How are belt promotions done in judo?

The Colonel

The Colonel

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So I recently found out that there is a mixed martial arts/grappling school here in area where I'm stationed and I'm pretty excited about it. Its not really been easy finding schools to train at since I've been in the Air Force since moving, deploying, and being stationed in crappy areas can really put a dent in your training. Any kind of grappling is almost non-existent here in Montana. I heard that they just had their first submission wrestling tournament like a month ago.

It seems like a pretty good class though, the guy who runs the class has his black belt in judo and his blue belt in BJJ. There is also a purple belt who comes in and pretty much just strictly works on mat work. I've always wanted to really get down and study judo (I know enough about it to know how certain throws work in general, but I still wouldn't grip up with a judoka by any means) and I asked the guy if he could promote me in judo since I've wanted to study it more. He said "sure".

What I'm wondering is how exactly are promotions done in judo? I thought judo was much more organized than BJJ is with everything kind of flowing down from the Kodokan? Is there some kind of set curriculum as to what techniques you need to demonstrate to earn a belt? Or is it more up to the instructor? Do you get some kind of certificate where you're recognized by the Kodokan as being that belt?

I'm so used to BJJ where things are largely up to the instructor. The big question is always, "who'd you get your belt from?" Your pedigree is what really matters so to speak when it comes to rank.

Thanks for any info that anyone can give me on here, especially the judokas.
 
promotions vary i would say, in my old judo school however, you had to compete and place regularly in tournaments to get belts. I know competing is not neccesary for most belts, but to get the blackbelt in america you are required to compete and also do a judo-kata. I think you can find a lot of info from your instructor/google
 
Gitch grab and a really awesome question.

It depends. I'm serious.

What are you looking for is a finer one.

We got all nite.....:D Honest.
 
Certainly. Just do some judo for a few years and .....


really man...its all very fricken fast and hi comp for score beyond any grappling out there.

Hello?


Hello?

If you don't adapt in time, do soccor.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THESE OTHER JUDO FELLAS that might assemble a difference.!
 
white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, black.:D

Jis keep winning.:D
 
The Colonel said:
So I recently found out that there is a mixed martial arts/grappling school here in area where I'm stationed and I'm pretty excited about it. Its not really been easy finding schools to train at since I've been in the Air Force since moving, deploying, and being stationed in crappy areas can really put a dent in your training. Any kind of grappling is almost non-existent here in Montana. I heard that they just had their first submission wrestling tournament like a month ago.

It seems like a pretty good class though, the guy who runs the class has his black belt in judo and his blue belt in BJJ. There is also a purple belt who comes in and pretty much just strictly works on mat work. I've always wanted to really get down and study judo (I know enough about it to know how certain throws work in general, but I still wouldn't grip up with a judoka by any means) and I asked the guy if he could promote me in judo since I've wanted to study it more. He said "sure".

What I'm wondering is how exactly are promotions done in judo? I thought judo was much more organized than BJJ is with everything kind of flowing down from the Kodokan? Is there some kind of set curriculum as to what techniques you need to demonstrate to earn a belt? Or is it more up to the instructor? Do you get some kind of certificate where you're recognized by the Kodokan as being that belt?

I'm so used to BJJ where things are largely up to the instructor. The big question is always, "who'd you get your belt from?" Your pedigree is what really matters so to speak when it comes to rank.

Thanks for any info that anyone can give me on here, especially the judokas.
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diffrent dojo diffrent styles of promotion. my dojo it is up to my sensei, and he looks at tournament preformance.
it is all in house until you become 3rd degree black yodan, after this rank it is up to the big wigs to look over your promotions, it is not really about tournament point to rank you up, but it is more about what you have done for the judo community..
 
i asked my sensei about this and he said that there are specific requirements including a minimum specific amount of mat time. he also said that beating someone of your rank can facilitate the process faster. thats how he does it anyway.

personally i kinda like being a white belt. keep the expectations low lol
 
In Judo, the blackbelt simply means you've mastered the basics of jiu-jitsu, and you're ready to start learning Judo. There are 10 degrees of Blackbelt after that.

"Beginner" belts in Judo is anything below Black. The Instructor has full reign over promoting you all the way to brown belt. However, once you're up for a Blackbelt, the US Judo Federation takes over.

Blackbelts are pretty strictly monitored. Basically, in the federation, you have to win at "approved" tournaments. Once you have so many wins in your division, you're eligible for promotion, at which point you get a belt test. The belt tests are done at special events with officer types from the federation. You demonstrate techniques, present the proof of your accomplishments and the recommend from your instructor, spar with them, then do a "kata" which is where you design your own "demonstration" of the judo style. Kind of like how Rickson did in Pride.

So if someone has a blackbelt in Judo, you can be sure it's legit. However, a "first" degree blackbelt isn't like a blackbelt in BJJ. It's more like a high blue, but depending on the person, and their coach, can mean a lot more.
 
In Japan and Kodokan organization Dojo's usually you just learn Judo and rank is decided by a certain tournament, in the Kodokan its the monthly shiai.

Most western dojo's vary but usually lower ranks you just have to demonstrate techniques but as you start to get higher you have to fight and show parts of Nage No Kata.

Lower rank gradings can sometime go demonstrate X many throws, X many pins, X many chokes and armlocks, X many pin escapes etc.

With the comment blow, i disagree although a Black belt means you are fairly advanced the lower ranks are not beginners, where i am from it takes about the same time ti recieve a Judo black belt as a BJJ black belt. And the comment "In Judo, the blackbelt simply means you've mastered the basics of jiu-jitsu, and you're ready to start learning Judo." was the stupidest thing i have heard in a while...You do know that Judo is mainly throwing and BJJ is mainly ground work so how do you come up with that comment?
 
Depends on what governing body your under if any. In most countries theres one dominant one and a few smaller ones. I believe in the usa its a more oligopolistic situation. I had to fight for every belt level above yellow as well as doing a theory grading which consists of demonstrating a variety of moves laid down by the association infront of an official examinar (can be your coach).
I have to say i agree with judoka101's post alot more than with Darph.
 
I have been tested when my sensei feels it is the right time, some coaches fill out forms and stuff to see excatly when the time is right aka certain amount of time, the test wasn't one ceremony for me, he have asked me over a few sessions to demonstrate certain techniques nad hold warmups and stuff. also gives me "orders when rolling or doing randori to go for stuff and sees if I can apply it, next belt for me is brown but I don't know if I must change coach now because he is very busy, borwn requires kata and I am abit iffy about that
 
YeahBee said:
I have been tested when my sensei feels it is the right time, some coaches fill out forms and stuff to see excatly when the time is right aka certain amount of time, the test wasn't one ceremony for me, he have asked me over a few sessions to demonstrate certain techniques nad hold warmups and stuff. also gives me "orders when rolling or doing randori to go for stuff and sees if I can apply it, next belt for me is brown but I don't know if I must change coach now because he is very busy, borwn requires kata and I am abit iffy about that
Click to expand...

What are the requirements for brown where you are? Nage-No-Kata as uke? Or do you have to be tori?
 
Judoka101 said:
the comment "In Judo, the blackbelt simply means you've mastered the basics of jiu-jitsu, and you're ready to start learning Judo." was the stupidest thing i have heard in a while...You do know that Judo is mainly throwing and BJJ is mainly ground work so how do you come up with that comment?
Click to expand...

Jiujitsu didn't start with BJJ. Jiujitsu is what Judo and BJJ are derived from. Judo is not "mostly throwing." Judo is literally "grappling" both from the clinch and on the ground, what you're taught depends on your coach. BJJ is simply a system, using Judo techniques, that focuses entirely on the ground aspect.

In Judo, the first degree black belt is called a "Sho Dan" Literally translating to "First Step." As I stated, Judo was an advanced system taught beyond the standard "Juijitsu" of ancient Japan. Once you've mastered the basics, then you get your blackbelt and start learning Judo.

The founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, created the rank system used by almost all modern martial arts. The black belt was the first rank he created to signify completion of the first step of training, and it was the first time a belt rank was awarded in martial arts. At the time it replaced the traditional scrolls or diplomas used in older martial arts. Essentially it was a symbol of a student's graduation to another step in training. Similar to other forms of graduation, a Judo rank is a recognition of accomplishment, but it is the education and training itself that is important.
Click to expand...

credit - http://www.judoinfo.com/bb.htm


In the US, if you compete enough, you can get your blackbelt in 2-3 years.
 
Darph said:
Jiujitsu didn't start with BJJ. Jiujitsu is what Judo and BJJ are derived from. Judo is not "mostly throwing." Judo is literally "grappling" both from the clinch and on the ground, what you're taught depends on your coach. BJJ is simply a system, using Judo techniques, that focuses entirely on the ground aspect.

In Judo, the first degree black belt is called a "Sho Dan" Literally translating to "First Step." As I stated, Judo was an advanced system taught beyond the standard "Juijitsu" of ancient Japan. Once you've mastered the basics, then you get your blackbelt and start learning Judo.



credit - http://www.judoinfo.com/bb.htm


In the US, if you compete enough, you can get your blackbelt in 2-3 years.
Click to expand...

Black belt means you know the basics of judo - not jujutsu. Judo is different from traditional jujutsu. Judo itself is not so much an advanced system. Judo has better training methods and techniques that actually are high percentage and safe to train. Judo also has techniques and katas which conform to Kano's philosophy. It isn't a superset of jujutsu as you claim. BJJ is not simply a system that uses Judo techniques. Maybe it was back in the day, but both have evolved quite differently. Don't drink the cool aid.
 
THe head instructor of my school is a brown belt in judo, he has fantastic skills and if he would compete im sure he would do well, hes that kind of guy, he does not believe in competition though so he can not get his belt.
 
Frodo said:
Black belt means you know the basics of judo - not jujutsu. Judo is different from traditional jujutsu. Judo itself is not so much an advanced system. Judo has better training methods and techniques that actually are high percentage and safe to train. Judo also has techniques and katas which conform to Kano's philosophy. It isn't a superset of jujutsu as you claim. BJJ is not simply a system that uses Judo techniques. Maybe it was back in the day, but both have evolved quite differently. Don't drink the cool aid.
Click to expand...

It all started with JJJ. Most of the basic techniques for both Judo and BJJ are all from the old Juijitsu. You're right about focusing on high percentage techniques and safe-to-practice. Judo changed the world in that aspect, it said that Kata was useful for learning techniques, but you can not master a technique until it's done against a resisting opponent.

When you break it all down, an arm-bar is an arm-bar in BJJ, Judo, Sambo, Catch Wrestling and JJJ. It's in all of the curriculum's.
 
When I trained at the Kodokan in Tokyo, it was done like this:

The first 2 tests were 6th and 5th kyu.

We had to introduce ourselves at he edge of the mat, stating name and grade.
Then had to peform breakfalls diagnally across the mat.
We were then pared off and had to perform random throws as the instructor would shout them out.
The demonstrate a pin and escape.

For 4th - 1st kyu we again had to do the introductions and breakfalls, but this time no demonstration of moves, instead, we had 2 matches against opponents of same rank and similar size.
The idea is not to go out and destroy your opponent, but to show good judo, trying a variety of techniques as taught by the Kodokan.

For Shodan, a kata is performed.
 
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