Time Requirements for the Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu

Adam Victor, president and chief executive officer of New York City’s TransGas Development Systems, LLC, has spent more than 35 years as a leader in the fossil fuel and clean energy sectors. When he is not driving operations at the company, Adam Victor practices judo and jiu jitsu as a 2nd and 4th degree black belt, respectively.

There are several facts jiu jitsu practitioners should be aware of in regards to obtaining a black belt in the sport. To begin, a person cannot receive a black belt in jiu jitsu before the age of 19 regardless of skill or accomplishments. Black belts can only be awarded, meanwhile, by a black belt instructor with at least two degrees.

Individuals who manage to achieve their black belt must wait at least three years before requesting their first degree, which needs to be recognized by the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation. The same restrictions apply to 2nd and 3rd degrees, meaning a 3rd degree black belt has maintained black belt status for at least nine years. Waiting periods increase to five years moving forward, meaning a 6th degree black belt, for example, has held their belt for at least 24 years.

At 7th degree, individuals receive a specialized red and black belt, and at 8th degree, a red and white belt. In most cases, an athlete can max out at 9th degree with a red belt, equating to nearly five decades as a black belt in jiu jitsu, if not longer. That said, jiu jitsu pioneers such as the Gracie brothers have been honored with the 10th degree red belt.

A Brief History of Judo

Adam Victor is an accomplished entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in the mining and oil/gas exploration industries. For the past 13 years, he has served as the president and chief executive officer of TransGas Development Systems. In his free time, Adam Victor is an avid martial arts practitioner who holds a second-degree black belt in judo.

Translating into English as “the gentle way,” judo originated in Japan shortly before the turn of the 20th century. Founder Kano Jigoro developed judo out of the foundations of jiu-jitsu as a physical, mental, and ethical way of life. 

Judo ultimately evolved into a modern martial art that incorporated the best forms of self-defense throughout the history of Asian martial arts. Practitioners of judo strive to achieve maximum efficiency with a minimum of effort as a physical manifestation of softness defeating hardness. 

Growing in popularity throughout the 1900s, judo became an official Olympic sport at the Tokyo Games of 1964. In more recent years, the sport has found new life in the worlds of mixed martial arts and ultimate fighting. Champions such as Ronda Rousey and Hector Lombard rely heavily on the tenets of judo while competing in the ring.