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Every martial art has its own unique belt ranking system, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is no exception. "But what exactly does that belt system entail, and how does one get from the lowly white belt to the mighty black?" you might be asking yourself... You're at the right place, my friend.
Whether you’ve just joined that local jiu-jitsu spot by the Uni, or you've just finished listening to a Joe Rogan podcast (Really? There are better ones out there...), you've probably have some idea that a white belt is the beginning. But what do the other colors mean? Well, for one, they can probably kick your butt. Which is all you really need to know for at least a few months, at least. Just kidding. There's more to learn. And the more you know, the better equipped you are to progress through your own jiu-jitsu journey...
So you have dreams of opening your own academy, do you?. The idea of making a living from something you love - and something as amazing as Brazilian jiu-jitsu - would be a serious win in life. Not everyone can do it. But it is, absolutely, doable.
Whether you plan to launch your academy while maintaining your current job, or you’re prepared to jump in and make full-time career shift, establishing a BJJ academy is both thrilling... and incredibly demanding. It requires a lot of thoughtful planning and careful consideration.
Lucky for you, I've got some knowledge that will help you ensure that your academy survives and thrives, right from the start. Here are some of key considerations to keep in mind...
It's summer time... which means it's also "suns out, guns out" time. That is, at least off the mat. On the mat, that gets a little tricky, because the jiu-jitsu gi really isn't a jiu-jitsu gi unless it has sleeves.
What to do, what to do? Well, you could sweat it out all summer long in the same mid-weight BJJ gi that you wore all winter. Call it an extended weight-cutting experience, if you'd like. Or, you can opt for a lighter weight, "summer" gi. Will you still sweat like you've just been caught nicking a biscuit from the biscuit jar? Yes, but probably a little bit less than you would have in that standard weight gi.
In case you don't have a summer weight BJJ gi, here are our few lightweight gi options in the Kingz lineup...
If you've been training for any amount of time, you're already hooked on this thing called jiu-jitsu. And if you've been training long enough - and especially if you've been competing - you may have already felt drawn toward those big, flashy academies.
You see their logos splashed across all the major televised events. You've seen their athletes filling the rosters at all the local tourneys. You might even have thought about mats so full of students that you could train with different people every day of the week. This is all very nice, but for as many benefits as a larger academy might have, a smaller academy has just as many. Depending on your individual jiu-jitsu journey, that smaller academy might even be more suited to helping you achieve your goals.
Here are just a few pros of training at a small academy that you might struggle to get at a larger one...
These days, the competition season never really takes a break, but the IBJJF World Championships have long been considered the apex of the season, the event everyone waits all year for. This year did not disappoint!
Athletes from around the globe gathered to that iconic venue - the Walter Pyramid - to compete among the best of the best, in hopes of earning the coveted title of "world champion." The divisions were packed with well-known faces of the sport, as well as fresh up-and-comers. Newly minted black belts were hungry to take the title from established veterans.
And boy was it exciting! We saw crazy matches, close calls, and incredible upsets. There were a lot of tears - of sorrow and joy - spilled on the mat. But win or lose, we felt like the Kingz team showed up and gave their all, and we can't be more proud. Congrats to everyone who compete, for you represented your teams and us so well!
