gradings
Grading structure
Welcome to Bromley Self Defence Club grading structure. Gradings are an opportunity to focus on what you have learnt, your retention of the moves and a self assessment of what you know.
Belts
Red belt-combat ready. 36 initial techniques plus variations.
Orange-50 lessons
Yellow-50 lessons
Green-50 lessons
Blue-50 lessons
Brown-pressure testing syllabus against all attackers
Black-Coach
Lessons
Whilst there are about 200 lessons, there are also variations resulting in about 600 total learning points.
Combatives
Students start by learning the combat basics of jiu jitsu, using the most relevant and used moves on the street. The time to be ready for a grading depends on the amount of time spent training, the ability to remember and retain the techniques taught and being able to recognise the moves needed depending on the attack.
Syllabus
Once complete, students are awarded their first belt, a red belt. For subsequent belts, there are about 50 lessons per belt plus variations. Once students are familiar with all the lessons, they can go for a grading. To make it more accessible, an interim assessment of the first 25 lessons allows them to move on to the next 25 so the gradings are not too long and demanding.
Time
The time taken depends on the individual students. If pushed for an answer, the general consensus is that it takes about 100 hours per belt. If you train 12 hours per month (twice a week), this is about 8 months. In reality, gradings are most likely once a year for the average student as there is a lot to learn and retain. Students are only graded when they are ready and it is based on knowledge and demonstration of the techniques, not time spent training.
Black belt
If you take a belt every 8 months, you could get a black belt in 5 years. If you take annual grading, it would take 7 years. This is why it is best to enjoy the process of learning and not worry about belts. Belts provide a good structure and are nice goals to have and everyone deserves the chance to get a good coaching qualification which will be something of pride for the future.
The belt system
Combat ready; red belt is the first belt and is awarded once the student has completed the combatives syllabus. This is the most used techniques on the street to get the student up to speed as quick as possible.
Once students have achieved the brown belt, they have completed the learning of the formal syllabus. The time spent to black belt is then demonstrating the ability to use all the techniques appropriately under pressure against any attacker.
A black belt allows you to coach students independently, but it is only the beginning of the journey and there is much more to learn if students are willing and able to continue.
Multi style martial arts
In this club, we are able to teach established versions of the karate, aikido and jiu jitsu syllabus, but we have combined it into one syllabus, taking the best combatives element of each art. Whilst it is jiu jitsu based, we include everything we have learnt to make techniques effective in modern street combat.
Avoid danger
For our club, this means avoiding conflict, being able to survive an attack, secure an attacker and use minimal force in an effort to minimise any damage. This is to protect you and the attacker against any future ramifications from an incident. We all just want to just get on with our day safely and securely.
