Hey guys, If a complete beginner to BJJ were to start training at a proper Gracie gym, how long would it take him to get his blue belt if he trained: 1 x week (5 years?) 2 x week (3 years?) 3 x week (1 year?) all 1 hour sessions. ta
Took me 1 year 6 months training anywhere between 3-5 times a week. I've seen some do it in less and loads take longer. Some proper Gracie places hand out blue belt after a few weeks. Depends on the club.
I'd just like to add that it must depend a lot on the person. Chadderz is like some sort of grappling super computer. I watched him at the MAP Meet Judo sessions and the dude is powerfully focused on learning. I reckon you'd be going some to get there as quickly as he has and be as proficient as him. Mitch
It takes on average from complete grappling newbie - Around 2 years at 4 to 6 hours a week. So 408 to 612 hours if you need a rough estimate, but Regularity and paying attention is more important then just aimless hours on the mat.
consistency is right. I've been training since 2009 but I'm still a white belt in gi BJJ. Some things I do very well, other things, not so much. That's because I've never spent consistent time focusing on BJJ. in my longest stint I was told by a training partner (after having left) that I was close to being looked at for my blue. That was after about 1 year of training. I'm going back to BJJ after another lay off this month. I am not really focussing on my blue belt at all, but I think I could achieve it in under a year if I dont get side tracked by other training and remain consistent... there is that word again! I once new a guy who trained for over 12 months and rolled like a skilless, stiff, day one newb all day everyday... so the other thing is teachability. tldr = be consistent, be teachable; the belts will take care of themselves.
Josh Barnett talks about "learning how to learn", it really is a skill in of its self, it took me a while to get that but if you can get your head around it you definitely develop quicker.
Two to three years with consistent training is probably average, although one year is not uncommon for exceptional individuals. You shouldn't get hung up on belt hunting, concentrate on getting blue belt level good not getting a blue belt. Not sure what you mean by proper Gracie school but its not a name you should get to hung up on in the modern sport, there are as many bad gyms affiliated to the various Gracie off shoots as good ones.
@Knee Rider - completely agree about consistency! @Gripfighter - the school I'm eyeing up has a 3rd Degree BJJ Blackbelt under Mauricio Gomes as the head instructor. Which is jawdropping, isn't it? I don't know much about grappling legitimacy tbh. I thought Gracies had it all sorted? He's also friends and training buddy with Eirk Paulson who has trained pro UFC champion fighters! I mean. Seriously!
LOL. True Chadderz! Basically this guy. I didn't have time to listen to whole podcast but some awesome stuff in there!: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep-gCmL0KLg"]2016-09-27 - CSW Podcast - Rick Young - YouTube[/ame]
If you've got chance to train with Rick Do it! He's world class at multiple arts, and of course all the good ones too!
Also want to point out Rick has started teaching more self defence stuff in BJJ classes particularly the afternoon and weekend ones.
And another aside. If you are a blue belt with us then you can hang anywhere as a blue belt. It'd a pretty high standard.
Most times. As long as it's a legit black belt it's normally pretty good. I've heard of satellite gyms in England ran by blue belts that are still "Gracie Barra" though.
There a lot of Gracie Barra so the normal distribution curve is definitely wider, on the one hand you have Roger G, victor E and Rick Y (i.e. the best in the world), on the other you have some ''questionable'' Gyms. I'm also not a big fan of their franchise format, but that's another matter.
Like others have said, it really depends. I trained BJJ for close to 4 years and technically I am not even a white belt. My school at the time had their own belt system and in order to even get a white belt in BJJ you needed to attend a seminar with a very prominent BJJ black belt and test. I never did that and thus was never belted. It also depends if you want to compete or not. Generally if you are competing, it is going to take longer to get belted.