BJJ Gradings in Canberra: A Beginner's Guide

You have been training Brazilian JiuJitsu (BJJ) for a few weeks, and someone mentions that gradings are coming up. Suddenly you are wondering what a grading actually involves, whether you have to take part, and whether you will be the only nervous one in the room.

You will not be. Almost everyone who has ever worn a belt has asked these same questions. Here is what you can expect at our Canberra clubs.

What is a BJJ grading?

A grading is a set time when your instructors look at what you have been learning and decide whether you are ready for the next step on the belt path. BJJ follows the IBJJF belt path from white to black, and each belt can carry stripes along the way.

It is not a surprise test. The material you are assessed on is the material you have been practising in class, so the best preparation is simply turning up and training.

The belt is a marker on the road. The real progress is what you can do on the mat that you could not do a few months ago.

How do gradings run at CMA&F?

We run gradings in stages rather than all at once. White belts come first. In the weeks beforehand, training focuses on white belt material so that you are working on exactly what will be assessed.

Colour belts follow, with training shifting to colour belt material before their own grading day. Splitting it this way means each group gets proper attention from the instructors, and nobody is rushed.

Our senior BJJ instructor, Danny Weir, is closely involved. You can read more about him and the rest of the instructors on our team page.

I only started recently. Do I need to grade?

This is the question we hear most from newer students. If you have only just started, you are not expected to be ready for the next grading, and nobody is going to push you onto the mat before you are prepared.

What we do suggest is that you keep practising, and come along to watch if you can. Seeing a grading from the sidelines takes away a lot of the mystery. You will see how it flows, what the atmosphere is like, and that people are cheering each other on rather than judging.

If you train at our Coombs club, our senior instructor can also come to Coombs to test students there, so you do not always have to travel to see your first grading.

What if I do not plan to grade at all?

Some people train for fitness, for stress relief or simply because they enjoy the mat community. That is completely fine.

The one thing we ask is that you keep training around grading time. Students who are preparing need partners to practise with, and a full mat makes for a better experience for everyone who has put in the work. The same goes after your own grading is finished. Finishing a grading is a good reason to keep going, not a reason to take a break.

How to prepare, without overthinking it

• Come to class regularly in the weeks leading up. Repetition beats cramming every time.
• Ask your instructor which material applies to your belt, so you know what to focus on.
• Practise with different training partners, because techniques feel different with different people.
• Check your gi is clean and ready the night before.
• Remember that nerves are normal. They usually mean you care about doing well.

How long between belts?

BJJ is a long game. On our belt system, the time between belts is generally measured in years rather than months, usually around two to four years from one colour to the next. That is one of the reasons we encourage people to enjoy the process rather than chase the next belt.

You can see the full belt progression on our BJJ page.

What if I am not ready to start yet?

If you are reading this before you have set foot on the mat, you are in a good position. Gradings are a long way off, and the first step is much smaller than you think.

Our BJJ classes are beginner friendly, class sizes are usually between 12 and 18 people, and you can borrow a gi to get started. Wear loose clothes and come and try a class. Our getting started page explains what happens when you book, and you can check class times on the timetable.

Whether you grade next month or next year, the people on the mat will be glad you turned up.