Your first belt should be the easy part of starting BJJ. Then you see the size chart — A0, A2, F1, K000 — and suddenly you’re not sure if you’re buying a belt or a jump rope.
Get it wrong and you’ll feel it on day one: a belt so long it drags through everyone’s guard, or so short the knot pops loose mid-roll. Here’s the simple truth nobody spells out — your belt size is just your gi size. Same letter. That’s it.
The one rule: belt size = gi size
Wear an A2 gi? You need an A2 belt — 280 cm, about 110 inches. An F1 gi takes an F1 belt. A kid in a K2 takes a K2 belt. The letter on your gi is the letter on your belt. No conversion, no guessing.
Want the exact length for your size? The Belt Size Guide gives you the number in cm and inches in two taps — no chart to squint at.
How a belt should fit
A BJJ belt wraps your waist twice and ties with a tail hanging on each side, roughly the length of your forearm. Too long and the tails whip around when you scramble. Too short and the knot won’t hold. When you’re between sizes, size down — a slightly shorter belt ties cleaner and stays put.
How to tie it (the part nobody shows you)
Tying a BJJ belt trips up every white belt at first. Here’s the move, start to finish:
- Wrap it around your waist twice, keeping both ends even out front.
- Cross the ends, bring one end up under both layers, and pull it through.
- Cross again, tuck, and pull tight — snug, not strangling.
Drill it five times at home tonight and it’ll never slow you down again.
Find your exact length
Don’t order blind and hope. Pick your size and get the exact belt length before you buy.
FAQ
What size BJJ belt do I need? The same size as your gi — an A2 gi takes an A2 belt (280 cm / 110 inches).
Do belts come in kids’ sizes? Yes — K000 up to K4, matched to kids’ gi sizes.
My belt is too long — what do I do? Size down next time. A belt one size shorter ties cleaner and won’t drag.
