The Blue Belt Survival Guide

Making the most of the worst belt in BJJ.

Photo via Hoong Photography // Circa 2017

I’m pretty confident when I say that blue belt is the worst belt in Jiu-Jitsu.

A blue belt is like a white belt in terms of ability (a little bit higher, but not much), but the beginner’s perks usually start to wear off. The honeymoon phase of BJJ doesn’t usually last through blue belt.

There’s a reason that so many people get “the blue belt blues” and quit BJJ at blue belt. A significant amount of the top competitors back from when I was a blue belt are nowhere to be seen nowadays. They’ve disappeared.

Some people survive blue belt, but it takes them a decade. Others survive blue belt but their relationship with the sport of Jiu-Jitsu is changed forever.

Very few people thrive at blue belt.

For me, despite feeling like I was completely losing my mind (blue offered me some of the hardest experiences I’ve had in my personal life to date), I made it through blue belt in the bare minimum of time, with medals from some of the biggest tournaments in BJJ that I could participate in, and despite everything, I still loved Jiu-Jitsu.

Looking back, here’s everything I wish I had known when I was brand new blue in Jiu-Jitsu.

This is the blue belt survival guide.