At High Altitude Martial Arts, we follow the IBJJF ranking system. This system is recognized and followed by many academies world wide. The youth IBJJF belt system has five colors; white, gray, yellow, orange, and green.
White Belt
Everyone starts their Jiu Jitsu journey as a white belt. White belts learn the basics of Jiu Jitsu. They start to respect their coaches and practice following directions, listening, focusing, and self control. It is recommended that children train at least two times a week. The students will start to earn stripes (a white piece of tape horizontally wrapped around the end of the belt). After receiving four white stripes and one red stripe on their white belt, the student will be promoted to gray belt with a white stripe. This is considered fundamental Jiu Jitsu.
Gray Belt
There are 3 belts in this grouping; gray with white stripe vertical down the middle, solid gray, and gray with black stripe vertical down the middle. Gray belts will have spent around 6-8 months as a white belt. These belts still receive the tape stripes until the new belt is awarded. Solid gray belts and beyond will need 11 stripes before being promoted to their next belt. This is considered intermediate Jiu Jitsu.
Yellow Belt, Orange Belt, & Green Belts
There are also 3 belts in each of these colors; vertical white stripe, solid, and vertical black stripe. This is considered more advanced Jiu Jitsu. Youth students will continue in this youth ranking system until they are 13. Then they move to the teen belt system that only contains the solid belt color.
A 16 year old green belt would move to the adult belt system as a blue belt which means they would have started training when they were about 5 or 6 years old.
Stripes
Every child and their parents want stripes. Stripes mean they are working hard towards their next belt. Children love receiving stripes and parents are equally excited to see their little one advancing in class. It is a tool for students to track their progress and recognize growth. Stripes are awarded based on visits, time, skill, and behavior. We have guidelines inputted in our software that tracks this information. Once a student becomes eligible in the system, the coach is notified. He or she will then decide whether to give it out that day or hold off.
One of the most rewarding things for a parent is to watch their kids receive stripes or any other awards in life. We love our children and should celebrate each of their achievements. One word of advice from a Jiu Jitsu practitioner and mom to littles who also train Jiu Jitsu is, do not compare your child to someone else’s child. Do not track when or why someone else is receiving a stripe and your child isn’t. Worry about your own child and support their journey. Help them improve so that they do receive that next stripe and belt.
How To Have The Stripe Talk
- Assure your child that they are doing well.
- Tell them to keep working hard, listening in class, respecting coaches and other students.
- Tell them to be patient and that a stripe is coming very soon.
- Explain a stripe doesn’t mean someone else is better than them, they are all on different timelines.
Promotions and stripes questions are welcomed any time. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions regarding the system or where your child is at.
