Adults Grading System
At Grand Union Jiu Jitsu, your belt represents your progress, knowledge and development in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
The adult belt progression is:
White → Blue → Purple → Brown → Black
Students progress through stripes between belts, with four stripes normally earned before promotion to the next belt.
When Do Gradings Take Place?
Our main belt promotions take place twice a year at our two academy grading events:
Summer Grading – June/July
Christmas Grading – December
These are special events in the Grand Union calendar where we bring the team together to recognise the progress, commitment and achievements of our students.
When Are Stripes Awarded?
You don't need to wait until Summer or Christmas to receive a stripe.
Stripes can be awarded throughout the year during regular classes when our instructors believe a student has demonstrated the appropriate progress.
Promotion is not based simply on attendance or how long you have held your current belt. We consider your technical knowledge, practical ability, consistency, sparring development, attitude, discipline and commitment to training.
Competition can contribute to a student's development, but it is not a requirement for promotion.
Every student's journey is different. Some students train more frequently, some compete, and others simply want to learn Jiu Jitsu, improve their fitness and enjoy training. Progress should never be a race against somebody else.
THE PATH TO BLACK BELT
At Grand Union, we believe becoming a Black Belt is about much more than learning techniques or collecting stripes.
The journey develops discipline, consistency, humility, resilience and respect — qualities that can stay with you far beyond the mats.
Our Path to Black Belt represents the mindset we expect our students to develop:
1. Leave Your Ego at the Door — Train with humility, respect and an open mind.
2. No Excuses, Just Turn Up — Small effort repeated consistently builds greatness.
3. Discipline Over Motivation — Train even when you don't feel like it.
4. Hard Work Beats Talent — Effort and persistence will always prevail.
5. Never Quit — Progress belongs to those who stay on the path.
6. Win or Learn — Every round is an opportunity to improve.
7. Be Better Than Yesterday — Focus on daily progress, not perfection.
8. Embrace the Challenge — Growth lives outside your comfort zone.
9. Believe in Yourself — Your mindset determines your limits.
10. Respect Your Training Partner — They are essential to your development.
11. Tap Early, Train Tomorrow — Longevity is part of mastery.
12. A Black Belt Is a White Belt Who Never Quit — Commit to the journey and trust the process.
Focus on improving your Jiu Jitsu, keep turning up and trust the process — the stripes and belts will follow.