does all of the functions I’ve said: Rashguard
Knee and Elbow Pads
Personally, I am a victim of a knee injury. That’s why I always tell people to use knee and elbow pads when doing some physically intensive activities such as BJJ.
Because of my injuries, I can’t really last long with any sort of long physical activity.
So, while it is often neglected, I believe that Knee and Elbox pads are important.
Good Knee and Elbow pads are supposed to be comfortable while still providing maximum protection to both your elbows and knees.
Thus, I recommend these safety gears:
Ear Protectors
There are lots of cauliflower ear incidents with BJJ practitioners.
Even if this is quite an unpopular safety gear, it is important as we are preventing friction that can come from rolls.
In choosing an ear protector, you do not need to get something that protects you from strikes. Striking is usually not allowed.
So, what’s important is to find something that is very lightweight and protects you from friction.
If that’s the case, then you may opt for this which is really useful and won’t look weird on rolls: Ear Guards
