In the world of martial arts, the BJJ belt signifies the person’s proficiency in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
The belt acts like a ranking system that helps students identify their progress in their training. Currently, the BJJ ranking system has five colours which are as follows:
- White
- Blue
- Purple
- Brown
- Black
On average, it takes a person two years before they can progress to the next stage of their training. But some people can complete their training earlier. Regardless of their proficiency, tying the BJJ belt can be one of the most challenging tasks since it requires a specific technique.
Tying it incorrectly can be viewed as a disrespect to the martial art as well as the master. Moreover, it can hamper your performance while training. As such, we have put together this guide to help you learn the art of tying a BJJ belt.
So, let’s begin!
How To Tie Your Jiu-Jitsu Belt Like A Pro
Since we have learned a little about the significance of the BJJ belt and ranking system, the next step is to understand the process of tying a BJJ belt. However, most of us assume that you can tie the belt in any way we like, but this isn’t the whole truth.
Martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu boast a rich cultural history. As such, tying the belt incorrectly will be considered disrespect to the sport and your opponent. On that note, every practitioner must learn the three different ways of tying BJJ belts.
Check out this video for an easy tutorial!
1. The Basic Method
Amongst all the different methods of tying a BJJ belt, this method is widely used by everyone, and it doesn’t require much time to learn the different steps. You can start by placing the midsection of the belt below the belly button. While doing this step, ensure that the belt is evenly distributed across the stomach.
Once you have correctly placed the belt around the stomach, you can wrap it twice around your body to secure it to the waist. In the end, you will have two short ends hanging in the middle of the stomach.
You can use these ends to make a knot at the centre of the belly by folding one end onto the other. In addition, you can loop the excess ends under the sash, which helps make a decent knot. This knot can withstand most physical activities to a certain degree before it loosens up.
2. The Unbreakable Method
Unbreakable is one of the best ways to tie a BJJ belt since it prevents the belt from falling off easily. Once you tie this knot, there is nothing to worry about since it will remain in place without getting loose. The method is quite simple to master.
You can begin by tying a granny knot at one side of the belt. Once you complete this step, you can wrap the remaining end of the belt around the body till both ends come in contact. While doing this step, you must ensure that the granny knot is close to the other end.
If one of the ends is shorter, it can cause the belt to look uneven. As such, we recommend repeating the step from the beginning. After achieving the correct distance between the two ends, you can tie a double water knot to secure the belt.
3. The Karate Method
The art of tying BJJ belts first originated from karate since the practitioners had their unique method of tying belts. When BJJ was created, this tradition of tying belts was borrowed from karate and modified to some extent. As such, practitioners of BJJ can use the technique followed by karate practitioners to tie their belts.
Besides, the technique ensures that the belt remains securely in place while the sash looks neat and presentable. For this process, the practitioners hold one end of the belt to the side of their body. Ideally, holding the belt from the left side is recommended while the other half is wrapped around the body twice.
Once the other end of the belt has wrapped around the body twice, it will meet the left end of the belt in the middle of the body. You can then proceed to make the knot by tightly pulling one end of the belt over the other.
Tying Your BJJ Belt Properly
With that, we have reached the end of our guide. We genuinely hope you were able to learn and master the art of tying a BJJ belt. Before signing off, we would like to share a few tips you can follow while tying the belt.
Firstly, we highly recommend you follow every step correctly. If you make a mistake, start the entire process from the beginning. This will prevent you from wearing the wrong attire.
Secondly, you can always ask someone for help if you face trouble in one of the steps. It is better than wearing the belt incorrectly, as it may make your opponent feel disrespected.
Head to MMA Factory’s online store for the best BJJ uniforms and equipment. And if you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team.
That said, we are signing off. Stay safe, and see you next time!
