Method of detecting a braking state of a braking device (10) of a robot drive, having a frame device (20) which, if required, applies braking forces to a rotating component of the robot drive by means of a first movable frame element (28). As a result, the braking device (10) is shifted into at least two operating states, in particular a closed state or an open state. In the process, during the transition of the braking device (10) from one state into the other, at least one measuring signal is recorded and a braking state is determined by comparing the at least one measuring signal with reference values established beforehand. The invention also relates to a braking device on which the above method can be carried out.