How We Give Out New Belts at Kyuzo

“That’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done”

So said a guy to me a few years ago after I gave him his blue belt. He’d just run the gauntlet on one of our belt test days. In this, you do a 45 minute shark tank with a fresh partner every score. Once that’s done, you can get water for a few minutes, and then you’ve to demonstrate your technique appropriate to your belt level for about half an hour.

That’s the way we do it.

In other Jiu Jitsu teams, it’s different. The vast majority give belts based upon the level achieved, and do so without any test, or formal exam. Some surprise their students on the mat, or on the podium of a tournament. That’s good too, and it’s up to each coach what they like to do personally.

For us though, the test has grown into a bi-yearly ritual. We all train in different schedules during the regular year. Some train afternoons, some in just NoGi, some only get in to spar now and then. But on belt test day, we all train together.

If you’re going for a new belt in Jiu Jitsu, you’ve been training around 2 years since you started, or since you got your last promotion. That’s not nothing. It’s a big commitment, and maybe you had injury or illness in the middle of it, or you stopped for a while and came back. Now you’re finally where you want to be. There’s got to be some sort of ritual for that.

So you train for this. You put in the fitness work and make sure you’re able for the 45 minutes. Everyone will go hard on you too. Not to hurt you, but to make sure you’re pushed to your limit. No One will go easy. You’ll earn your belt.

It’s all the sweeter once you’ve been through the wringer with your team mates.

This weekend it’s the final belt test of 2024. We’ll be on the mat at 12.30pm.

See you on the mat!

Barry