Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt in Three Years

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that takes a lot of time to learn. Many practitioners can take anywhere from 5 to 12 years to earn a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, it is possible to earn your brown belt in less time.

I began my Brazilian Jiu-jitsu career when I was 24 years old at a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school in Thornwood, New York. I earned my blue belt in 6 months. I recieved my purple belt in 1 year and 8 months of training. And recently at 27, I earned my brown belt in 3 years of training. The reason I earned my belts so quickly was because I had a plan. Below I have listed the key points of my bjj plan that allowed to earn bjj belts faster than your average student.

Find a school that has been around for many years and has a good reputation. You should look for a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school that has been around for many years. My school, Thornwood Mixed Martial Arts and Fitness has been around since 1994 and has six brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelts. Having access to upper belts in your school is a must because they know what it takes to get to the next level in your training and they will be willing to help you.

Find a good instructor. They should speak english well, have exceptional basics and have some sort of connection to training with or under the Gracie family or similarly skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. My instructor, Steve Kardian, is like having a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu encyclopedia at my fingertips. Steve travelled to California in the early 90's to become one of the first Americans to learn Gracie Jiu-Jitsu directly from Grand Master Helio Gracie, and his sons Rorion and Royce. In addition, Steve is a public speaker and CNN analyst so his group speaking skills are phenomenal. He can really break down the techniques in an understandable way for the Thornwood students to learn.

Train as much as you can. As long as you are in a good school you will be able to train with guys who are not looking to kill you. This makes sure you will be able to train without getting injured very much. For example, Thornwood MMA has many students who are willing to roll lightly so you can just focus on technique. This is the best way to train. Technical rolling develops connections in your mind so that your technique becomes instinct. In addition, you must train everyday. I train two to three times a day everyday. This will make sure that I have a similar amount of time on the mats as other brown belts.

Study the basics. Even if you think you know the basics you probably don't know them well enough. The basics are the keys to pulling off more advanced moves. You must review the basics on a regular basis if you want to defeat higher level opponents.

Incorporate exercise and drills in addition to your regular training. Drilling and alternative exercise are important. You want to drill bjj movements every class. It is important to drill because it will help you develop quickness and timing. Andre Galvao has a great book of drills that you should get your hands on. In addition, I like to workout with kettlebells, ginnastica natural, yoga or traditional weights. This keeps you in shape and will give you the edge when you compete.

Compete regularly. BJJ competition helps you develop your game. You don't have to compete, especially if you in BJJ for self defense purposes. However, it will help you earn belts faster when you are able to consistently dominate the competition at your belt level. Try to do as many tournaments as possible. Fly to tournaments that are out of your local area and consider getting sponsorships if tournament prices are too expensive.

Find a pro who you can relate to. Watch BJJ video and competition film of someone who has a similar body type and BJJ style as you. For example, I always watch Demain Maia DVD's and competition film because he has a very similar body type and style to mine.

Love the art. You will not be able to put in the time and effort it takes to earn a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt in three years if you don't love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Always reflect back on why you love BJJ and you will stay on the pace to accomplish your goals.