Here is our page on Brazilian jiu jitsu statistics. While its difficult to be exact with these figures, I relied on market research, scientific studies, as well surveying members from my own bjj gym to get approximate numbers.
How Many People Train BJJ?
Based on various sources, including surveys, data from BJJ organizations, and market research reports, it is estimated that there are over 2 million people training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu worldwide with a growth rate of approximately 10% each year.
How Many Black Belts Are There?
There are approximately ~60,000 black belts in Brazilian jiu jitsu worldwide.
While there is no definitive number on how many Brazilian jiu jitsu black belts there are, we can look toward the IBJJF’s (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) registered black belts to get an idea.
Some practitioners will register with the IBJJF to be able to compete in their organized events or for pure prestige – however, many black belts choose to not register with them.
For example at my gym, 10th Planet San Diego, only 1 out of every 6 black belts are registered with the IBJJF. So as of this writing there are approximately 9,613 IBJJF registered black belts. Therefore, we get 9,613 x 6 = 57,678.
Statistical Breakdown of Each Belt Level
Using images taken at the end of beginner’s classes at my gym (10th Planet San Diego) during 2019-2020, I have come up with below estimates of how many students make it to each belt level.
For example, starting with 100 white belts we have the below percentages making it to each belt level:
- Blue Belt: 25%
- Purple Belt: 13%
- Brown Belt: 7%
- Black Belt: 5%
How Many People Make It to Blue Belt?
Starting with blue belt, on average, only 25% of students make it to blue belt.
This means that ~75% of all white belts quit bjj.
Using images from the beginner’s class of my gym (10th Planet San Diego), I have gone through and marked all of the students who made it to blue belt. This gave me an estimate of how many white belts quit.
How Many People Make It to Purple Belt?
Next, we have how many people make it to purple belt.
From those same images, on average, only ~13% of bjj students will make it to purple belt.
How Many People Make It to Brown Belt?
Finally, we have brown belt. Again, using those same images, about ~7% of bjj students make it to brown belt.
Is BJJ Dangerous?
Speaking people quitting BJJ, ~33% claimed injury as the reason why they quit. So that makes you wonder – is bjj dangerous? In general is it safe to train as a martial art and sport?
While BJJ is a combat sport, it is considered relatively safe compared to other martial arts since their is no striking, and while throws, trips, and sweeps are a part of bjj they are not as prominent as other martial arts like wrestling and judo – where the risk of injury is slightly higher.
A study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that the injury rate in bjj is about 9.2 per 1000 exposures.
Common injuries include sprains, strains, and joint injuries, particularly to the elbow and knee. Most injuries occur during training rather than competition, emphasizing the need for proper technique and safety measures.
Below is a breakdown of injuries in Brazilian jiu jitsu from beltchecker.com:
Taking a look at the breakdown of injuries above, the most prevalent injuries in bjj are knee injuries:
- Knee Injuries (22.5%)
- Shoulder Injuries (13.7%)
- Rib Injuries (8.4%)
- Back Injuries (6.7%)
How Many Submissions Are There in BJJ?
There are 77 legal submissions in BJJ according to the IBJJF. However, there are many submissions that may not be legal within their organization or variations of specific submissions. So likely there are over 100 submissions in Brazilian jiu jitsu.
Submission Success Rates
From the above pie chart we can see that the below submissions are the most successful or most common at the highest levels of bjj:
- Rear Naked Choke: 20.8%
- Inside Heel Hooks: 18.8%
- Outside Heel Hooks: 12.5%
- Kneebar: 12.5%
- Armbar: 12.5%
- Ankle lock: 6.3%
From the above we can also see that rear naked chokes and inside heel hooks are the common and effective.
Demographics of BJJ Practitioners (Gender Differences)
According to recent surveys, about 70% of practitioners are male and 30% are female. However, female participation is on the rise so we can expect this number to grow of the next coupe years.
In general, bjj attracts a diverse group of people. Practitioners range from young children to individuals well into their 60s and beyond. The sport’s adaptability allows it to cater to different fitness levels and goals.
Competition BJJ Statistics
Relying on images from my gym once more, only 4 out of 17 competed at one point – giving us ~23% of bjj students who choose to compete.
This falls in line with other bjj statistics available that estimate about 20-30% of BJJ practitioners compete at some point.
Competitions range from local tournaments to some seriously prestigious events like IBJJF Worlds and ADCC.
Zack is an avid jiu jitsu practitioner and martial arts nerd. He currently holds a brown belt in BJJ. When not on the mats or in the gym, he can be found going for walks with his wife, attempting (and often failing) to train his dog, and frequently obsessing over a specific hobby only to forget about it a week later.
