The ranking system in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is divided into several belts, each representing a different level of skill and proficiency in the art. The belts, in ascending order, are:
- White Belt: The starting rank for all BJJ practitioners.
- Blue Belt: Signifies a basic understanding of BJJ techniques and the beginning of developing a personal style.
- Purple Belt: Indicates a high level of proficiency and the start of mastering advanced techniques.
- Brown Belt: Signifies a high level of skill and knowledge, and the ability to teach and instruct others.
- Black Belt: The highest rank in BJJ, indicating a mastery of the art and the ability to develop and innovate new techniques.
In addition to these traditional belts, there are also stripes that are added to belts to indicate progress within a rank. It typically takes several years of consistent training and competition to progress from one belt to the next.
It is worth noting that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ranking system differentiates itself from other martial arts by the extended time it takes to be promoted, this is due to the complexity and the amount of techniques and positions, also the emphasis on live sparring and the need of practitioner to be able to perform them in a real situation.