How Long to Get Good at BJJ? (Key Factors)

It can take one to two years of training to become good at Brazilian jiu-jitsu if your goal is not to be smashed by everyone.

On the other hand, getting better at BJJ is a never-ending process that you should constantly work on. It will take approximately ten years to achieve the black belt rank, which many practitioners believe is the beginning of their journey.

As we advance through this article, we will discuss how long it will take you to become proficient in BJJ based on your goals. For example, how long does it take to become good at jiu-jitsu for competitions, fitness, self-defense, and other purposes?

How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Jiu-Jitsu?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is one of the most effective grappling martial arts you should learn. It is a fantastic discipline that places a strong emphasis on ground fighting.

Depending on how you define proficiency in the BJJ sport, achieving your goal of becoming good at Brazilian jiu-jitsu will take some time. For example, it will take:

• Six months to a year to break out of survival mode and avoid being smashed by everyone. You will have accumulated more techniques following this period to develop a game to defend yourself.
• Learning fundamental techniques and submissions takes one to two years or even more. As a result, you will use them to subjugate and dominate inexperienced practitioners.
• Competing in tournaments takes more than a year of jiu-jitsu training.
• The blue belt rank requires two years of consistent training.
• The purple belt takes three to five years to achieve.
• It takes five to six years to achieve the rank of brown belt.
• The black belt takes six to ten years of consistent training on average.
• Learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu for street fighting or self-defense takes a long time.

How to Get Better at Jiu-Jitsu Faster?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is one of the best grappling martial arts you should learn. It is a fantastic discipline that focuses heavily on ground fighting and submissions.

Yet, some people are struggling to get better at jiu-jitsu. Therefore, the following tips will help you improve your game faster.

Train at an Excellent Jiu-Jitsu Gym

So far, an excellent Brazilian jiu-jitsu school will influence your training progress. It is one of the most critical factors in starting a superb, lasting BJJ experience.

A fantastic academy will allow you to practice with excellent and top practitioners, which will aid in developing your jiu-jitsu.

Prioritize the Basics and Use Combinations

Concentrating on the fundamentals of Brazilian jiu-jitsu will help you quickly progress your game. Still, it’s even more important to know how those fundamentals work together.

Combining techniques can help you see connections between different movements and positions.

For example, you could begin standing, pass the guard, and proceed to the side control. Then, what is your next move? And what if you get stuck while passing the guard? In that case, you should have several options for diversifying your game and finding solutions.  

Moreover, when learning combinations, focus on understanding the flow of the technique rather than memorizing each movement. Instead of focusing on the mechanics of each part, try thinking about the overall concept of the combo.

Be Teachable

Being teachable is essential to taking your jiu-jitsu to the next level. This necessitates being open to feedback and willing to try new things.

It also entails being humble enough to admit mistakes and willing to learn from them. Indeed, suppose you can master the skill of being coachable. In that case, you’ll be well on becoming a better jiu-jitsu practitioner.

Keep an open mind and an eagerness to try new things the next time you hit the mats. You never know how much you can learn; you might be surprised.

Attend Training Sessions Regularly

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is an accumulation of techniques, strategies, and so on that takes years of practice. Unfortunately, stopping or skipping training sessions or being inconsistent will harm your progress.

As a result, consistent training sessions are required to develop grappling skills. However, you must strike a balance and avoid overtraining, which can result in severe injuries and burnout.

Train Hard, But Pay Attention to Your Body

Jiu-jitsu training can be challenging, especially at first. However, it is critical to listen to your body and take breaks as needed.

If you are tired or sore, take a break and rest. Also, if you are injured, do not try to withstand the pain; instead, seek medical attention and follow your doctor’s recommendations.

Pushing yourself during training is essential, but don’t overdo it. Remember, you want to be able to practice jiu-jitsu for a long time!

Be Humble and Quit Your Ego at the Door

For two reasons, this is a crucial beginner jiu-jitsu rule for white belts and other levels. First, it will allow you to progress quickly as a jiu-jitsu practitioner. Second, it will make the training process more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Ego can be a significant issue in any sport, especially jiu-jitsu. People’s egos lead them to believe they are better than they are, which can lead to arrogance and overestimating one’s abilities, which can be off-putting to training partners and instructors.

So, the best thing you can do when you come to train is to leave your ego at the door. Being humble and open-minded will significantly enhance the learning experience.

Do a Lot of Sparring Rounds

Sparring is another critical factor that allows practitioners to progress faster. It will also assist you in improving your defensive and offensive strategies.

Many beginners face significant difficulties and fears when sparring with more advanced competitors.

That is perfectly acceptable! You have nothing to lose, but these situations help you improve your game and identify fatal flaws.

Participate in Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments

Competing is another excellent way to get better at jiu-jitsu faster. In addition, it is a great way to improve your grappling level since it reveals how well you understand the fundamentals, technique, and submissions.

Competitions will help you become a more disciplined and focused practitioner. Indeed, it helps develop your mental toughness, physical fitness, teamwork, leadership, and social skills.

Moreover, tournaments allow you to meet people from all walks of life and develop friendships. You’ll learn about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and what you like and don’t like.

Most importantly, you’ll discover whether you have a solid technical foundation and what it takes to compete against others.

Attend BJJ Open Mats in Your Area

A BJJ open mat gathers grapplers of all colored belt levels and affiliations. It can be a great place to hone your grappling skills.

The advantages of a Brazilian jiu-jitsu open mat include enjoyable drilling techniques, stress-free sparring with people from your typical BJJ academy, learning new moves, and preparing for tournaments.

Train BJJ at Home Whenever Possible

Training jiu-jitsu at home is essential for people who want to get better quickly or do not have easy access to a jiu-jitsu gym. Yet, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a partner-based martial art, so practicing it at home may be difficult.

However, there are numerous ways to practice jiu-jitsu at home. For example, you can set up a primary strength and conditioning program, solo drills, and mobility movements at home.

Always Ask Questions

Asking questions allows us to understand ourselves, our peers, and the world around us better. Simply asking questions can help us grow personally, professionally, and socially. But it doesn’t stop there.

Ask a question when assisting a jiu-jitsu class and don’t understand something. For example, ask questions if you don’t know how to execute a successful pressure guard passing technique.

Practice visualization

Visualization is among the most powerful tools for helping us focus our attention and prepare mentally for what lies ahead. It has improved memory recall, reduced stress levels, and increased concentration.

For example, suppose you practice clear visualization of a technique sequence. In that case, you will have no trouble performing it in real-time.

Keep a Training Journal

The best way to improve your game is to keep track of your progress. You don’t want to forget how far you’ve come or where you’re headed. A training journal is a great place to do just that.

Maintain a Positive Attitude

You will be challenged several times while training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which may discourage you sometimes.

As a result, you must prepare by avoiding potentially fatal mistakes, such as bad injuries and failing to control your ego.

Be Realistic About Your Goals

Set realistic goals for yourself and your overall purpose during each training session.

For example, in some sessions, your goal may be to put yourself in lousy jiu-jitsu positions to improve your reaction and tactical defense. On other days, you might want to put your attacking combinations, such as your kimura attacking sequence, to the test.

The abovementioned session goals should be consistent with your overall goal, such as achieving the blue belt, competing in specific tournaments, etc.

How to Improve Your BJJ Game?

Muhammad Ali’s Tips on BJJ Game Improving

Muhammad Ali is regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters. He has set numerous incredible records and defeated numerous brutal BJJ competitors.

In the video below, Muhammad Ali offers invaluable advice on improving your jiu-jitsu fighting game. Have a good time!

Bradley Hill‘s Ways to Improve Your Jiu-Jitsu Game

In recent years, Bradley Hill has arisen as one of the most talented BJJ fighters in the United Kingdom.

Bradley is a dedicated BJJ black belt under the legendary Braulio Estima.

Furthermore, The IBJJF European Open is one of his proudest achievements, and what’s next will be even better.

As seen in the video below, Bradley Hill suggests some excellent advice on enhancing your jiu-jitsu fighting skills.

Bernardo Faria‘s Tips to Build A Useful BJJ Game

Bernardo Faria is one of the most talented BJJ fighters of all time. Bernardo, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Ricardo Marques, is best known for his unbeatable deep half-guard game. 

In addition, he has achieved many great things in BJJ tournaments, including the IBJJF World Championship, IBJJF Pan Championship, IBJJF European Open, and other prestigious competitions.

In the video below, Bernardo Faria provides some handy tips on improving your Brazilian jiu-jitsu game plan.

How Long does it take to Compete in BJJ?

It will take about a year to start competing in jiu-jitsu tournaments. Nevertheless, you will be ready to compete when you build a solid game using what you learned in previous training classes.

Aside from that, Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions will help you improve your grappling skills.

Besides, It’s an essential part of BJJ competitors’ lives. This is because competitions will teach you much about jiu-jitsu tactics, technique, submissions, and other aspects of this fantastic art.

Related: Participating in top-tier competitions will let you unleash your competitive spirit and improve your Brazilian jiu-jitsu abilities to the next level. Click here to discover the top BJJ tournaments that will inspire you.

How Long Will Your Body Get Used to Jiu-Jitsu?

After practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for a certain period, you will notice several changes in your body and state of mind, among other things. However, it may take your body up to a year or more to adapt to jiu-jitsu.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a physically and mentally challenging discipline requiring significant dedication. However, a consistent BJJ practitioner will notice an increase in his overall body endurance, strength, and vitality.

Aside from that, jiu-jitsu is a high-intensity exercise that effectively burns fat and changes your body composition. So, you will lose considerable weight in a relatively short period due to your enormous effort in jiu-jitsu sparring.

How Long to Get Good in BJJ for Self-Defense?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a distinct grappling martial art that can be used for self-defense. However, learning jiu-jitsu for self-defense or street fighting will take many years. This is because these disciplines require controlling many parameters and knowing many things.

BJJ teaches you how to be more disciplined and consistent. It also teaches some fantastic combat strategies for protecting yourself in self-defense or street fights.

Otherwise, BJJ teaches distance management, takedown techniques, and other fighting ideas that will help you defend yourself against all types of assailants.

The art of jiu-jitsu is practical in one-on-one combat, even against larger and heavier opponents, because chokes and other techniques are effective.

Related: Discover how Brazilian jiu-jitsu may help you defend yourself with confidence. Click here to learn more about the efficacy of BJJ martial art in self-defense situations.

How Many Times Should I Train to Get Good at BJJ?

Average Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners train three times every week. However, to compete or become a savage BJJ fighter, you should train at least five times weekly.

Furthermore, to become proficient in jiu-jitsu, it is necessary to perform stretching exercises before and after jiu-jitsu lessons. Indeed, having a great strength and conditioning routine will boost your performance to the next level.

Final Thoughts

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a highly effective grappling technique. It is a fantastic discipline that focuses on ground combat and is quite effective.

So, learning and improving your jiu-jitsu is a great thing to do for a long time. So, how long does it take to get good at BJJ?

A consistent practitioner will get good at performing some specific jiu-jitsu techniques within one to two years of training. On the other hand, getting better at BJJ is a never-ending process that you should constantly work on.

I hope you found this article helpful in understanding what it takes to become good at Brazilian jiu-jitsu. As a result, you’ll devise a strategy to improve your jiu-jitsu while setting realistic goals.

Recommended: Brazilian jiu-jitsu can change your life. This martial art has much to offer, from self-defense to enhanced confidence. Click here to learn about the various advantages of BJJ and how it can help you in many parts of your life.