letter from IBJJF sent July 6, 2011, about new belt system for kids

KIDS BELT SYSTEM

Dear coaches, parents and practitioners,

With the challenges faced by the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools instructors, when it comes to kids graduation systems and the young practitioners needs, working with an impressive speed of development and techniques, teaching methods and market changes, a lot of times the current system that has been active for the last 40 years does not present as a solution that best fit BJJ schools. As a consequence, searching for better teaching and management tools, there is a demand to be more creative and find different solutions, but a lot of times these solutions move away from the official graduation rank path and end up creating a bit of chaos and differences of ranks and technical criteria.

Being aware of the situation, and after extensive research with schools, instructors and kid event numbers, IBJJF is presenting the new Kids belt system to be active in 2012 world wide.

IBJJF new system seeks to adjust the core of the actual system. The kid, who starts BJJ at the age of 4, can only change belt rank until (he or she) is 7 years old. Another change with the 10 years olds, they would need to stay in the same belt rank for 3 years. As for 7 years old kids, it has proven that it takes too much time and 3 years means almost half of their lives. For example, (referring to the 20 years old adults) it would be as if you would stay in the same belt rank for 10 years, which can bring lack of motivation and technical discrepancies, leading to a possible loss in the young age practitioner’s numbers.

IBJJF new system suggests a division in each group of existing belts. Each belt is going to be divided into three new different belts. Having the grey belt extended, as first option from 4 to 15 years old.

The new system offers and allows the instructors to promote the kid in belt rank each year.

Ex 1; if the kid starts at the age of 4, IBJJF suggests 6 months as a white belt, then being graduated to the grey/white belt on the sixth month of training. As for the white/gray belt, it would take six more months until the next graduation – solid grey. After training one year in the solid grey rank, the practitioner would be graduated to gray/black, after a year of training and the by the age of 7 years old the kid is eligible for the next graduation group which is yellow. After graduating to white/yellow, and 3 years as a yellow belt group, by the age of 10 years old the kid is eligible to enter the Orange belt group, after 3 years in the orange group, by the age of 13 years old the kid is eligible to enter the green belt graduation group. The cycle repeats itself until the students years of training under the kid belt system is finished, by the year of 16 years old (year of birth), which is now entering in the adult belt system.

Ex 2; if the kid starts at age of 7, IBJJF suggests 6 months as a white belt. After training for 6 months, then you would graduate to the grey/white belt rank. As for the white/gray belt you would train for six more months until the next graduation which is solid grey belt. After training one year in the solid grey belt rank, the practitioner would be graduated to gray/black. The kid is eligible to enter the yellow belt group and the cycle repeats until the years of training is finished. By the year of 16 years old (year of birth), He or her is now entering in the adult belt system.

Ex 3; if the kid starts at age 10, IBJJF suggests 6 months as a white belt, then being graduated to the grey/white belt rank after six months of training. On the white/gray belt you would train six more months until the next graduation to solid grey belt. After training one year at the solid grey belt, the practitioner would be graduated to gray/black, after 3 years of training. The kid is now eligible to enter the yellow belt group and the cycle repeats until the years of training are finished. Now by age of 16 years old (year of birth), you would be entering the adult belt system.

Note that only the kids, who started training with at least 6 years old, will have conditions to reach the green belt. (1 year in the green belt)NEW KID BELT SYSTEM FOR COMPETITION - 2012

As for competitions, each color belt group will be joined in the same group, the whole grey group competes together, the whole yellow group competes together, and same for other belt groups. The same rules apply and no changes will be made as for weight, age and gender, similar to the way used today.

Note. In a event of a competition for athletes 4 – 15 years old when the number of athletes registered is not enough to find a match is acceptable to merge two or more different color groups in a bracket.

Examples for belt divisions in a competition; Grey Group - White/Grey, Solid Grey and grey/Black are grouped together. Yellow group - White/yellow, solid yellow and yellow/black compete together divided only by age, weight and gender.

Stripes/Degrees

For the new kid belt system, IBJJF suggests 3 different ways of using stripes/degrees in each belt group.

Note. The use of “stripes as a graduation tool” in the belt rank system is only suggested by IBJJF. It is up to the schools and Head instructors to decide to use the stripe method.

1 – For schools that prefer to graduate every 3 months, IBJJF suggests 3 stripes/degrees for each belt, being the 4th graduating belt. Example below

1st, 2nd and 3rd month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

4th, 5th and 6th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

7th, 8th and 9th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

10th, 11th and 12th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

Total: 1 year

After the last 3 months, the athlete receive the next graduation belt, Gray/Black, and repeat the degree process

2 – For schools that prefer to graduate every 4 months, IBJJF suggests 2 stripes/degrees for each belt, being the 3rd graduating belt. Example below:

1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

5th, 6th, 7th and 8th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

9th, 10th, 11th and 12th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

Total: 1 year

After the last 4 months, the athlete receive the next graduation belt, Gray/Black, and repeat the degree process

2 – For schools that prefer to graduate every month, IBJJF suggests 11 stripes/degrees for each belt, being the 12th graduating belt. (4 white stripes, 4 red stripes and 3 black stripes to be overlapped over the previous set of stripes, this way the belt will have space for 4 stripes only maximum) Example below:

1st month: 2nd month: 3rd month: 4th month: 5th month: 6th month: 7th month: 8th month: 9th month: 10th month: 11th month: 12th month:

Total: 1 year

After the last month, the athlete receive the next graduation belt, Gray/Black, and repeat the degree process

Note. For the schools that use the stripe/degree system, IBJJF suggest one stripe/degrees per month for the white and grey/white belts, allowing to remain exactly one year in those ranks.

White belt:

1st month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

2nd month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

3rd month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

4th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

5th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

6th month: Total: 6 months

Gray/White belt:

1st month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

2nd month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

3rd month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

4th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

5th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

6th month: To be able to see the picture, please click HERE

Total: 6 months White + Gray White = Total 1 year.

Transition to adult Belt system.

- By the age of 16 years old (year of birth), the practitioner is eligible to enter in the adult belt system, Blue, Purple, Brown and Black belt

To be able to see the pictures, please click HERE

http://www.ibjjf.org/docs/kidsbeltsystem.pdf

Defender a passagem de guarda | Princípios fundamentais por Demian Maia

Defending guard pass | Fundamental principles by Demian Maia

Entrevista feita pela revista TATAME com atleta Bi campeão Mundial Felipe Costa, a partir dessa matéria saiu uma reportagem na revista, leia na integra as perguntas feitas pelo repórter Erik

1) Por que você acha que até hoje as Confederações ainda não se coçaram com ralação a questão do doping no Jiu-jitsu?

Acredito que primeiramente tem a questão do custo, que dizem ser alto. Na minha cabeça e da maneira que interpreto o uso do doping, como sendo trapaça, nao consigo entender outra razão para nao testar no mínimo os atletas da faixa preta.

A realidade é que mesmo que testem, muitos atletas ainda assim conseguirão fazer o uso do doping, se seguirem recomendação de um especialista. É assim em todos os esportes, mesmo os olímpicos, fora a questão de politicagem, onde podem proteger determinado atleta ou tentar "pegar" outro...esses casos escutamos a todo momento na TV.

Mas mesmo com essa possibilidade real de "burlar" o teste, a partir do momento que ficar claro que isso é errado e alguns atletas forem punidos, esse é o bom exemplo que será passado para os mais novos, que hoje se espelham em campeões que fazem uso de doping.

2) Como você vê a possibilidade do JJ se tornar um esporte olímpico, se a modalidade não controla o que os atletas estão usando?

Eu acho que o sonho do Jiu Jitsu se tornar olímpico é um sonho muito romântico de algumas pessoas...sinceramente não me parece que as confederações tenham real interesse nisso. Seria arriscar perder o monopólio e o controle que conquistaram até hoje dentro desse esporte.

Na regra das confederações não fala que o uso de doping é proibido no Jiu Jitsu, incluir esse parágrafo seria um começo. Assim, depois, ninguém vai poder dizer que não sabia. Perante as regras, esse uso não é ilegal, mas nem por isso deixa de ser imoral.

3) Qual a sua postura diante desse fato? o que você acha que deveria ser feito?

Eu sou contra o uso de doping e nunca fiz uso de nenhuma substância para aumentar minha performance ou mesmo perder peso. Vamos deixar claro que doping nao é somente a bomba (anabolizante), remédios para perder peso, diuréticos, drogas como a maconha também entram no pacote (sem falar as outras).

Fazer uso dessas substâncias é imoral, desonesto e é trapaça. Essas vitórias não tem nenhum mérito.

Acho que todos campeões mundiais deveriam ser voluntários para serem testados e assim dar o exemplo. Eu seria o primeiro da lista tranqüilamente, inclusive para teste toxicológico

4) Não precisa citar nomes, mas você acredita que o uso de esteróides e outras drogas é uma prática comum entre os atletas de JJ?

Nao é questão de acreditar, eu sei de varios atletas que usam, desde faixas menores até maiores, inclusive campeões, ídolos do esporte. Agora, se você me perguntar se eu posso provar, a resposta é não. Assim como eu não consigo provar quais políticos exatamente são os corruptos, mas mesmo sem provas nós sabemos que muitos são e algumas vezes sabemos exatamente os que são.

Assim é no Jiu Jitsu.

5) Você acredita que a partir do momento que começarem a fiscalizar o uso de drogas, muitos campeões cairão?

Na realidade isso nao é o mais importante, nao é uma campanha contra esse ou aquele atleta e sim a favor de um principio básico, a favor do bom caráter, honestidade, do bom exemplo para as próximas gerações.

Eu bato palmas para qualquer pessoa que levantar essa bandeira e fiquei muito mal impressionado como várias pessoas, desde campeões mundiais até líderes de equipes grandes, se ofenderam profundamente com as declarações feitas contra o doping, principalmente as que vieram do atleta Caio Terra no último PAN. No meu entender só tem uma justificativa para essa reação: tocou na ferida deles.

Quem está limpo não se ofende com isso!

Se houver alguém limpo que seja contra o controle dessas substâncias, por favor me deixa um recado no meu facebook: www.facebook.com/felipecostabjj quero conhecer esse doido rsrsrs

No fim das contas acredito que pouca coisa vai mudar, ao menos no curto prazo, mas a discussão é válida.

Parabéns a TATAME por tomar iniciativa em publicar sobre esse assunto, que parece tabu, mas nao deveria ser.

Valeu Felipe, esse assunto deve ser debatido pois é inacreditável que um esporte de alto nível como o Jiu-Jitsu faça vista grossa com relação ao doping. Abç!!!

Grande Erik, se precisar de algo mais me avisa, abraços