In the original Gracie Jiu Jitsu the 36 Combatives are what is needed to pass the Blue Belt
For the first stripe on the blue you need to learn the 60 lessons, the 60 techniques for it
As said before, there is as much to learn and perfect for a GJJ blue belt as there is for a Judo or Kenpo Black Belt, and, with 60 techniques on each stripe, 4 stripes making 240 techniques in all in the Master Cycle, as much to learn for a Gracie Purple Belt as there is for a 3rd Dan in Kenpo or Judo
The first techniques for the Blue Stripe One are the Counters to the Combatives
The first Combative learnt is the Mount Escape - if you have mounted a Blue Belt he knows the Mount Escapes, so you need to counter those to stay there - if you get Upa you will be in Guard
Example the Mount Triangle - if you can stay in Mount you can do advanced Mount submissions like this, if you get Upa you will have him in your Guard, and you already know the Guard Triangle, it is on the Combatives
Example being the Double Under Guard Pass, the last Combative number 36 - if you have a Blue Belt in your Guard he will know the Guard pass, you need to keep him there by countering his Pass so you can then work your Advanced Guard submissions - all techniques such as Spider Guard and Omoplata are useless if he passes before you can apply them
So when you meet someone who is allegedly a Purple Belt (or higher) in some form of Jiu Jitsu he should know all the Counters to the 36 Combatives - if he does not then how did he get his first stripe, let alone the 2nd, 3rd and 4th stripes before testing and passing his Purple
It takes about 6 years or so to get to Purple Belt at the Gracie Academy - and that is 60 techniques on each stripe, 240 in all, and they have to pass the test to show they can apply them all - a Purple Belt will always beat a Blue Belt in a roll because he knows how to counter all the Combatives and apply the Advanced techniques that the Blue Belt does not know
Gracie Blue Belt - 36 techniques Combatives
Gracie Purple Belt - 240 techniques Master Cycle
