What is a BJJ Brown Belt?

[@yew2oob954]

Just making some timestamps: 2:55 2 Things Pressure and Completion 4:20 Work on any glaring holes in game 4:35 Transitional Sequences 5:22 Expand from "A game" and work on making "B or C game" etc...equal 6:00 Teaching 10:00 Gain understanding of what makes techniques work by assessing your teaching 11:10 Pressure 12:00 Even with Defense, connections and details for maximum effectiveness/leverage

[@JiujitsuStudies]

I just got my Brown Belt yesterday and been coaching since purple. My game dramatically improved when I started coaching and actually understood about the sequences more and can dissect a technique down to the inch. Thank you Rick for sharing your knowledge

[@TheArtofSkill]

Congratulations!

[@patchung]

OSS!

[@jasonhemphill1588]

Great video. 5.5 years in and a Purple belt now. I help teach kids class and have my own adult class once a week. You're spot on with how much it helps you understand positions and details when you're teaching kids and white belts how to do something.

[@RayakaGabri]

If you think JuiJuitsu is a superpower, wait till you find out about teaching. I am proud of being a purple belt, but I'm way more proud of what all these kids I have tought have achieved. The kids are awesome. They have stood up to their bullies, conquered fears and they have even made their parents take classes and live more healthy.

[@oldtimerbjj]

Recieved my brown belt in april and it was a huge honor for me (😅). Been doing jiujitsu for 13 years now. My journey is from an obese guy at the age of 34 to a fit 47 year old.

[@scottytriangles225]

Awesome man! For me many of the most inspiring BJJ characters I've come across have fallen into the fit old guy archetype ( I'm 38 , 15 year purple belt. So what exactly an 'old guy' is have changed dramatically over the years lol. But still, a worthy goal)

[@jerryoutlaw3396]

This video speaks great wisdom and I appreciate this so much. I am a 58 year old brown belt. I've been a brown belt for 2 years and I'm in my 6th month of teaching now. I'm really connecting the dots like never before but at the same time, I'm nervous before every class because I care so much about what I'm trying to teach. I work full time and have a family so all the younger guys at the dojo have more time to give to jiu jitsu and sometimes I doubt myself because of that. Brown belt absolutely IS the pressure belt. Emotional and physical pressure. I feel the positive progression in my game and teaching is helping a great deal. I am definitely on my way to my black belt but I also realize jiu jitsu is a lot like music. A human lifetime is not actually long enough to truly master it. You can get really really good but, never truly master it. I'm certainly loving the ride and doing my best. Thanks again for this video.

[@ConveyApp]

Thank you so much for this video. I received my purple belt this year. There is almost nothing on what it takes to get your brown belt. Anyways I’m 43 yr old, 5’5”, 165lb guy. I started instructing at (3) striped blue belt during the open mat. I only would teach things I was absolutely confident in and could actually pull off in a live roll. I’m very fortunate in regards to my 20+ year career. I train autistic children from 2-12 years old how to communicate, and other essential behavioral skills utilizing applied behavior analysis. About 8 months ago my BJJ understanding and skills with my career merged. I could be considered an expert in human behavior modification. Instructing in this way has been incredibly effective with my newer students. Also in my own training I noticed that my inner dialogue kicks in, as almost a coaching voice, on self correction of my techniques real time. This has only started after I begun instructing and becoming very familiar with each important detail of every technique I train. My primary instruction/teaching method has a few components. First I will only utilize the techniques taught in class to show how and that they work as drilled. Secondly I will give a lot of resistance to each poorly made decision and almost no resistance to correct decisions and proper technique to each student. So mild punishment for wrong decisions, and positive reinforcement to correct decisions during live rolling. Now I get a lot of my lower ranking teammates, mid blue belts and high level whites trying to get their blue belt, noticing my improvement and skill increases over the last 6-8 months. They are coming and asking me what they should do to improve. My first response is for them to request if they can volunteer in the kids class. That actively requires them break down of a technique in all of it’s important components and communicate it to a 8 yr old clearly and effectively will improve your skills.

[@mtgsalt1151]

Paragraphs

[@peacenik458]

"You teach best that which you most need to learn" - Richard Bach. Thanks for the wisdom and the series. As an older guy, I really benefit from it.

[@Petestanton]

As a new black belt this breakdown 109% concurs with my personal experience, Thanks Rick.

[@TheArtofSkill]

Congrats, and you're welcome!

[@tomasmorriello2353]

BJJ is for me like training to be a chef. You learn your skills and basics then you develop your cooking style, when you become a chef you really start going into the depth of the art of cooking and even after a lifetime of learning you still don't know every recipe available.

[@danielskrivan6921]

I'm a white belt in BJJ, but I've taught other martial arts. What you're saying about teaching has absolutely been my experience. I made all of the mistakes you said new teachers make.

[@knotsinallthings]

Great video! Got my brown belt a month and a half ago... at purple I felt like I had to really fight for every sub, and did not like to lose rounds. At brown belt, I have found that opening up, avoiding my bread and butter, and trying new things has really helped me enter a phase of enjoying every roll so much and spending more time being creative. Wonderful explanation here... cheers from California!

[@FR-ty5vn]

Beautifully explained - old 3 stripe purple belt about to turn 57 - Coach told me brown belt is approaching - this was very helpful advice ❤

[@Patrick-sheen]

In langauge teaching the great Stephen Krashen talks about Comprehensible Input. Basically, when the information is being transmitted is too complex or too easy, the language student is NOT learning. He talks about the language needing to be slightly above their level for them to be stressed enough to adapt to it, but also not so much that it is unattainable. The same applies to the teaching of Jiu Jitsu and probably any other skill.

[@richardcranston5160]

I love to use positional holding to cause a opening to transition. I believe that your game changes and adapts with you are rolling with or competing against. Some days your a BJJ guy, some days your a judoka and others a wrestler. Brown belt I feel your learning to form your way of teaching and your way of grappling. This is where you fine tune your game and become you. This is where it’s harder on a technical level and start researching other ideas and concepts.

[@Viking.voyage]

Loving this series!!! 💯

[@danwong5432]

Hi Rick, you have a incredible skill to teach ..thx for sharing your vast knowledge ❤️🙏🙏

[@TheArtofSkill]

Thank you! Very kind of you to say.

[@alfredomartinez1627]

Hello this was an excellent explanation about the levels of bjj color’s belts,especiffic on brown belt,nice one,and thank you so much for all this information

[@rollinOnCode]

what about a pink belt? or the fuschia belt?

[@oldercloudify]

I’m a six-year purple. My coach has very high standards. I’m hoping to earn my brown before I’m 50 - two years from now.

[@0u73rh34v3n]

Any tips for a 2 year purple belt?

[@oldercloudify]

@@0u73rh34v3n Enjoy the journey. You probably have your favorite moves / positions. Hone what you like; try new things.

[@Lifecounselor710]

Nah bro lol that’s an issue. Like bjj had so much gatekeeping it’s crazy. Belts are progress bars to nunderstaing the concepts. To many people attribute black belts being all equal. All a bjj black belt is someone who didn’t quit and mastered the basics.

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

Maybe he should teach you properly

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

To many instructors gate keep so they can earn more Short sighted and doesn't actually work

[@martinmyggestik292]

These belt-talks are really insightful ❤ thanks.

[@GLAskewII]

Thank you for this video. I got my purple about 6mos ago and really am Iooking for insightful info in my question towards brown. This perspective was so helpful in regards to what my intentions need to be in order to get to the next level of my journey. Bless!

[@Jiu-JitsuJourney257]

So far I got 3 stripes on my purple and it seems like my brown belt is going to be coming some day I just hope I’m worthy if/when it happens.

[@blertaer4692]

Great series, many thanks. The background music is a bit distracting in my opinion. Just saying. Cheers !

[@one23four68]

Yes

[@SamuraiKidMusic]

great vid. Mikey Musumesi added leg locks as a key learning objective at brown belt; perhaps this is a more modern approach to brown belt.

[@joshuablanco4731]

Very grateful for the insight on the belts. Following you since the meaning of the belts. Thank you for your time and wisdom. Keep pushing I'll keep supporting

[@sherdaaputt]

Awesome video! 3 stripe purple belt here.. just on the cusp of getting my brown belt, this video is really helpful as it gives me a checklist to work with 👍🏽

[@letsgobrandon5334]

Been training a little over 6 years, a purple belt for 2.5 years, and assistant kids coach. I completely agree about how teaching affects your own personal game. Here's my dilemma, I dont want to be an instructor. I'm an instructor in other sports and love BJJ as a hobby. I did instruct kids and adults while my academy owner had back surgery, but was happy to relinquish it to others once he came back. I never want my own class night to teach because I enjoy the hobbyist/competitor side. Sure, I help lower belts and kids all the time because I pay it back that way, but I chose my academy to learn from other black belts not to become the teaching black belt. Not to mention other variables I chose my gym as well.

[@DonGately]

9:59 "cluster" is definitely the word. 😄Thanks Coach.

[@33iknow]

Thank you! I'm a Purple belt and this is very helpful. Oss!

[@petereriksson6760]

I think (not a black belt) that in while most other arts, the black belt is really the beginning as that is when you have learned the entire curriculum of Karate or Taekwondo Kwon Do. This process takes about 5 years if you train diligently, which is why the BJJ purple belt is often compared to black belts in the other arts. A BJJ black belt is more to be likened to a 3-4th Dan in the other arts.

[@sportsbodyworx2758]

Thanks for this Rick! Just got promoted to Brown Belt today!

[@TheArtofSkill]

Congratulations!

[@sportsbodyworx2758]

@@TheArtofSkill Thank you sir!

[@PeterJames143]

You have cool designs. Thanks for video

[@cameraclubdiaries]

Hi Professor! Fairly fresh brown belt here. Thank you for this insight. I have also been fortunate to have been in coaching/assisting roles for awhile and it’s helped tremendously. I have developed a game that works well for me against all ranks. My question is this…when I began training, the leg game and some of the flashier guards etc were still widely unused/taught. I have since learned the basics of them but still feel like I have a huge gap compared to what’s considered normal knowledge these days in these areas. I am 40 and will always play “old school”…however as I work towards Black and have future goals of owning my own studio, I know I need to be much more complete in these areas. What advice would you give for working on these personal goals alongside my normal training and coaching obligations? Thanks so much for your time and content. Much respect Sir!

[@glassslack]

LOVE THIS VIDEO, Questions though, you're saying should be able to transition move from here to there and other benchmarks as far as balance on understanding from each position etc, do you mean on the full belt below you? like as in lets say Mr. A is purple about to be brown, should he be able to do what you're saying on Mr. B whos a really good blue about to be purple? thanks for the content, big fan Coach

[@yybr85712]

Great video. Thank you Rick

[@Brandon-ob9rg]

I'm perfectly balance! I suck at everything! 😂😂😂

[@TSM260]

I wish Jiu Jitsu saw the black belt like the Judo black belt, as where the real learning begins, youve mastered the basics. Maybe then we wouldnt hear about 6 year brown belts, 10 years to black belt etc. I am not saying hand out belts, but everyone has a number of years before their body starts really deteriorating, an they are unable to do those things that maybe made them enjoy the art or competition wise, etc. Theres no reason for a 30 year old white belt to miss out at competing at the black belt level in his 30s, when he still has some youth an movement, because his instructor holds him at belts until he gets his black in his 40s.

[@jeffzenko6603]

What do you think about Placido's take on coaching to the level of the highest skilled person in the room?

[@TheArtofSkill]

In general I don't think that makes sense. The dilemma in a mixed-skill room is how to give everyone what they need. If you teach for the most advanced, the beginner won't have context for some of that information, so it ends up overloading them. IMO, you should keep the instruction brief, pointing out two or three key details so that the beginners can focus on those things, then when you break into pairs to drill you can wander over to the more advanced students and give them the extra details they are ready for.

[@amorestperpe]

This one brown belt at my gym told me I didn't have to go so easy on him and that I need to be aggressive. I told him, it's not that I'm not aggressive normally, it's just that everything I do against you is wrong so I need to be able to bailout hahaha. And when I say that, that's when I'm attacking his guard LMAO. I'd rather just walk away. I'm usually exhausted just trying to pass his guard if I don't almost instantly die.

[@crewdawg16]

Thanks for the info!

[@MrTotalvictory]

Exhausted. He is exhausted.

[@rollinOnCode]

@the art of skill rick have you checked out greg souders? he has an interesting teaching and coaching philosophy- it is best if you can setup an environment to encourage behaviors and drill in concepts you want the students to learn in a very organic way. it is one thing for you to say that you need to stay tight on that underhook but whole nother for the student to figure out and discover it on their own realizing the importance of it

[@TheArtofSkill]

I've looked into it a few times. Not convinced. Seems mostly to be positional sparring with tight constraints. That's great, but why would you ignore the collective wisdom of those who came before? I'm all for innovation, but when you replace the way that BJJ is taught with a methodology that amounts to "figure it out on your own", well, I'm dubious.

[@Noah-jy8wb]

Thanks Rick:)

[@briancompton2079]

Speaking of margaritas, is there a place I could email you sir? I’d like your opinion on an idea.

[@TheArtofSkill]

You can contact me via my website: rickellis.com

[@charlesbuckingham3467]

I’m at one of the top 5 schools in the country. We have 5-10 black belts in the class at any time. Class is taught by world class black belts. No one wants me (a brown belt) to teach them…

[@jwillard911]

Agree with most. Not a fan of the pressure stuff. Think people need to spend more time on timing and transitioning than holding pressure. I'm 50 and I'm not going to try to hold anyone from moving but I will move and transition to the easiest open door the person leaves open. If they are holding me I'm not doing anything except staying safe.

[@StanleyPinchak]

Are you a purple belt?

[@jwillard911]

@@StanleyPinchak Yes 5 yrs now.

[@StanleyPinchak]

@@jwillard911 Good on you. I was mainly asking because if you weren't as experienced I would counsel that pressure and control increase with mat time. As a fellow purple I know that playing a pressure game against some bigger and more athletic training partners just doesn't work as planned. Like you said, playing a transition game can be more effective. That having been said, there are ways to apply pressure / positional dominance during these transitions to keep the bigger / stronger player off their game and working from one or two steps behind. Getting to be more consistent in achieving that technical positional dominance is a way to apply pressure. Rick also mentioned pressure from defensive positions. When they get put into a bad position the brown belt will adjust their own position and frames to maximize the discomfort for their partner in the "advantaged" position. The partner on top or on the back should never feel comfortable and should not be able to settle in. Keep at it.

[@jwillard911]

@@StanleyPinchak I understand it, just don't like it. I rather open up let them move and find other attacks with much less effort. If I have to use any strength to finish something I let it go but make note that I need to work on my timing for better transition. I never want to hear u beat me by strength.

[@StanleyPinchak]

@@jwillard911 Having that playful attitude goes a long way to keeping things fun and fresh even as the lower belts seem to get faster and stronger with each passing month.

[@OIFJESSE]

Thank you

[@akvideos0909]

Awesome. Thank you

[@philippeeggert]

I need that shirt :D

[@twinsunsurvivor8564]

im 4.5 year in 4 to 5 time in , always show up im still white ... fuck their belt

[@danielskrivan6921]

If a white belt follows the advice in this video, can they skip straight to brown? Asking for a friend.

[@SkyyThePuffin]

I don't see why not!

[@ThePimpedOutPlatypus]

Sure, in about 6-8 years *wink wink*

[@JiujitsuStudies]

Why not a black belt😂

[@danielskrivan6921]

@@JiujitsuStudies idk, but I haven't seen that video yet.

[@Noah-jy8wb]

For real..is this a serious question? If yes, no you can't.

[@RMatty95]

What facility do you train/teach at?

[@TheArtofSkill]

Clark Gracie’s in San Diego

[@Chaz_NFQ]

Wow

[@claytonthomas495]

❤

[@LoveYou-xi1mh]

What’s a coral belt? 😂

[@orestestattoocore9044]

Oss