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I don't know if people that practice other martial arts have this problem, but I know people that practice BJJ have this problem a lot. I guess it is because of all the friction, but no one can seem to keep their belt on. It's like the belts are "doing more escapes than I am". I have heard instructors talking about "the Hollywood knot", which is supposed to stay on. I have looked everywhere, but I can't find how to tie it this way. Can anybody find a way to tie a BJJ belt so that it both stays on and doesn't get in the way of training? Try to find either an illustrated web page or a video.

EDIT: I have been using some of the ones in the answers. They all work great, but I still have to re-tie my belt after each time I roll.

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  • Just for clarification: are we speaking about a quality, brand-new belt?
    – Philip Klöcking
    Mar 12, 2020 at 10:33
  • @PhilipKlöcking No, I'm talking about maybe a one-year old belt.
    – LemmyX
    Mar 12, 2020 at 14:12
  • Ok, so are you telling us all versions loosened up, or just that you cannot make out a 'best' suggestion since they all worked for you?
    – Philip Klöcking
    Mar 12, 2020 at 18:50
  • @PhilipKlöcking They all worked pretty well, although most still fell off after about 10 minutes of rolling.
    – LemmyX
    Mar 12, 2020 at 20:38
  • I've rolled extensively with my belt never falling off. Like in never, even after hours of rolling. This leaves me with two options: Either you do not pull it enough to fasten the knot or your belt is extraordinarily stiff (hence my first question). If it is quite stiff, kneading and twisting the belt for some time, like 1-2 hours - which is a good grip strength training as well - usually helps softening it so that the knot holds better..
    – Philip Klöcking
    Mar 12, 2020 at 20:44

5 Answers 5

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Standard knot

The standard way to tie one's belt in Karate and Judo is a traditional Japanese knot known as chiyo-musubi (千代結び "eternal knot"). In my experience this is pretty stable during rolling/randori. Here is a diagram from the IJF detailing how to tie it:

enter image description here

See also the following instructional video from the IJF.

Simple knot

You can also tie a simple granny knot with the ends (as opposed to slipping them through the belt before/after tying):

enter image description here

However in my experience this style is prone to coming loose, especially in BJJ and ne-waza. This is sometimes called a "competition knot", since it coming loose affords you a bit of a breather while fixing up your gi when the referee resets a match.

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  • After trying both of the ways (yours and @PhillipKlöcking 's), I decided that this one works best!
    – LemmyX
    Mar 13, 2020 at 1:27
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Instead of doing a 'simple' belt knot, I use a variant where you put the ends of the belt between the two layers of the belt while doing the knot.

This picture:

enter image description here

shows how to do it starting with the upper end, I prefer starting with the one coming from below, but it does not make much of a difference.

I've been introduced to this method as 'kata-knot' in Judo, probably because the one thing you do not want to happen in kata is your belt falling off. Spares a lot of nerves when training children as well. Never failed me during the last 15ish years I am using it.

The point made by @AmorphousBlob stands regardless of the method, of course.

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Not a knot style answer, but once you've tied the knot, rather than just pulling the loose ends, grasp the ENDS of the belt firmly, bring your hands together, then pull apart as hard as you can. This creates a tighter and more secure knot. Source - retying belts for kids just about every class.

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Cheaters never prosper: But if you really wanna keep your belt on snug and tight, CHeat by pinning it; where permitted.

FAILING that, a softer fabric which can be tightly tied and double knotted like cotton/silk.

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I just use a belt fastener. If you can't buy them, just make one with an elastic velcro. A belt coming loose is a distraction.

enter image description here

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  • 2
    This wraps around the square knot?
    – mattm ♦
    Mar 26, 2020 at 10:58
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    I do not quite understand how this is actually supposed to help or even necessary, considering that there are ways to tie the belt which reliably hold through even the toughest rolling sessions to the point that the belt usually has to be untied because of a messy gi (ie. completely pulled out of the belt and stuffed back several times) way before the knot opens...
    – Philip Klöcking
    Mar 26, 2020 at 13:32
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    Fresh and unseasoned belts are hard, good knots won't stay in place. The velcro helps
    – Kristina Lex
    Apr 2, 2020 at 12:56
  • More info maybe?
    – Deko Revinio
    Mar 9 at 22:13

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