"Anything below 1 year is too soon unless you have wrestling,Judo or SW experience from before."
is pure BULLSH*T!
The majority of blue belts at my Bjj school received their blue belts in under a year and most of them DON'T have experience in other grappling arts. AND not only did the majority of the blue belts receive at my school receive their belts in under a year but they also do very well in competition (heck, our white belts do pretty well).
Getting a blue belt just really isn't that hard. This is what my Bjj instructor told me. If you come to class regularly (2 - 3 days a week) and diligently practice what you learn then you'll can earn a blue belt in a year or less.
Consistency and dedication (which includes persistence and committment) is all you really need to progress in Bjj. Caique made that point in an article about belt promotion on his website.
To progress beyond blue belt obviously takes more of the very things which got you the blue belt in the first place. BUT bottom line consistency and dedication are the key ingredients for progress in Bjj and will always be.
The problem in regards to belts in the U.S is the "mentality" many Americans have towards them. They simple make more of them then they really are. And many Amercians think it takes more to progress or advance in Bjj than it really does.
In the new series of articles in the Global Training websight there is a excellent article talking about this.
Here is a link to the article. Click "Faixas" to get to the portion of the article dealing with belts.
I got my blue in 2 months. But I also had a good grappling background in Wrestling and Judo before starting BJJ. A month after I got my blue I won the Europeans at my weight division so I think it was well deserved.
"prior experience then a little over 6 yrs to get the purple..."
Please!!!!
Once again I feel people are not looking at this objectively and with common sense. I doesn't have to take that long to get a purple in Bjj. Heck it is very possible, for a fair percentage of people involve in Bjj, to achieve the purple in half that time.
"Should the way it's done in Brazil be the same way it's done everywhere? Other places have had much higher standards for blue belt in recent memory (ie: 2-3yrs minimum, significant comp wins)."
You missed the entire point of the article. First off the article made the point that Brazilians, in general, just aren't as caught up in belts as Americans are. The article gave some pretty specific reasons why they are not and why Americans are.
Secondly the article seems to make the point that progress in Bjj is essentially natural and all a person really needs is "frequency" or "consistency" in regards to training/practice and "committment".
Thirdly if it takes a minimum of 2 to 3 years just to get a blue belt (along with significant competition wins) then you must seriously suck. No offense but what blows this so called standard out of the water is the fact that there are many individuals able to do all that is require to be a blue belt and have significant competitions wins in waaaaaaaaaaaaay less time then 2 or 3 years.
If you honestly think it should take or one needs 2 to 3 years just to master all that it required to be a blue belt then you are doing two things:
1) You are truly under estimate people ability to learn, understand and do Bjj techniques
2) You are making Bjj techniques, particularly beginning level technique, harder than it really is.
Let me say this: why wait 2 years when you can get the same result in less time?
You're kinda assuming that a person can't obtain good results in a relatively short amount of time. I am telling you it can be done and one doesn't necessarily have to be a phenom to do it. Obtaining favorable results in a short time isn't necessarily bad and it certainly doesn't mean such a person is inferior to some who has taken longer to get to the same level.
If it takes you two years to get a blue belt then that's a personal issue BUT that doesn't mean you're better than or that it is impossible for someone to get their blue belt in less time. Just because it took you that long doesn't mean that it should a "minimum
standard" for everyone else.
I personally think it would wrong to make someone wait longer to obtain something they are clearly ready for.
When the instructor gives you the belt then you are ready...Everybody is different...Some give faster than others.
But i personally think to give someone a blue belt in a few months is stupid.
But its no secret that Carlson Gracie black belts give the belts very hard since they themselves got them very hard from Carlson..
Of course that has changed a bit now since there is so much info available now - instructionals etc...
Example:: Joachim Hansen (Shooto World Champ) and Jon Olav Einemo (ADCC World Champ) got their blue belts after 1,5 years of training sometimes 2 times a day 5-6 days a week...In Europe its very rare that someone gets a blue in under a year even if you are really good. If you get in 1,5 years its considered relativly fast.
And not all "hours" are created equally. They need to be very focused, well-spent hours on technical development, not just sparring hard every session.
I've had three students get their blue belts (awarded by Roy Harris) in 6 months or under, the quickest being 4 1/2 months. But they were busting their asses 4-5 days a week and training 3 hours a session (2 hours technical, 1 hour sparring was pretty typical). The 4 1/2 month guy was training 12 to 18 hours every week, both group classes and private lessons. Figure out the hours, and they trained more than a lot of people do who go to two 1.5 hour classes week for 2 years.
kbits - I agree with you man. Performance alone is not a measure, as athleticism DOES play a factor. Technical knowledge and precision execution must also be a factor, in my opinion.
You said: "But I personally think to give someone a blue belt in a few months is stupid."
Why? The blue belt is a BEGINNER LEVEL belt. It shouldn't be too hard to obtain.
In my mind the Blue belt as a BEGINNER LEVEL belt there are "basic" and "foundational" things that one needs to know and master in order to achieve that level. And these basic and foundational things will be the things which one will "build" upon in the future if they choose to continue in Bjj.
It simply shouldn't be to hard to learn and master those basic and foundational things.
If it takes a long time to actual learn and master those basic and foundational things then that has to be a problem somewhere. Either the student has problems learning and mastering physical things or the teacher isn't an effective instructor.
I mean if one were to look at belts like school grades then logically Blue should be easier to obtain than purple which should be easier than brown which should be easier than black just like first through sixth grade should be easier to complete than seventh and eighth which should be easier than ninth through twelve etc.
If there is supposedly a difference between each rank than logically each preceeding level should be more challenging and harder to obtain then the previous level. And mastery of the previous level should help you reach/obtain the next level.
But if all levels are equally harder than what is the point of the ranks. The first rank should never be too hard to reach.
Like my teacher told me everyone should be able to obtain the blue belt because it is the EASIEST belt to obtain. This doesn't mean the blue belt isn't without challenges and doesn't require committment and consistency. It does BUT it shouldn't require the same committment, devotion, work as the belts which come after it.
You said: "People need to be somewhat proficient in the basics, not just aware of them."
True. But then the question becomes: how hard is it to become "somewhat proficient" at the basics? A follow up question would be: how long should it take to be "somewhat" proficient in the basics.
If is hard for a person to become "somewhat proficient" at the basics or if it takes a long time for a person to be "somewhat proficient" then someone, either the person himself or the instructor has to confess there is a problem.
Either the student has never really done physical things before or something. Because the reality of it the basics of Bjj aren't that complicated or complex at least not in relation to other physical activities/sports.
Perhaps the student isn't "practicing" as hard or as consistently as they should.
I got my blue belt at a seminar after 2 months of training.
I got it completely based on "ass-kickability", but who was I to tell the instructor he was wrong? I had only been doing it for 2 months and didn't know any better.
Now, I know I never deserved it. I just was athletic, strong, and fast and was able to mount everyone and throw on the 1 submission move I knew (Americana).
m.g., you may be right. I think a lot of it depends on the individual student. I just dont want to see a guy who can mimic the basic moves, but instead would want to see someone who is able to piece them together so that he switches from basic position to basic position in an intelligent manner. His timing doesnt have to be perfect and he doesnt have to always make the right choices, but he should know what to do in each position (generally speaking) and when to do it (generally speaking).
If you are at a certain level, be it blue , purple, or what ever, then you are at that level, time isn't really a factor, time shouldn't be the deciding principle.
But i will say the ability to tap people shouldn't be a the main factor.
Well i know the folowing statement won't be part of the intellectual discussion on belts and standards but it should be said.
I was at that Gq and saw the 140 pound white belt in question. He was very good , and appeared to possess a skill set well beyond waht is normal at 4 months, dominating much larger opponents. He appeared to have a prior judo or wrestling background. But whether or not he did have prior experience, he looked more than ready to rumble with blue belts. I doubt he has much to gain by continuing to compete against white belts in the gi.