The Blue Belt Journey
Building Your Game, Surviving the Plague, and Developing Identity
The Core Truth
Blue belt is where jiu-jitsu actually begins. White belt was about surviving—blue belt is about building. You have enough knowledge now to start making choices: What positions do you like? What submissions fit your body? What's YOUR jiu-jitsu? This is also where more people quit than any other belt. The 'blue belt blues' are real. The novelty is gone, progress slows down, and the gap to purple feels infinite. Your job is to develop your game while staying interested enough to keep showing up.
👁️What Instructors Actually Look For
A developing personal game
By mid-blue belt, you should have go-to positions and attacks. Not copied sequences—positions that feel like yours. Instructors look for signs that you're thinking about jiu-jitsu, not just doing jiu-jitsu.
Technical improvement, not just athletic performance
Can you execute techniques against skilled resistance, or do you rely on attributes? The athletic blue belt who muscles through positions isn't ready for purple—they're a strong blue belt.
Teaching ability
Can you explain a basic technique to a white belt? Teaching reveals understanding. If you can't articulate why something works, you might not really know it.
Consistency through the blues
The 'blue belt blues' hit almost everyone—that plateau where progress feels invisible. Instructors watch who keeps showing up during this phase versus who disappears.
Rolling smart, not just hard
Blue belt is where you learn that going 100% every roll is counterproductive. Can you vary your intensity? Can you work on weaknesses instead of always going to your A-game?
🧠The Builder Mindset
You're no longer just surviving—you're constructing. Every training session is adding bricks to your game. Some sessions add visible progress, others are maintenance. But you're building something that's yours. The question shifts from 'can I survive?' to 'who am I as a grappler?'
Key Mindset Shifts
I need to tap everyone
I need to develop my game
Why am I not improving?
Improvement is happening even when I can't see it
That technique doesn't work for me
I haven't found how it works for me yet
I should be better than this blue belt
Every roll is an opportunity to learn
When will I get purple?
Am I becoming the grappler who deserves purple?
💬Real Talk: Myth vs Reality
“Blue belt should take about 2 years”
Blue belt takes as long as blue belt takes. Some people are purple belts in skill before they get the belt; others get purple and still have blue belt games. The belt is a recognition of where you are, not a certificate for time served.
“You should be able to tap all white belts consistently”
Athletic white belts with a few months of training will catch you. Wrestlers will catch you. This doesn't mean you're a bad blue belt—it means jiu-jitsu takes time and attributes matter in the short term. Your technique should be working, even when you occasionally lose.
“The blue belt blues mean you should take a break”
Taking a break during the blues often turns into quitting. The blues are a sign that you're past the beginner rush and into the real journey. This is when discipline matters more than motivation. Show up anyway.
“You need to have an answer for everything”
You don't. Purple belts don't either. Even black belts have holes. Your job at blue belt is to develop depth in a few areas, not shallow knowledge of everything. It's okay to have weaknesses—everyone does.
“Competition is required for progression”
Competition is great for stress-testing your game, but it's not required. Some of the best grapplers rarely compete. What matters is whether you're training with purpose, not whether you have a medal collection.
🏔️Common Plateaus at This Level
The Blue Belt Blues
Progress feels invisible. You're not getting tapped as much, but you're not tapping others more either. Training feels stale.
The Purple Belt Problem
Every time you think you're getting good, a purple belt effortlessly shuts you down. The gap feels insurmountable.
The Athletic Ceiling
You've been relying on attributes, and now you're facing opponents you can't out-athlete. Your techniques fail when you can't muscle them.
The Identity Crisis
You've learned guard and passing, top and bottom, gi and no-gi—but nothing feels like YOUR game. You're a jack of all trades, master of none.
🤝Being a Good Training Partner
- •Help white belts understand what they're doing wrong (if they want feedback)
- •Let people work—don't shut down every position before they can learn
- •Roll to improve, not just to win
- •Accept that you'll have bad days and don't take it out on training partners
- •Give honest feedback when asked—don't sugarcoat, but don't be harsh
- •Be willing to start in bad positions to work your weaknesses
- •Remember what it felt like to be a white belt and be patient
🎯Game Development
✓ Focus On
Developing 2-3 positions where you feel genuinely dangerous. You should have at least one guard you play, one passing style, and one go-to submission. These become your foundation.
✗ Avoid
Trying to be good at everything. You can't master every guard and every pass. Pick your style and build depth. Breadth comes at purple and beyond.
Ask Yourself
- 1.What position do I want to be in? Can I get there?
- 2.Do I have a submission I hit consistently?
- 3.Can I explain why my techniques work, not just how?
- 4.Am I rolling with purpose or just reacting?
- 5.What's my weakest position and am I actively working on it?
🗣️Community Wisdom
“Blue belt is where the easy gains end and the real journey begins.”
White belt improvement is rapid because you're starting from zero. Blue belt progress is slower but deeper. You're building something that lasts.
“The blue belt who trains through the blues becomes the purple belt. The one who quits... well.”
More people quit at blue belt than any other rank. The attrition rate is brutal. Simply continuing is an achievement.
“Your jiu-jitsu doesn't belong to anyone else. Build the game that fits YOU.”
Stop trying to have the same game as your instructor or your favorite competitor. Your body, your attributes, your preferences—build around them.
Ready to Track Your Progress?
Log your training sessions, track your development, and get personalized insights to accelerate your journey.
Start Your Journey