The Reason Why Grandmaster Hélio Gracie Wore A Blue Belt

This question was asked to Grandmaster Hélio by Professor Pedro Valente when he visited the Miami Jiu-jitsu Academy. He replied that originally, the Gracie Academy did not use belt colors to denote fighting ability. Different colored belts were only used to differentiate students from instructors. Black belts were avoided because this was what Judo instructors wore. The Gracies regarded Judo as a restrictive sport, instead of a comprehensive fighting system. Back then, instructors in the Gracie Academy wore light blue belts, and head instructors wore belts that were dark blue. Head instructors had to complete a special course, taught by the Grandmaster personally.

Join this channel to get access to perks:

👍 FOLLOW US!

[tjl]

Because it was his favourite colour, and it was his school, so he could do what he wanted.

[Owl-of-Minerva]

I was fortunate enough to hear it from Helio himself. Ryron translated. Q & A after a seminar at the Torrance academy. It was a lifetime ago. Beautiful memories.

[carlosparedes]

he even could wear a white belt and he'd still being Grand Master Helio Gracie, the belt is just for tie the GI

[glennhynes]

Also, when they started out, they thought the term 'master' was ridiculous. Fast forward a few decades and now we have grandmasters. Soon there will be infinity masters.

[aircombatmaneuvers]

Makes sense because Maeda never gave the 1st rank (shodan) to carlos gracie nor to pire dos reis or george, only to jacyntho ferro who was their instructor in belem. So they could not use a maeda jiu jitsu black belt neither a judo black belt. Maeda was more into wrestling and prize fighting, and lately when he made peace with jigoro kano focused only on kano judo. I always felt like carlos was trying to learn but all his masters went away travelling or died, in 1929 ferro died so when he opened the pire dos reis academy they hired geo omori as teacher for a short time, pire was the head of the academy george and carlos the instructors but pire was always away as he was a tax collector and self defence instructor of police forces across the country.

[josephbanker]

Videos like this are the best! Do more 👏🏻

[Loonugh]

Wait this isn't the infographics channel lol. Great video

[TrayCaddyyy]

It’s crazy how sport BJJ simultaneously watered down BJJ (or GJJ) while also driving innovation in techniques and style.

[priyanshubiswal]

Is this system still used or can we use

[conqueror]

Why did he end up with a red belt cause he wanted too

[shoto]

True Jiujitsu is a self defense art not a sports recreational game taught now a days in many schools.

[maitrekano]

ye judo a restrectiv sport still Helio got defeated by a judoka Kimura .

[scarred]

Helio was never a black belt either, he went straight from navy to red beltt in 1967.

[giannibleya]

What does it mean that Judo is restrictive?

[laxusboulvard]

Judo is restrictive but the 🐐 helio lost to one really think about that f9r a second

[HENZI-cvre]

In an art where effectiveness is more important than pure memorisation of syllabus, belts aren't really needed even. You don't have them in Boxing unless you hold a proper title, so it would make modern Jiujitsu easier to manage if belts weren't even a thing anymore. Just make it like MMA, just practice it, no need for belt rankings.

[AZtheOG]

The Gracies tell alot of BS. Carlos was only given a blue belt. No one promoted the Gracies with color belts above blue

[yumsanmei]

Thief.
Gracie bought Toyota (Judo) add some mods and called it Goyota (Bjj) 😂

[eddietheblasian]

1 dislike from the guy who feel like he REALLY earned his blackbelt.