I started caring about belts when I saw guys getting promoted that I could consistently submit. As much I wanted it not to affect me, it did. If no one was promoted, I wouldn't mind being white belt forever. You can never tell in no-gi anyway
Same thing happened to me..I was training 6 days a week even taking the advanced class..I was making other higher ranked students tap and had other guys move up in rank before me..it was aggrevating. At least getting a stripe would have made me feel like I accomplished something.
Same man. I never gave a fuck about belts or anything until my gym did the first rank up, which I had finals in school so I missed class, had no idea testing took place, and ultimately missed the rank up ceremony. At 140lbs, I'm one of the smallest guys in my gym and go with people 30-80 lbs bigger. I wound up with 3 stripes, along with a dozen other people who started training 9 months after me who I've been subbing and helping all along, and watched him promote bigger people that I sub to 4 stripes and blue. I took it personally and have been thinking about leaving the gym since
I never hear from blue belts themselves on why they quit but I always see black belts giving the reason. I would like to hear from former blue belts themselves if they are out there.
Just something I heard, though. Met a blue belt who had to effectively quit due to work obligations getting heavier, though his case was more tragic as its more of he had to support his family and take a second job, taking all the time he has left to even go to a BJJ gym. He still wants to come back, though he credits BJJ for helping him de-escalate a self-defense situation, putting his assailant on the ground with a cross-mount, forcing him to calm down. He didn't have to hurt him to get him to stop, unless you count a take down.
Blue belt here. I quit because, after working my ass off going to training 5-6x a week for 2 years, and then finally getting my promotion, saw the others who only came 1x a week and didn’t really put any effort into training getting promoted right alongside me. These weren’t prodigies, but people who couldn’t hold their own on the mat. Just there for the fun of it. It was clear that belt promotion wasn’t based on tangible things, but on who the professor likes or doesn’t like. Why would anyone want to be in a place like that?
Blue belt here, recently decided to part ways with jiu jitsu. Maybe permanently, maybe not. I trained consistently (2-3x/week) for about 4.5 years, got my blue belt after 2 of those years. About six months back I realized I had met all of my personal goals (learn self defense, get in good shape, learn to deal with claustrophobia). I definitely started to enjoy it enough that I thought I might stick to it and eventually get my black belt. I had to be honest with myself, my primary motivation is related to performance; I like to perform well and reap the rewards of performing well. It has helped make me very successful in life as I get things done -- very quickly and with high quality -- both professionally and personally, and if I don't see the benefit I move onto things that provide those benefits/rewards. You see where this is going. After getting my blue belt I suffered as all blue belts do, going to class and getting demolished by the upper belts who no longer held back and sometimes even getting bested by the hungry four-stripe white belts. And I watched as many of my peers who got their blue belt the same time I did get their first stripe a year later, and I waited and waited for 2.5 years wondering what else I needed to do to reap that reward. It never came, and it was made clear that students should not ask about it. I started to get the sense that I had peaked, gotten as far in this martial art as I possibly could. Having met my personal goals and not seeing any path forward, I lost all motivation. I stopped going for a few weeks and found it much more enjoyable to spend time with my wife or my friends in the evenings, or even just practicing guitar. I ended my membership last month and have learned two new songs on guitar and just today earned my Red Cross First Aid instructor certification. Not that difficult but I wouldn't have done it if jiu jitsu was still in the picture. Ultimately, I no longer saw the point in getting my ass kicked night after night in a futile attempt to earn the validation of those who would never give it. I don't fault the philosophy/culture of jiu jitsu for this. It's just a misalignment. I'm achievement motivated and the culture doesn't seem to be designed for people like me, at least not openly. Maybe one day I'll go back -- more likely to happen if the requirements for advancement are made explicitly clear.
@@blahblah2779, I'm seeing similar things at my jiujitsu gym. I get no recognition for coming in 3-5 days a week, and beating higher belts often, vs. people coming in 1-2 days a week, and me beating them easily.
When you are a black belt you can say it doesn’t matter. You made it. At a higher belt if BJJ is your passion, it can now become something you may be able to monetize and open your own gym or validity if you want to start a training company etc.
To break the monotony of "belts don't matter" posts, the belt is a mental trap for a few reasons: 1) The black belt gets the most respect in the school, and rightfully so. Thus everyone aspires to reach said black belt's level, even if they know the odds are stacked against them. 2) Wearing a white belt publicly brands you as a guy who's generally clueless about bjj, and while it is true, people still aspire to leave said status as quickly as possible. 2a) other martial arts promote crazy fast, so people you know ask the "you're still a white belt?!" question. While this shouldn't be important, it can be annoying answering that question. 3) Helio's definition of a blue belt (blue belt = being able to control and submit any untrained opponent regardless of size) is a status that many white belts desire. It's probably the reason a lot of guys quit at blue belt, because that is enough for them. 4) Measuring up against peers. It can be an awful feeling watching someone start after you and pass you up and rank. Also I'll say there is a lot of virtue signaling when it comes to this topic. "Belts don't matter" I think is one of the bigger fallacies in BJJ. If people in a given school get promoted, and others do not when they feel like they were at the same level then resentment one way or another will build. People will try their best to chant "belts don't matter" to themselves, but at some point some of them (probably a lot more than will let on publicly) will eventually let the rank system consume them if left out of sync with the instructor for too long. Sorry for the long winded post, but as a white belt entering the end of my first year, these are observations I've made (and admittedly experienced).
Your reply is spot on and very reflective as a white belt. Rank does matter as the belt demonstrates experience, dedication and hard work. Anyone that's serious about BJJ aspires to earn the black belt - that's reality. Having said that - I think it's important to concentrate on improving every day in the gym - you want to be better walking out of class then you were walking in. I'm a purple belt and I love my rank but I do want to earn my brown belt. While I'm training I don't think about my rank - I'm there to fix my weaknesses and validate my strengths. However outside the gym, I do think about being a brown belt and I'm actually looking forward to earning that next rank. It doesn't affect my day to day training however I do want to be a black belt so I think about my long term strategy (how any tournaments I will enter, diet, outside cardio) to get to that next level
7:09 - So… as an adult, everything you’re saying makes total sense. But I’m also a dad and you can TELL your kid that belts and stripes don’t matter until you’re blue in the face, but kids get discouraged easier and most of them DO need the positive reinforcement that comes with belt and stripe promotion to reassure them that they’re not wasting their time. Once we reach our OWN black belt, we start to mentally relax and focus on honing our technique and from that point onward, the stripes really don’t matter nearly as much and we’re sure as heck not thinking too much about that coveted red belt because we know that’s EONS away from where we are. When you’re anything below a black belt, however, you’re working towards at LEAST that particular goal. My friend has been a purple belt for over three years now and just recently obtained her brown belt and we were all just so incredibly happy for her. Belt promotions will always matter regardless of how many times you or I say otherwise.
Have to agree to disagree here. I’ve taught many kids (including my own who are now both grown), and the belt “candy” only matters when you MAKE it matter. Here’s a little more “color” to my point… let’s say you LOVE ice cream (as I do), what makes the ice cream more valuable, having it more often or less often? Human nature is such that more instances of reward (monthly in most BJJ schools) makes the reward an EXPECTATION, not something that is EARNED. Anyway, you make great points. Thank you!
@@KamaJiuJitsu - I don't disagree with that at all, actually... and on average at my son's BJJ school, it takes between 3-4 months between stripes, so my son gets his proverbial "ice cream" between 3-4 times a year. I, myself, personally don't put emphasis on belts and stripes, but the kids look to each other and they look at their belts and they assess from there how hard they're expected to go. My son's at a point now where if they pair him up with a white belt, he is expected to HELP the white belt apply holds and execute maneuvers; NOT to try and beat the white belt. I can't speak for others' kids, but I raised my kid to WANT to help his peers when he can and when he's paired up against someone of equal or mostly equal rank, he can use those opportunities for more competitive sparring to try to improve his own technique. I would absolutely never presume to dictate to you how you should run your school as far as belt promotions go, but for where we are presently, I feel that they issue "ice cream" just often enough to keep them motivated, but not so often as to take away the thrill of that next cone. Cheers. :)
I got over looked a few months ago still a 4 stripe and still able to tap the guys who got promoted not ever quitting jus gonna make colors look bad until someone opens their eyes
I enjoyed every single second of my white belt. It took a very solid 2 years. I do feel the pressure of the new belt but confident of where I am in my journey🤘🏽
If you worry about belts, one of worst things is moving and changing schools, that happened to me, in my case 2.5 years of moving and training but never promoted, unfortunately they require time with them only
My schools code of conduct plainly states: "Don't ask to be tested, ranked, graded or promoted". I think it's a great policy. I dont train for belts or stripes, I train for fitness and self defense. That is just me, everyone is different but Professor Ryan I agree with you completely.
@@gsuavebjj3856 thats quite a bit long, don´t you think? i mean, i think it was rickson gracie that said: an adequate time to get your black belt is about 7 years. sure it depends on the person and the progress but man.....over 2 yrs for 2 stripes? i bet you tap blue or purple belts by now sometimes. thats too long bro!
I often thought of quitting. But not because of a belt in itself, more that I wasn't getting to a blue belt level after several years. I changed schools and I feel I've been making more progress, maybe the teaching style fits me better. But damn it's difficult, I have absolutely no natural talent, quite the opposite, I just grind and grind and barely see progress. I see a lot of guys come in, and within six months, they catch up with me and it can be a bit disheartening at times. Also I've got injured a few times, including one that required knee surgery... Hoping maybe another year and I can get to a blue belt level. But I certainly won't fault my instructor or school for not giving me a blue belt, since my current level means that I don't deserve it yet... Lately I've been able to pull a few decent escapes and sweeps, even a couple submissions here and there I'm sticking around because of the community, the gratification I do get for slowly overcoming something I have such little talent at, and it's good exercise too. But damn it's disheartening sometimes ... :-(
Do you have fun training? You need to. Here’s a parallel environment you can ponder... Golf. Most suck. Few are good. It’s ALWAYS costly. And yet, people still do it. And do it. Why? Because they have a great time challenging themselves, challenging partners, and hanging out at the 19th hole.
you're totally right. if you never expect it, it always feels good when it happens. it's a mental trick one needs to learn how to play on oneself. OTOH, if you're always thinking about it, you're disappointed that you didn't get it "by now," and when you do finally get it, you're "pissed off it took so long."
@@KamaJiuJitsu lol, yeah, you cant be thinking about it... but sometimes it's hard not to..... especially if you have been really committed. It gets easier the higher you get... but man... at first, you just don't wanna be the white belt anymore, lol.
nothing wrong with being a white belt. we've all been there, and it's an essential step in the process. like i tell my kids, "don't rush so much to be a grownup. once youi're a grownup, you'll often wish you could go back to being a kid again." with jiu-jitsu, you can always "go back," so to speak, by taking on a beginner's mindset. the problem comes when you've developed so many bad habits by constantly trying to be like the upper belts, that you have a much harder time trying to do things right once you've ingrained the wrong stuff. anyway, thanks for the comments!
The technique tell us wich belt someone has, of corse u need the mat to show the technique but at the end of the day the mat of the belt is not always needed, last time i checked belts or mats dont stop bullets.
You are correct....but it takes WAY too long to get promoted in BJJ even if your lower belt that can steadily stomp upper belts. it a money scheme. Period.
The Matts tell you who better but most likely the belt color being black has more opportunities to be get paid and recognized for there Jiu jitsu in the way of a school and lifestyle its a business period first to make money and second to teach or maybe that's third forgot about tournaments
Great advice, I'm a white belt after 14 years lol (consistency problem) whereas my friend who started at the same time is now a black belt, belt colours don't matter, it's your level of commitment, competency and enjoyment within this awesome, brutal and demoralizing sport/way of life. Thank you for your vid pal. Cool guy
i feel that consistency problem. balancing work and just martial arts in general is already a challenge and just committing is already a goal enough in itself. with the attitude you have one day you'll ascend my friend :)
@@jeremywilliams9363 honesty no man there are great levels of knowledge between people who rolled for years compared to people who haven't so no my dude lol
@Justin Butcher wrong againI've seen people going to BJJ schools with solid Jiu-Jitsu backgrounds have to start over at white belt and stay there for a way longer than they should. You are bullshit on that
i´m a black belt in jiu jitsu (not bjj) and i he has a good point if you really think about it. but you´re right, it´s easy to say when you have a high rank. honestly, i work my ass off to get away from my white belt 25 years ago. 😂
I agree with Ryan...for the most part. As highlighted, belts are there to show others your level of understanding and to give validation. Validation is vitally important to people and to those who say "it's not!" Are wrong, for example. Have you ever put a lot of effort when making a meal for someone and then asked whether it's good? This is validation at a basic level. To get the response of "no" or "it's a taboo subject to ask," when the meal was in fact, very nice would be regarded as rude. However, in Jiu Jitsu this is essentially what is going on all the time and it creates an environment of disillusionment. In my opinion discussing promotion should be open and never seen as taboo and instructors must keep on top of their students (clients) development by giving them feedback and validation as soon as it's deserved. That's not to say promotion should come easy, but when a student has worked hard and met the necessary criteria for a tag or belt set out by an instructor, the instructor should promptly recognise this undertaking and by not doing so is a failing on their part.
I am not a BJJ practitioner, or of any MA, so my question is naive, but here goes: Is there really no objective syllabus to learn for each belt, which is transparent and can be objectively tested?
@@threethrushes to answer your question: yes there are. i´m a black belt in jiu-jitsu (not bjj) an there are a amount of techniques for each belt you have to know. and ther can and will be testet for each promotion. in jiu-jitsu there is a program for each belt you have to study and it adds up from belt to belt. when you reach your brown belt that means you have mastered the basic techniques you have learned so far. when you reach black belt then the journey really start.
I totally disagree that most people quit because of belt promotion. I think the most common reasons for people quitting are, injury, finances, and schedule. I think what can be most frustrating is lack of improvement, even with consistant training, but not delayed belt promotion, not so much in this day and age.
Totally agree, injuries has been my greatest hardship. I feel better tapping out somebody with a higher belt than the other way around. Most students know the pecking order but I would never quit for being underbelted.
So true with the over belting/under belting. Such a good feeling when you can show your heart rather than what your belt says. Took me two and a half years to get my blue belt and I wore it as a badge of honor when a higher belt would ask me how long I've been training after a good roll! Love the vids man! Aloha from Oahu!
I actually get apprehensive whenever I get a stripe on my belt (currently white belt) because I feel pressured to be able to submit lower ranking students. Sometimes I struggle to submit these lower ranking students if they're larger and/or younger than me. At the same time I feel a sense of accomplishment if I can hold my own against a higher ranking opponent. So as far as I'm concerned, I don't care if I don't get officially promoted as long as I'm improving in terms of skill.
My old BJJ dojo used to do belt promotions solely off of time and it really ticked me off since I was easily beating people 4-6 stripes/promotions above me and I was quickly learning new techniques but still remaining 4-6 stripes/promotions below. I do understand that time and discipline are also important factors but it was really ticking me off that I was much better than the belt I was at
I agree. I like that you said that its better to be underbelted than overbelted. I love that. I also heard another professor say that you should make sure you're able to carry the weight of the belt you have on with consistency. Great video. I'm not going to think about the belt promotions anymore. im just going to get as good as I can. What's in my control.
Some people look at it like an academy taking advantage and stringing them along. Paying years worth of monthly fees just to be kept on a belt. If they’ve done the classes, and hitting the goals. And unless they’ve been told otherwise and given coaching, they should be promoted. It’s also a business.
I was happy to get my blue belt because people would know how to roll with me. Nothing worse than rolling with new white belts who don't understand that you're probably going to tie them in knots, or rolling with blue belts who refuse to tap to a white belt out of pride. Also, the purple belts take you under their wings once you get a color belt, which was nice. But I really don't care if I ever get another belt because there are some blue belts at my school who are truly amazing and the graduation to purple is sort of a function of time and unconscious internalization of the moves that will come with repetition. Purple belts and older blue belts can have the same technical knowledge, they just flow better.
I have reentered BJJ after being out of it for 18 years and train at 2 schools due to my job location and knowing both instructors back in the day. I left off 18 years ago as a soft purple belt and the instructor at one school said I cannot be demoted. The other school has me starting off as a white belt. I will tell you, the pressure is extreme wearing the purple belt as I feel like a target but the pressure is on me also to train harder to get to that level. I feel we all know the pecking order at the school and to me belts are irrelevant. Some schools will have 8 year blue belts and at other one would be brown. We train to get better and being focused on belt colors to me is nonsense.
i do no-gi only but we know who the White belts are .. ME !! lol. Had to roll with a black belt that was twice my size but he always goes super easy on me because he knows his skill and strength
Robert Hardebeck There is a history of belts an it’s seems as every art uses them to some degree. If most feel that it’s not necessary then don’t have them. If they use them they should adhere to the system established in that arts community. If your entering a school they should let people know what the expectations are so there are no confusions or loss of time.
Very good points. I would only say I like attendance. Not that I think people should get promoted after X number of classes. It allows the instructors ( who have a lot to keep track of) to know where the average student is. It’s easy to keep track of the “ naturals”. The average practitioner can easily become a face among many faces at a big gym.
I appreciate this. There's no doubt that there is a nag in the back of the head that says "But i've been doing this 2 years and I'm doing really well....why don't I have my blue belt?" but then I just think that I'm 41 and i have a long long long way ahead of me. So i just buckle down and look forward to the next class.
This is great advice. "forgetting' to give stripes is understandable for the most part but in some cases it should not be overlooked. For example some schools have very limited class selections before 2 stripe white belt. When a person picks up their second stripe an assortment of other classes times and days open up to them. For this reason I feel the stripe should not be forgot....especially seeing as everyone pays the same monthly fee but does not have access to the same classes until 2 stripe.
I gave up on rank after around 10-11 years as blue belt. As long as I could go into most schools and tap their purple and sometimes their browns I was ok. Then I got purple. lol Its hard to explain to the new people that typically a black belt in BJJ takes 10-13 years and I'm saying this as an 18 year purple belt. It only bothers me when some black belts act like they are superior and know more and I have been doing BJJ a lot longer than them. Everyone I started training with is now black or 1 stripe black belts.
there is absolutely no reason... at all... that you have been a blue belt for 10 to 11 years and you are able to tap browns and purples.... unless, you have been skipping around schools or you don't train consistently... that's it. there's no reason.
Daniel, 100% agreed. People say I’ve done so and so for x amount of years, thinking it says a lot. I personally don’t care about the years. How many times a week did you go during those 10 years? A person going 4 times a week for 10 years is going to be in a completely different league than someone going 1 time per week for 10 years.
A lot of non ibjjf places are slow to belt. Mine bases on time out in and skill...I know of purple belts who've been purple for 9 years. In the end, if you're going for belts, join Tae Kwon Do... you'll be black in 2 years.....
@@KamaJiuJitsu YES some people with amazing flexability and reflexes can really excel in TKD and those spinning high kicks are deadly. However, most people ( including me) just suck at flexability and have average quickness so I think Muay Thai is better for the average person to learn
in tkd I never worried about belt and would go for the promotion when I felt I was ready, though my instructor told me I was ready, inside I felt I wasn't as there were a few kicks that I couldn't master so I held back until I got those kicks solid.
Thousands of classes while training “off and on over 5 years”? You do know 5 years only has 1,825 days in total, right? Unless you train multiple classes per day when you’re on…
I think everyone goes through a phase where they care about rank, belts, etc. Then they eventually get to a point where they realize that, yes, it matters, but, no, it doesn't really matter. It just is what it is.
True. You just are a blue belt when you get there. No certain time, no criteria no moves. Once you're a blue belt that's when you get it. Same with any other belt.
I’m my opinion, If belts don’t matter to you because you’re a black belt, just get rid of them or don’t use them. Don’t know how many students you have but an adult and two students is a good monthly income. You should’ve just recognized their improvement and save them. Or at least give them a target to look to.
There's something missing here: 1. Athletic ability and natural talent. 2. Flexibility. 3. Strength. 4. Cardio vascular fitness. All defense styles promise ability with practice, but there's more to it than that. 1. Athletic ability and natural talent: Some people are just naturally good athletes, or they start Jiu Jitsu with great experience in other sports. Practicing other sports will help A LOT. 2. Flexibility. Jiu Jitsu requires a lot of flexibility. Taking flexibility classes outside of Jiu Jitsu will help a lot. 3. Strength. Jiu Jitsu loves to claim that it's all about leverage and you don't need to be strong. That's bullshit. Even yellow belt requires you to throw a grown man (or woman) over your shoulder, many of whom could weight 40 pounds more than you do. Full body weight lifting twice a week is incredibly useful for building that strength you need. 4. Cardio vascular fitness. Self defence courses of all kinds are just exhausting. Running (or jogging) 3km, 5km most days (and aiming for 10km some days) will give you great longevity in the Dojo. This is unbelievably useful (and should probably be number 1 on my list)! Jiu Jitsu, and all defence styles, are full body. It's *not* just about practice and technique.
That's interesting what you said about the age thing. I don't see any kids over orange where i train. At most, you'll see a green, but beyond that, mostly teens to adults. Also, i think kids need that reward feeling. It's rough, but lots of kids i've seen drop training because being a blue belt for half a year is discouraging. Kids seem harder to keep when things take too long. Also, they might lack motivation. Especially when it comes to losing.
I've been doing NoGi for years and have only been doing Gi for a few months. Im a no stripe white that can hang with purples... So for me its just about getting better and enjoying BJJ. Im not gonna be a BB till Im old as fuck and thats ok :D
Blue belt here. If I don't get stripes or purple belt within the next two years will be because of my short attention span, and because I often skip classes due to injuries.
@@quasar4601 Train as much as you want. But listen to your body... If you wake up and feel like you have been hit by a truck. Take that day off. I've seen guys in their late 40's give young guns with some moves a nightmare roll on the mats. It's all about learning proper technique and staying consistent. Also, use leverage not strength. That will save your body for more training.
@@Severen45 YES, I get trained by UFC guys here !!!! So they like no-gi with taking punches into account. We dont have belts but I am going to give myself a symbolic blue belt in dec of 2020 , By then I should have several hundred hours of mat time.
Did promotions today in a class of white belts all 3 stripes all started about the same time. I got a fourth stripe and though ok cool and 2 of the other white belts got promoted straight to blue belt. I was in dismay especially when one of the other teammates I considered not exactly on my level never subs me and consistently sub him and neither has he competed in competition yet I have and won a medal. I’m feeling a little pissed off about that and considering the gym I go to is more expensive then other gyms in local area and have less days and time flexibility my loyalty to the instructor and gym is now being questioned to myself and I am asking myself maybe it’s better just to do what’s best for me and train somewhere else.
Bro this JUST happened to me, like 2 weeks ago. How did it all play out for you? I'm dying to know. I just want to hear something from someone who isnt going to give me the cheesy “belts don't matter” platitude.
Jump ship, bro. What’s happening to you is the equivalent of someone who works double shifts, voluntarily comes on their day off to help, to only watch the lazy mofos who clock out the moment 5pm hits become their supervisor. Your boss is clearly telling you that your effort and commitment means 💩 to them.
I guess that student "forgot" your monthly fee's too lol Promotions are a part of your job to give out fairly as an instructor and it's not something you should forget.
I’ve never “given” a promotion. Students earn them. I’m just giving them what they earn. Sometimes I’m late in “paying,” I’m sad to say... But I’m always good for it!
@@KamaJiuJitsu Ok, I re-read what I had wrote and see that it came off a little aggressive, but my point does still stand. I'm sure you're always good for it and that's great to hear. Just always try to stay on top of it because those first few promotions really mean the world to newbies :) Keep up the great work.
The belt factory model is stupid and does nothing for our kids. You are right Coach! It's about enjoying the process not the reward. Once you get the reward, then what, the journey is over?
As a White Belt that is soon to be testing for my Blue, I lately have been just enjoying training. The belt hasn't really been my focus for a long time. It's nice and I look forward to it, but really getting my Blue will just mean more pressure and I will work harder. But I welcome that, it will make me better at Jiu-Jitsu with all those strong White Belts coming at me daily. My main point is.... Just TRAIN, in the streets nobody gives a damn what piece of dyed cloth you wear around your waist in BJJ... What matters is can you choke them out?
I almosy quit jiujitsu, after my professor approached me and told me that I had earned my first stripe, and that he'd be giving me one in three days. Well, two months later, I had no stripe, so I asked his son about the stripe, and I was told that he'd talk to the professor, and two weeks later he gave me a stripe. I stayed patient, and nearly quit because people keeping their word is very important to me.
Yes, keeping one’s word is always important. Did he 1) forget, 2) lie, or 3) did your skills drop some to warrant him delaying it for a bit longer? But really, you considered quitting because you didn’t get a piece of tape put on your white belt?!
@@KamaJiuJitsu , I believe that he may have forgotten? I have no way to know. My skill has only gotten better. I almost quit, because he wasn't keeping his word, a piece of tape means nothing, but their word means a lot to me. Also, about two months in, they had forgotten about the price per month that they were giving me, and kept stating that they weren't charging me enough, then I had a talk with them, and they realized that they had given me a particular price two months prior when I started. So it's not just the stripe, it was also them supposedly forgetting how much they told me verbally they would charge me per month, and then trying to raise that price by hundreds of dollars a few months later. I was contemplating leaving to a different gym, where I'd be more appreciated, and my hard work recognized.
@@KamaJiuJitsu , Regarding my skills. I've only been doing jiujitsu for six months in around a week or so. After a month and a half, I started submitting blue belts, then two months in, I've been beating all the blue belts, and submitting them often, it's a back and forth thing. I've even seen people giving the blue belts tips on how to beat the techniques that I use. I definitely don't beat the purple belts, but I defend well against them, and make them work hard. Seeing that my professor was forgetting about me for two months after telling me that I had earned a stripe, was getting to me, but I decided to be patient. The professor took the entire summer off, as I was working hard all summer, and it made me feel unappreciated. His son is a black belt, but only the professor gives belts and stripes to adults, so even though his son the black belt was watching me get better and probably telling his dad that I needed a stripe, his dad did tell me that I was getting one, and then apparently forgot, or just didn't want to give me one, because he wanted to watch me and make the decision, even though he wasn't coming in to teach or watch. I finally asked his son the black belt that was teaching me the entire summer, about the stripe, and he said that he would talk with his dad, then two weeks later I got a stripe from his dad. Sorry to keep adding to my comment. When I asked his son (who's been doing jiujitsu for 25 years, and he's 32), I asked him if there was anything that I had done, or should be doing to get the stripe, and his son said no, that I was doing great, so this isn't just my opinion. If I was thinking about leaving that club, and going to another one, knowing that I'd have to start all over, it wasn't about the stripe, for me it was more than that, I still may join a different gym, as I've never done jiujitsu before, and maybe I joined the wrong gym?
@@KamaJiuJitsu , I've been looking into another place, I just never wanted to hop around gyms, but it's looking like I'll have to do that. I have three of my five kids enrolled there as well, and now my wife and a fourth child want to attend, so we'll make our decision on leaving soon.
I love to train and if you are going for the belts you may have ego issues. Buy one online and stay at home. Just kidding. On the serious side I find it it’s less stressful to not worry about the next promotion belt because now there’s potential to build false expectations. Enjoy learning and get to enjoy your bjj, it’s all about fun. Time and place humility goes a long way.
I dont want to quit but i keep injuring my neck. I have had two seperate pinched nerves now. Im a blue belt and my wife says i should quit. I really dont want to but i dont know if these injuries are a sign to let go. Any thoughts help. OSS Also its not just not tapping one was from stack pass drills and the other ya i tried to jump over to escape omoplata but my legs were caught in the air and down on my neck.
I think that the major problem in BJJ is that you're not getting any feedback in most cases. Nobody is telling you what to do next etc., you have to figure out so much yourself. So I don't care about the belt, I just would like to know where I am in my journey...
What sort of CRM system do you guys use? What lessons have you learned along the way as a school owner when it comes to customer/student relationship management? For example, if a parent is asking about a child as to why they haven't been promoted yet, one thought in my mind is perhaps pulling up their record in the CRM system and seeing their attendance as well as performance review during various testing and so on - that way one can manage the expectation with the parent in terms of a child progress. I was just wondering what you guys do for that.
i have trained bjj for around 2 and a half years and im still a white belt, for me its seems like my progression is slow and that we only drill new techniques for 10 - 15 min in our classes and then go to the next technique. I dont think we drill the technique enough in our classes. I find it hard to remember every detail of every technique. What should i do??
What about being promoted too fast? Great point about standards being school-specific. It is time-based at my school rather than skill, so even people who go twice per day advance at the same rate as people like me who go 2.5 times/week...with competitors advancing more slowly. Now, I'm a brown belt and strong, aggressive blue belts beat me - it feels very embarrassing and makes me want to quit or train elsewhere, but I really like the community at my current school. Already asked instructor a couple times about slowing my promotion and it was delayed a bit, but I still feel over-belted. Any advice on slowing my promotion to match my skill?
the fact of the matter is, as long as you're at that school, you'll be ranked by the instructor there, regardless if you feel it's correct or not. for a timeline academy, skill is secondary to showing up for class (the assumption being that if you show up, you WILL learn). i know a lot of black belts who SEEM to be over belted. as they are not Master Dave's students, he has no say (and if he doesn't, i certainly don't). if you go to another academy, you may (or may not) end up wearing another belt, based on their advancement criteria. so, when you're at your current school, wear the brown, when you're at another school, wear what they tell you to. treat it as separate and different arts, requiring different belts. one of my students asked me what belt he should wear when/if he visits his old school. told him to wear his old belt (that they awarded him) there while he's there. don't show his old professor any disrespect by wearing the belt he wears at our studio.
Yea you know what you should have time cards for precisely that reason so u don’t constantly forget about stripes man recognition is important to ppl man and nobody wants/ should have to remind you about that stuff that’s like asking for money owed to you
In the 2 sportd I did, you only learn new attack and defences when going up one belt. So if you stay longer then needed on a lower belt. You aren't gone be good on the street. Especially the really low belts. Isn't that he case with BJJ?
I'd like to avoid the promotion. I got a purple belt 8 years ago and have hated my experience ever since and I know a brown belt is coming and I'll have to fake smile and accepted it knowing I'd rather die than take another promotion. I dont want to quit but I suck, objectively suck, but without it I'd probably eat a bullet
If you “objectively suck,” (of course one “objective” is another person’s “subjective”) might I suggest checking out the KJJ Online curriculum on Kajabi?
While I don't like getting passed over for belt promotions, I do realize that politics are a part of every gym. Plus I'd rather be a good blue belt than a shitty purple belt. Imo it's sometimes a curse getting promoted too early. You walk into another gym for open mat and you're a purple belt getting absolutely destroyed by their blue belts, jt kinda fucks with your head a bit. I try to act as if the belt color doesn't exist sometimes, because some of the worst ass whoopings I've ever gotten were from lower belts tbh.
The definition of what is a “fake” black belt is evolving, the more black belts given out. At first, your lineage vouched for your legitimacy. Today, you cannot count 100% on lineage.
SCHOOL small word many definitions. In the education system there is a promotion scale, there isn't any "ill promote you when I'm ready".its simple you go through each level show dedication and progress and get promoted. i have been a BJJ student 8 months now, but in the Martial Arts for 29yrs(53 yrs young). what this leave is a window open for politics of, I don't like you, your showing a lot of progress to fast, damn it he or she might get better them me(instructor), so I'm going to make it difficult for them get promoted or make you wait for a super long time (instuctor on the down low). I'm on this ride for a long time so ill except the system(have no choice) and just keep enjoying it.
I went to jiu jitsu. Today after being sick and i knew there was a stripe promotion 2 days before and i got a fever so i couldent go on that day i feel i earned a stripe as i can submit all my peers and they got stripes and when i showed up today i didnt get a stripe. Is this just because i didnt show up or have i some how not earned it
I finally quit after 8 years +. Alway’s the finger injury’s so annoying. I really hated the gi for that reason. You are better of just grappling no gi and save your fingers. Especially if you play instruments like guitar. With this sport you are alway’s on the way to the next injury. It Just a matter of time. I have seen many injury’s during my time on the mat. The reality is, over time BJJ wears down your body.
@@KamaJiuJitsu thanks for the link, i did this to prevent injury. In the beginning i was holding the grip to strong but as i progressed i let go. The problem is with rolling your hand can still be trapped in the gi. In my case my opponent did an explosive sweep and he landed with his body on my hand. Thumb overstretched. That was it it for me. Now i just go boxing, muay Thai and nogi rolling 💪🏼
That's why judo has more color belts. Dont make the jumps so big there are more colors in the world. There's a reason why the school system has 12+ grades. The fact that there are purple belts that can beat black belts in the same weight class seems to me like they're not getting promoted objectively. Sorry but I think out of all the belt systems the bjj system is the shittiest. Very poorly thought of
@@KamaJiuJitsu I AM over 40 and don't have time to do both. I figured the no-gi is more MMA style and I like it better and it has more wrestling elements. I agree doing both makes you better but at my age I had to pick one.. plus my gym is more of a MMA style gym.
Im not quitting just because of not getting promoted. Im gonna quit going to promo nights😂. You want me to have the belt? Mail it to me 😂. I say that because Id take off work, skip school or neglect other responsibilities for the excitement of being promoted only to be overlooked. Fool me once shame on shame on you, fool me twice can't get fooled again - Bush W
I trained for 2,5 years now, 3-5 times a week, many times twice a day. Did 4 competitions and took only 2 weeks off because of injury and im still a fucking white belt. People are getting promoted who started a year later than me. Im so tired of this sport and trying to keep a good attitude. So tell me what is so fucking fun about bjj??!
i dunno, man. GM Relson gave me by blue belt in less than a year. Like 6 months or something like that. sounds to me like you're expecting it, which is probably your problem. maybe your professor sees that, as well? perhaps the envy you see for others who are getting promoted before you has made your attitude turn sour? something is amiss. chances are, if you stop looking outward and look inward instead, you'll find your answer.
i agree with so much of this besides one main thing: "if your a 9 year brown and getting beat up by a 2 year blue belt, someones belted incorrectly" maybe this comes from my judo philosophical background, but its not just how well you fight that gets you rank... in judo, theres 3 eventual paths, tournament, understanding (usually in the form of kata or demonstration), and teaching (eventual mix of both of the previous), ive got a 35 year old brown belt (judo rank) thats been training for about.... 3 years.. the amount of work that hes been putting in, training 5 days a week... has been insane. he has a great (not perfect) working knowledge of all the techniques. he knows all of the techniques and how they work and in drilling does everything just fine. hes teaching the kids class and i have full confidence in him doing so. but when he fights, he gets beat UP. not for lack of trying. hes not very strong, hes not very fast, and hes not big.. judging him only by how well he rolls against people 15 years younger than him, while hes a father of 3 with a full time job and STILL trains 5 days a week.... i dont think its right to just judge rolling ability.. thats something ive found in my years of doing this is the biggest difference between judo and jiujitsu: juDO is way, while juJUTSU (jiujitsu) is the style or art... i love BJJ and train it twice a week while i also do judo twice a week, im blue in bjj and nidan (2nd degree black) in freestyle judo.. so dont take that to mean i disrespect jiujitsu, it just seems so much more discouraging for people who arent already in shape when they start. some people, this IS the only way they are trying to get in shape.. and i find it aweful to not recognize the work thats been put in, even if it doesnt exactly equate to rolling. (disclaimer: my brown belt has gotten MUCH better at rolling, he will, as hes accepted, just never be great at rolling. we want to make him the best roller he can be, but its the time that he started and the ability set he came in with [coordination] that makes his life twice as difficult.)
My teams standards aren't unreasonable. It's expensive hobby. It takes time. It takes dedication. It's sacrificed time with friends and family. I completely understand but if I'm not able to meet the standards I'll be white belt my whole god given life. For anyone that asks *how?!* Or says *you just suck* or *you just haven't put the time in* I been at it 2 times a week since mid 2018 .. do the math and it's not hard to understand why I'm not where I *should be* it's about what you put in and what you get out of it. After a belt is given (or stripes) it's short applause.. then amazingly enough .. nobody cares and you're back to it. *Mind blown*
There’s a fine line between business and expectations... I could see people quitting because they’re not getting a fabricated result they wanted , but at the same your business should do its best to keep good students. Sorry, I briefly heard you say that sometimes you “forget” to recognize students with stripes or promotions and for guys who are fully committed and taking it seriously it could be bad for your business. Maybe it’s a way to weed out people you don’t like in your gym but you can also easily have a good, hardworking enthusiast walk out the door and take some other students with him. How’s that for business? Like I said, it’s a fine line but going out of your way to communicate to students will only help your business and program.
Funny you mention that. I just had one who I awarded two stripes to on his blue belt. He travels a lot, and is not in my class all that often. But he comes to the morning classes. After having seen him pretty frequently of late, I’ve noticed his progress. If the stripes were that important to him, he would have walked out long ago. The first stripe ever put on master Dave’s belt by grandmaster Rickson was when he received his 5th degree last year. Keep in mind, master Dave received his black belt from grandmaster RICKSON in 1996 and is one of the dirty dozen members. And yet, Dave has been a continuous student of RICKSON’s since 1989. We recently had a person leave our school because master Dave would not give him the purple belt. He left, went to another Academy across town, and immediately received his purple belt. Good for him. That’s what he wanted, that’s what he got. He just messaged me recently frustrated because we’re moving to down the street from his house. Hopefully, he truly is happy where he is at, because if he came back, he’d be a blue belt just like he was when he left. You saying that we could lose business because of a temporary oversight on the stripes on a belt, tells me you know nothing about us. Like I said, if your rank is that important to you, go somewhere else and buy it. Respectfully speaking, of course. Thank you for watching our channel!
Kama Jiu-Jitsu yes sir... just offering perspective, so I hope I didn’t come off in a disrespectful way. I appreciate your content and insight so I’ll always tune in. Thank you sir! Much respect to you for all you do
I’m a brown belt in karate and recently started doing BJJ and the one thing I can honestly say to my coach and professor after training for a bit is PLS don’t promote me for a long time. I just wanna train and learn as much as I can.
I’m a Gracie jiu jitsu blue belt I’ve been training 2 years but 4 months as blue belt then I went to a judo school they let me train with the competitive team and keep wearing my blue and I freshen up my ground game with Brazilian top team Canada they let me wear my blue belt there too and I like going toe to toe with wrestlers and see if I can stay standing and if I can throw them using judo I think I’ll be a blue belt for a while
10 years for a black belt. The belts count time and money it is a business that you are paying for. There no system with out students beside you could become a doctor in that time.
My first judo instructor once told me, "Belt colors just indicate to the black belts how hard they are allowed to throw you." :)
Being a white belt is cool because you have no pressure and the colored belts go easy on you if your nice
However, its pure war with the other white belts as many go nuts in rolling
My record is about 1 tap for every 10 I get lol. oh well. I am damn trying. People go nice on me because i am super nice and skinny looking
@@quasar4601Lmao so true
if so, why you are suppose to pay for higher belts (not in bjj, in other arts)
I started caring about belts when I saw guys getting promoted that I could consistently submit. As much I wanted it not to affect me, it did. If no one was promoted, I wouldn't mind being white belt forever. You can never tell in no-gi anyway
Same thing happened to me..I was training 6 days a week even taking the advanced class..I was making other higher ranked students tap and had other guys move up in rank before me..it was aggrevating. At least getting a stripe would have made me feel like I accomplished something.
Same man. I never gave a fuck about belts or anything until my gym did the first rank up, which I had finals in school so I missed class, had no idea testing took place, and ultimately missed the rank up ceremony. At 140lbs, I'm one of the smallest guys in my gym and go with people 30-80 lbs bigger. I wound up with 3 stripes, along with a dozen other people who started training 9 months after me who I've been subbing and helping all along, and watched him promote bigger people that I sub to 4 stripes and blue. I took it personally and have been thinking about leaving the gym since
@@ryancrules623 did you leave your gym?
@@qstogg7955 I did, my old instructor was not a good coach
@@ryancrules623 hope the new one was a better fit. Mine sure is.
I never hear from blue belts themselves on why they quit but I always see black belts giving the reason. I would like to hear from former blue belts themselves if they are out there.
Just something I heard, though. Met a blue belt who had to effectively quit due to work obligations getting heavier, though his case was more tragic as its more of he had to support his family and take a second job, taking all the time he has left to even go to a BJJ gym. He still wants to come back, though he credits BJJ for helping him de-escalate a self-defense situation, putting his assailant on the ground with a cross-mount, forcing him to calm down. He didn't have to hurt him to get him to stop, unless you count a take down.
Blue belt here.
I quit because, after working my ass off going to training 5-6x a week for 2 years, and then finally getting my promotion, saw the others who only came 1x a week and didn’t really put any effort into training getting promoted right alongside me.
These weren’t prodigies, but people who couldn’t hold their own on the mat. Just there for the fun of it.
It was clear that belt promotion wasn’t based on tangible things, but on who the professor likes or doesn’t like.
Why would anyone want to be in a place like that?
Blue belt here, recently decided to part ways with jiu jitsu. Maybe permanently, maybe not. I trained consistently (2-3x/week) for about 4.5 years, got my blue belt after 2 of those years. About six months back I realized I had met all of my personal goals (learn self defense, get in good shape, learn to deal with claustrophobia). I definitely started to enjoy it enough that I thought I might stick to it and eventually get my black belt.
I had to be honest with myself, my primary motivation is related to performance; I like to perform well and reap the rewards of performing well. It has helped make me very successful in life as I get things done -- very quickly and with high quality -- both professionally and personally, and if I don't see the benefit I move onto things that provide those benefits/rewards. You see where this is going. After getting my blue belt I suffered as all blue belts do, going to class and getting demolished by the upper belts who no longer held back and sometimes even getting bested by the hungry four-stripe white belts. And I watched as many of my peers who got their blue belt the same time I did get their first stripe a year later, and I waited and waited for 2.5 years wondering what else I needed to do to reap that reward. It never came, and it was made clear that students should not ask about it. I started to get the sense that I had peaked, gotten as far in this martial art as I possibly could. Having met my personal goals and not seeing any path forward, I lost all motivation. I stopped going for a few weeks and found it much more enjoyable to spend time with my wife or my friends in the evenings, or even just practicing guitar. I ended my membership last month and have learned two new songs on guitar and just today earned my Red Cross First Aid instructor certification. Not that difficult but I wouldn't have done it if jiu jitsu was still in the picture. Ultimately, I no longer saw the point in getting my ass kicked night after night in a futile attempt to earn the validation of those who would never give it.
I don't fault the philosophy/culture of jiu jitsu for this. It's just a misalignment. I'm achievement motivated and the culture doesn't seem to be designed for people like me, at least not openly. Maybe one day I'll go back -- more likely to happen if the requirements for advancement are made explicitly clear.
@@blahblah2779, I'm seeing similar things at my jiujitsu gym. I get no recognition for coming in 3-5 days a week, and beating higher belts often, vs. people coming in 1-2 days a week, and me beating them easily.
When you are a black belt you can say it doesn’t matter. You made it. At a higher belt if BJJ is your passion, it can now become something you may be able to monetize and open your own gym or validity if you want to start a training company etc.
If all that is your goal, certainly. It certainly wasn’t my goal. Just happened this way.
To break the monotony of "belts don't matter" posts, the belt is a mental trap for a few reasons:
1) The black belt gets the most respect in the school, and rightfully so. Thus everyone aspires to reach said black belt's level, even if they know the odds are stacked against them.
2) Wearing a white belt publicly brands you as a guy who's generally clueless about bjj, and while it is true, people still aspire to leave said status as quickly as possible.
2a) other martial arts promote crazy fast, so people you know ask the "you're still a white belt?!" question. While this shouldn't be important, it can be annoying answering that question.
3) Helio's definition of a blue belt (blue belt = being able to control and submit any untrained opponent regardless of size) is a status that many white belts desire. It's probably the reason a lot of guys quit at blue belt, because that is enough for them.
4) Measuring up against peers. It can be an awful feeling watching someone start after you and pass you up and rank.
Also I'll say there is a lot of virtue signaling when it comes to this topic. "Belts don't matter" I think is one of the bigger fallacies in BJJ. If people in a given school get promoted, and others do not when they feel like they were at the same level then resentment one way or another will build.
People will try their best to chant "belts don't matter" to themselves, but at some point some of them (probably a lot more than will let on publicly) will eventually let the rank system consume them if left out of sync with the instructor for too long.
Sorry for the long winded post, but as a white belt entering the end of my first year, these are observations I've made (and admittedly experienced).
Your reply is spot on and very reflective as a white belt. Rank does matter as the belt demonstrates experience, dedication and hard work. Anyone that's serious about BJJ aspires to earn the black belt - that's reality. Having said that - I think it's important to concentrate on improving every day in the gym - you want to be better walking out of class then you were walking in. I'm a purple belt and I love my rank but I do want to earn my brown belt. While I'm training I don't think about my rank - I'm there to fix my weaknesses and validate my strengths. However outside the gym, I do think about being a brown belt and I'm actually looking forward to earning that next rank. It doesn't affect my day to day training however I do want to be a black belt so I think about my long term strategy (how any tournaments I will enter, diet, outside cardio) to get to that next level
The belt doesn't matter. The belt AND skill matter. Imagine wearing a brown belt with 2 stripe white belt skills. Cringe.
Well said.
@@lukerobinson9646 aka Ashton Kutcher
7:09 - So… as an adult, everything you’re saying makes total sense.
But I’m also a dad and you can TELL your kid that belts and stripes don’t matter until you’re blue in the face, but kids get discouraged easier and most of them DO need the positive reinforcement that comes with belt and stripe promotion to reassure them that they’re not wasting their time.
Once we reach our OWN black belt, we start to mentally relax and focus on honing our technique and from that point onward, the stripes really don’t matter nearly as much and we’re sure as heck not thinking too much about that coveted red belt because we know that’s EONS away from where we are.
When you’re anything below a black belt, however, you’re working towards at LEAST that particular goal. My friend has been a purple belt for over three years now and just recently obtained her brown belt and we were all just so incredibly happy for her. Belt promotions will always matter regardless of how many times you or I say otherwise.
Have to agree to disagree here. I’ve taught many kids (including my own who are now both grown), and the belt “candy” only matters when you MAKE it matter. Here’s a little more “color” to my point… let’s say you LOVE ice cream (as I do), what makes the ice cream more valuable, having it more often or less often? Human nature is such that more instances of reward (monthly in most BJJ schools) makes the reward an EXPECTATION, not something that is EARNED.
Anyway, you make great points. Thank you!
facebook.com/reel/3227958674088075?fs=e&s=cl
@@KamaJiuJitsu - I don't disagree with that at all, actually... and on average at my son's BJJ school, it takes between 3-4 months between stripes, so my son gets his proverbial "ice cream" between 3-4 times a year.
I, myself, personally don't put emphasis on belts and stripes, but the kids look to each other and they look at their belts and they assess from there how hard they're expected to go. My son's at a point now where if they pair him up with a white belt, he is expected to HELP the white belt apply holds and execute maneuvers; NOT to try and beat the white belt.
I can't speak for others' kids, but I raised my kid to WANT to help his peers when he can and when he's paired up against someone of equal or mostly equal rank, he can use those opportunities for more competitive sparring to try to improve his own technique.
I would absolutely never presume to dictate to you how you should run your school as far as belt promotions go, but for where we are presently, I feel that they issue "ice cream" just often enough to keep them motivated, but not so often as to take away the thrill of that next cone.
Cheers. :)
Disagree . At 64 doing this for the sake of me. Too old to be chasing belts let alone Black. Leave that to others.
I got over looked a few months ago still a 4 stripe and still able to tap the guys who got promoted not ever quitting jus gonna make colors look bad until someone opens their eyes
I enjoyed every single second of my white belt. It took a very solid 2 years. I do feel the pressure of the new belt but confident of where I am in my journey🤘🏽
Nice man yeah white to blue is a tough change in a 2 stripe white at just over 2 years of training
same
If you worry about belts, one of worst things is moving and changing schools, that happened to me, in my case 2.5 years of moving and training but never promoted, unfortunately they require time with them only
My schools code of conduct plainly states: "Don't ask to be tested, ranked, graded or promoted". I think it's a great policy. I dont train for belts or stripes, I train for fitness and self defense. That is just me, everyone is different but Professor Ryan I agree with you completely.
Money scheme more like
@mralex070 lol he’s probably a blue now and so are you I’m guessing xD. I’m a 2 stripe white after a bit over 2 years.
@@gsuavebjj3856 thats quite a bit long, don´t you think? i mean, i think it was rickson gracie that said: an adequate time to get your black belt is about 7 years. sure it depends on the person and the progress but man.....over 2 yrs for 2 stripes? i bet you tap blue or purple belts by now sometimes. thats too long bro!
I often thought of quitting. But not because of a belt in itself, more that I wasn't getting to a blue belt level after several years. I changed schools and I feel I've been making more progress, maybe the teaching style fits me better. But damn it's difficult, I have absolutely no natural talent, quite the opposite, I just grind and grind and barely see progress. I see a lot of guys come in, and within six months, they catch up with me and it can be a bit disheartening at times.
Also I've got injured a few times, including one that required knee surgery...
Hoping maybe another year and I can get to a blue belt level. But I certainly won't fault my instructor or school for not giving me a blue belt, since my current level means that I don't deserve it yet... Lately I've been able to pull a few decent escapes and sweeps, even a couple submissions here and there
I'm sticking around because of the community, the gratification I do get for slowly overcoming something I have such little talent at, and it's good exercise too. But damn it's disheartening sometimes ... :-(
Do you have fun training?
You need to.
Here’s a parallel environment you can ponder...
Golf.
Most suck. Few are good. It’s ALWAYS costly.
And yet, people still do it.
And do it.
Why?
Because they have a great time challenging themselves, challenging partners, and hanging out at the 19th hole.
all these people saying they don't care about belts... come on.... it's fun to be promoted.... and it makes you feel good.
you're totally right. if you never expect it, it always feels good when it happens. it's a mental trick one needs to learn how to play on oneself.
OTOH, if you're always thinking about it, you're disappointed that you didn't get it "by now," and when you do finally get it, you're "pissed off it took so long."
@@KamaJiuJitsu lol, yeah, you cant be thinking about it... but sometimes it's hard not to..... especially if you have been really committed. It gets easier the higher you get... but man... at first, you just don't wanna be the white belt anymore, lol.
nothing wrong with being a white belt. we've all been there, and it's an essential step in the process. like i tell my kids, "don't rush so much to be a grownup. once youi're a grownup, you'll often wish you could go back to being a kid again."
with jiu-jitsu, you can always "go back," so to speak, by taking on a beginner's mindset. the problem comes when you've developed so many bad habits by constantly trying to be like the upper belts, that you have a much harder time trying to do things right once you've ingrained the wrong stuff.
anyway, thanks for the comments!
@@KamaJiuJitsu yep... preciate it bother.
The mats ultimately tell you what belt you are
The technique tell us wich belt someone has, of corse u need the mat to show the technique but at the end of the day the mat of the belt is not always needed, last time i checked belts or mats dont stop bullets.
You are correct....but it takes WAY too long to get promoted in BJJ even if your lower belt that can steadily stomp upper belts. it a money scheme. Period.
The Matts tell you who better but most likely the belt color being black has more opportunities to be get paid and recognized for there Jiu jitsu in the way of a school and lifestyle its a business period first to make money and second to teach or maybe that's third forgot about tournaments
@@jeremywilliams9363 How often do upper belts get destroyed by lower belts though?
@@jeremywilliams9363 how is it a money scheme because if they wanted you to stay and keep giving them money they promote you and make you feel good
Great advice, I'm a white belt after 14 years lol (consistency problem) whereas my friend who started at the same time is now a black belt, belt colours don't matter, it's your level of commitment, competency and enjoyment within this awesome, brutal and demoralizing sport/way of life. Thank you for your vid pal. Cool guy
i feel that consistency problem. balancing work and just martial arts in general is already a challenge and just committing is already a goal enough in itself. with the attitude you have one day you'll ascend my friend :)
@@lightning2034 👍🏻 got my blue belt 3 months ago 😁
@@xpansionteam1537 congratulations! 😃👍
if you quit for the belt...you started for the wrong reason in the first place
Wrong. Not when BJJ takes 12 years per belt.... Money scheme more like.
@@jeremywilliams9363 honesty no man there are great levels of knowledge between people who rolled for years compared to people who haven't so no my dude lol
@Justin Butcher wrong againI've seen people going to BJJ schools with solid Jiu-Jitsu backgrounds have to start over at white belt and stay there for a way longer than they should. You are bullshit on that
@@jeremywilliams9363 all your belt does is hold your gi together
Jeremy Williams You obviously train for the wrong reasons. I would be happy to stay white belt to the end if I was learning and working out!
i've been a blue belt for 12 years. i never show up during promotions, but i was forced to, which is why I'm not still a white belt.
Prof. Ryan you explain things straight up .....much respect . Aloha 🤙
And it’s much easier for a black belt that has been for awhile to sit and talk about how stripes aren’t important
i´m a black belt in jiu jitsu (not bjj) and i he has a good point if you really think about it. but you´re right, it´s easy to say when you have a high rank. honestly, i work my ass off to get away from my white belt 25 years ago. 😂
I agree with Ryan...for the most part. As highlighted, belts are there to show others your level of understanding and to give validation. Validation is vitally important to people and to those who say "it's not!" Are wrong, for example. Have you ever put a lot of effort when making a meal for someone and then asked whether it's good? This is validation at a basic level. To get the response of "no" or "it's a taboo subject to ask," when the meal was in fact, very nice would be regarded as rude. However, in Jiu Jitsu this is essentially what is going on all the time and it creates an environment of disillusionment. In my opinion discussing promotion should be open and never seen as taboo and instructors must keep on top of their students (clients) development by giving them feedback and validation as soon as it's deserved. That's not to say promotion should come easy, but when a student has worked hard and met the necessary criteria for a tag or belt set out by an instructor, the instructor should promptly recognise this undertaking and by not doing so is a failing on their part.
if someone has skills, they have skills.
I am not a BJJ practitioner, or of any MA, so my question is naive, but here goes:
Is there really no objective syllabus to learn for each belt, which is transparent and can be objectively tested?
@@threethrushes to answer your question: yes there are. i´m a black belt in jiu-jitsu (not bjj) an there are a amount of techniques for each belt you have to know. and ther can and will be testet for each promotion. in jiu-jitsu there is a program for each belt you have to study and it adds up from belt to belt. when you reach your brown belt that means you have mastered the basic techniques you have learned so far. when you reach black belt then the journey really start.
@@killroy2014 Thanks; I'm still not into BJJ/MMA, but still, interesting, thanks.
I totally disagree that most people quit because of belt promotion. I think the most common reasons for people quitting are, injury, finances, and schedule. I think what can be most frustrating is lack of improvement, even with consistant training, but not delayed belt promotion, not so much in this day and age.
Who said ...”most people quit because of belt promotion?”
Not me.
Totally agree, injuries has been my greatest hardship. I feel better tapping out somebody with a higher belt than the other way around. Most students know the pecking order but I would never quit for being underbelted.
This video was "part 5".
"There are two kinds of people in the the world. Those that can extrapolate from an incomplete set of data."
Good grief people! How much flack can you get for one comment. Just drop it already
😂 tell that to the one who made the original comment.
So true with the over belting/under belting. Such a good feeling when you can show your heart rather than what your belt says. Took me two and a half years to get my blue belt and I wore it as a badge of honor when a higher belt would ask me how long I've been training after a good roll! Love the vids man! Aloha from Oahu!
Nice dude purple yet?
I actually get apprehensive whenever I get a stripe on my belt (currently white belt) because I feel pressured to be able to submit lower ranking students. Sometimes I struggle to submit these lower ranking students if they're larger and/or younger than me.
At the same time I feel a sense of accomplishment if I can hold my own against a higher ranking opponent.
So as far as I'm concerned, I don't care if I don't get officially promoted as long as I'm improving in terms of skill.
One thing I hate the most is going through a formal test to earn rank. I get nervous about that.
And this is one of the biggest problems with BJJ. Everyone has a different system. There’s the IBJJ system but schools vary in how they apply it.
The reason egos from instructors really.
My old BJJ dojo used to do belt promotions solely off of time and it really ticked me off since I was easily beating people 4-6 stripes/promotions above me and I was quickly learning new techniques but still remaining 4-6 stripes/promotions below. I do understand that time and discipline are also important factors but it was really ticking me off that I was much better than the belt I was at
Tell your professor you’re gonna wear the belt YOU feel is correct, then.
i got to a point where i just didn't want to be a white belt anymore. I'm a blue and I'm not worried about anymore
As with anything, perseverance is key. Focus on the skills and the belts will come...if you are tearing people up...others will notice.
I agree. I like that you said that its better to be underbelted than overbelted. I love that. I also heard another professor say that you should make sure you're able to carry the weight of the belt you have on with consistency. Great video. I'm not going to think about the belt promotions anymore. im just going to get as good as I can. What's in my control.
That’s an awesome mindset! Happy training!
Underbelted just shows you that your instructor does not like you. Especially when unskilled people get promted above you
Thanks
😂
Maybe for the school YOU run.
Some people look at it like an academy taking advantage and stringing them along. Paying years worth of monthly fees just to be kept on a belt. If they’ve done the classes, and hitting the goals. And unless they’ve been told otherwise and given coaching, they should be promoted. It’s also a business.
I was happy to get my blue belt because people would know how to roll with me. Nothing worse than rolling with new white belts who don't understand that you're probably going to tie them in knots, or rolling with blue belts who refuse to tap to a white belt out of pride. Also, the purple belts take you under their wings once you get a color belt, which was nice. But I really don't care if I ever get another belt because there are some blue belts at my school who are truly amazing and the graduation to purple is sort of a function of time and unconscious internalization of the moves that will come with repetition. Purple belts and older blue belts can have the same technical knowledge, they just flow better.
I have reentered BJJ after being out of it for 18 years and train at 2 schools due to my job location and knowing both instructors back in the day. I left off 18 years ago as a soft purple belt and the instructor at one school said I cannot be demoted. The other school has me starting off as a white belt. I will tell you, the pressure is extreme wearing the purple belt as I feel like a target but the pressure is on me also to train harder to get to that level. I feel we all know the pecking order at the school and to me belts are irrelevant. Some schools will have 8 year blue belts and at other one would be brown. We train to get better and being focused on belt colors to me is nonsense.
White belt lol. You would be a blue belt for sure lol.
i do no-gi only but we know who the White belts are .. ME !! lol. Had to roll with a black belt that was twice my size but he always goes super easy on me because he knows his skill and strength
@@quasar4601 , but some schools want you to be within their standards as some schools don't teach techniques as well.
Robert Hardebeck There is a history of belts an it’s seems as every art uses them to some degree. If most feel that it’s not necessary then don’t have them. If they use them they should adhere to the system established in that arts community. If your entering a school they should let people know what the expectations are so there are no confusions or loss of time.
A year later and this is such a great video. God bless from Glenn Heights.
Thank you
Very good points. I would only say I like attendance. Not that I think people should get promoted after X number of classes. It allows the instructors ( who have a lot to keep track of) to know where the average student is. It’s easy to keep track of the “ naturals”. The average practitioner can easily become a face among many faces at a big gym.
I appreciate this. There's no doubt that there is a nag in the back of the head that says "But i've been doing this 2 years and I'm doing really well....why don't I have my blue belt?" but then I just think that I'm 41 and i have a long long long way ahead of me. So i just buckle down and look forward to the next class.
Every thing that you said in this video are 100% accurate.
This is great advice. "forgetting' to give stripes is understandable for the most part but in some cases it should not be overlooked. For example some schools have very limited class selections before 2 stripe white belt. When a person picks up their second stripe an assortment of other classes times and days open up to them. For this reason I feel the stripe should not be forgot....especially seeing as everyone pays the same monthly fee but does not have access to the same classes until 2 stripe.
Everyone has access to all our classes. But yes to your point, if stripes and promotions open up class options, promoting people is important.
I gave up on rank after around 10-11 years as blue belt. As long as I could go into most schools and tap their purple and sometimes their browns I was ok. Then I got purple. lol Its hard to explain to the new people that typically a black belt in BJJ takes 10-13 years and I'm saying this as an 18 year purple belt. It only bothers me when some black belts act like they are superior and know more and I have been doing BJJ a lot longer than them. Everyone I started training with is now black or 1 stripe black belts.
there is absolutely no reason... at all... that you have been a blue belt for 10 to 11 years and you are able to tap browns and purples.... unless, you have been skipping around schools or you don't train consistently... that's it. there's no reason.
Daniel, 100% agreed. People say I’ve done so and so for x amount of years, thinking it says a lot. I personally don’t care about the years. How many times a week did you go during those 10 years? A person going 4 times a week for 10 years is going to be in a completely different league than someone going 1 time per week for 10 years.
@@Daniel-yo5es you would be surprised at how many schools purposely sandbag students.
A lot of non ibjjf places are slow to belt. Mine bases on time out in and skill...I know of purple belts who've been purple for 9 years. In the end, if you're going for belts, join Tae Kwon Do... you'll be black in 2 years.....
Yeah black belt in TKD and your kicks could only stop a crippled guy lol
I didn't want to be the one to say it, but that's exactly what I was thinking while I was watching this video. :)~
i actually know a couple black belts in TKD who would beat the crap out of a lot of jiu-jitsu guys...
@@KamaJiuJitsu YES some people with amazing flexability and reflexes can really excel in TKD and those spinning high kicks are deadly. However, most people ( including me) just suck at flexability and have average quickness so I think Muay Thai is better for the average person to learn
TKD is just amazing art to look at through.. One you need to start very young . I think BJJ guard game is easier to learn than those flashy kicks..
in tkd I never worried about belt and would go for the promotion when I felt I was ready, though my instructor told me I was ready, inside I felt I wasn't as there were a few kicks that I couldn't master so I held back until I got those kicks solid.
I think belts are as important as the practice of Jiu-jitsu itself.
Been training for 5 years on and off due to life and injuries. Thousands of classes.
No blue belt.
Thinking about quitting this month.
Thousands of classes while training “off and on over 5 years”?
You do know 5 years only has 1,825 days in total, right?
Unless you train multiple classes per day when you’re on…
I think everyone goes through a phase where they care about rank, belts, etc. Then they eventually get to a point where they realize that, yes, it matters, but, no, it doesn't really matter. It just is what it is.
this 100%
True. You just are a blue belt when you get there. No certain time, no criteria no moves. Once you're a blue belt that's when you get it. Same with any other belt.
I have learned a lot from you although you do not show any techniques! Thank you for spreading knowledge...
I’m my opinion, If belts don’t matter to you because you’re a black belt, just get rid of them or don’t use them. Don’t know how many students you have but an adult and two students is a good monthly income. You should’ve just recognized their improvement and save them. Or at least give them a target to look to.
There's something missing here: 1. Athletic ability and natural talent. 2. Flexibility. 3. Strength. 4. Cardio vascular fitness.
All defense styles promise ability with practice, but there's more to it than that.
1. Athletic ability and natural talent: Some people are just naturally good athletes, or they start Jiu Jitsu with great experience in other sports. Practicing other sports will help A LOT.
2. Flexibility. Jiu Jitsu requires a lot of flexibility. Taking flexibility classes outside of Jiu Jitsu will help a lot.
3. Strength. Jiu Jitsu loves to claim that it's all about leverage and you don't need to be strong. That's bullshit. Even yellow belt requires you to throw a grown man (or woman) over your shoulder, many of whom could weight 40 pounds more than you do. Full body weight lifting twice a week is incredibly useful for building that strength you need.
4. Cardio vascular fitness. Self defence courses of all kinds are just exhausting. Running (or jogging) 3km, 5km most days (and aiming for 10km some days) will give you great longevity in the Dojo. This is unbelievably useful (and should probably be number 1 on my list)!
Jiu Jitsu, and all defence styles, are full body. It's *not* just about practice and technique.
That's interesting what you said about the age thing. I don't see any kids over orange where i train. At most, you'll see a green, but beyond that, mostly teens to adults. Also, i think kids need that reward feeling. It's rough, but lots of kids i've seen drop training because being a blue belt for half a year is discouraging. Kids seem harder to keep when things take too long. Also, they might lack motivation. Especially when it comes to losing.
I've been doing NoGi for years and have only been doing Gi for a few months. Im a no stripe white that can hang with purples... So for me its just about getting better and enjoying BJJ. Im not gonna be a BB till Im old as fuck and thats ok :D
Blue belt here. If I don't get stripes or purple belt within the next two years will be because of my short attention span, and because I often skip classes due to injuries.
IS 8 hours a week to much for an over 40 year old white level with only 6 months exp
@@quasar4601 Train as much as you want. But listen to your body... If you wake up and feel like you have been hit by a truck. Take that day off. I've seen guys in their late 40's give young guns with some moves a nightmare roll on the mats. It's all about learning proper technique and staying consistent. Also, use leverage not strength. That will save your body for more training.
@@Severen45 YES, I get trained by UFC guys here !!!! So they like no-gi with taking punches into account. We dont have belts but I am going to give myself a symbolic blue belt in dec of 2020 , By then I should have several hundred hours of mat time.
I will never grant myself a purple lol..
Thanks for posting
I quit bjj because my teacher wasn't teaching me. It's as simple as that
I would quit too, if I thought that.
Wait, I DID do that.
But alas, I was mistaken.
But he did a bad job of telling me what his/my goals were.
Thank you for admitting that you just forget haha! This has always been my suspicion.
Yes, I watched the video. Im not trying to argue, just an observation.
I would hate to have this guy as my Bjj coach
Did promotions today in a class of white belts all 3 stripes all started about the same time. I got a fourth stripe and though ok cool and 2 of the other white belts got promoted straight to blue belt. I was in dismay especially when one of the other teammates I considered not exactly on my level never subs me and consistently sub him and neither has he competed in competition yet I have and won a medal. I’m feeling a little pissed off about that and considering the gym I go to is more expensive then other gyms in local area and have less days and time flexibility my loyalty to the instructor and gym is now being questioned to myself and I am asking myself maybe it’s better just to do what’s best for me and train somewhere else.
Always do what’s best for you. But don’t worry about not getting the blue at this point.
@@KamaJiuJitsu thank you for the advice
Bro this JUST happened to me, like 2 weeks ago. How did it all play out for you? I'm dying to know. I just want to hear something from someone who isnt going to give me the cheesy “belts don't matter” platitude.
Jump ship, bro.
What’s happening to you is the equivalent of someone who works double shifts, voluntarily comes on their day off to help, to only watch the lazy mofos who clock out the moment 5pm hits become their supervisor.
Your boss is clearly telling you that your effort and commitment means 💩 to them.
I love the videos! The content is great!
I guess that student "forgot" your monthly fee's too lol
Promotions are a part of your job to give out fairly as an instructor and it's not something you should forget.
I’ve never “given” a promotion. Students earn them. I’m just giving them what they earn.
Sometimes I’m late in “paying,” I’m sad to say...
But I’m always good for it!
@@KamaJiuJitsu Ok, I re-read what I had wrote and see that it came off a little aggressive, but my point does still stand. I'm sure you're always good for it and that's great to hear. Just always try to stay on top of it because those first few promotions really mean the world to newbies :)
Keep up the great work.
i'll keep it in mind. thanks.
The belt factory model is stupid and does nothing for our kids. You are right Coach! It's about enjoying the process not the reward. Once you get the reward, then what, the journey is over?
Dosent Gracie Barra promote based on class attendance currently?
Ive heard a pretty nasty implication that they are.
As a White Belt that is soon to be testing for my Blue, I lately have been just enjoying training. The belt hasn't really been my focus for a long time. It's nice and I look forward to it, but really getting my Blue will just mean more pressure and I will work harder. But I welcome that, it will make me better at Jiu-Jitsu with all those strong White Belts coming at me daily. My main point is.... Just TRAIN, in the streets nobody gives a damn what piece of dyed cloth you wear around your waist in BJJ... What matters is can you choke them out?
@mralex070 - I can't say I've ever experienced that, but I've generally trained at smaller schools where everyone knows each other for the most part.
I almosy quit jiujitsu, after my professor approached me and told me that I had earned my first stripe, and that he'd be giving me one in three days. Well, two months later, I had no stripe, so I asked his son about the stripe, and I was told that he'd talk to the professor, and two weeks later he gave me a stripe.
I stayed patient, and nearly quit because people keeping their word is very important to me.
Yes, keeping one’s word is always important. Did he 1) forget, 2) lie, or 3) did your skills drop some to warrant him delaying it for a bit longer?
But really, you considered quitting because you didn’t get a piece of tape put on your white belt?!
@@KamaJiuJitsu , I believe that he may have forgotten? I have no way to know. My skill has only gotten better.
I almost quit, because he wasn't keeping his word, a piece of tape means nothing, but their word means a lot to me. Also, about two months in, they had forgotten about the price per month that they were giving me, and kept stating that they weren't charging me enough, then I had a talk with them, and they realized that they had given me a particular price two months prior when I started. So it's not just the stripe, it was also them supposedly forgetting how much they told me verbally they would charge me per month, and then trying to raise that price by hundreds of dollars a few months later. I was contemplating leaving to a different gym, where I'd be more appreciated, and my hard work recognized.
@@KamaJiuJitsu , Regarding my skills. I've only been doing jiujitsu for six months in around a week or so. After a month and a half, I started submitting blue belts, then two months in, I've been beating all the blue belts, and submitting them often, it's a back and forth thing. I've even seen people giving the blue belts tips on how to beat the techniques that I use. I definitely don't beat the purple belts, but I defend well against them, and make them work hard. Seeing that my professor was forgetting about me for two months after telling me that I had earned a stripe, was getting to me, but I decided to be patient. The professor took the entire summer off, as I was working hard all summer, and it made me feel unappreciated. His son is a black belt, but only the professor gives belts and stripes to adults, so even though his son the black belt was watching me get better and probably telling his dad that I needed a stripe, his dad did tell me that I was getting one, and then apparently forgot, or just didn't want to give me one, because he wanted to watch me and make the decision, even though he wasn't coming in to teach or watch. I finally asked his son the black belt that was teaching me the entire summer, about the stripe, and he said that he would talk with his dad, then two weeks later I got a stripe from his dad.
Sorry to keep adding to my comment. When I asked his son (who's been doing jiujitsu for 25 years, and he's 32), I asked him if there was anything that I had done, or should be doing to get the stripe, and his son said no, that I was doing great, so this isn't just my opinion. If I was thinking about leaving that club, and going to another one, knowing that I'd have to start all over, it wasn't about the stripe, for me it was more than that, I still may join a different gym, as I've never done jiujitsu before, and maybe I joined the wrong gym?
Geez, sounds like you may want to find another place?
@@KamaJiuJitsu , I've been looking into another place, I just never wanted to hop around gyms, but it's looking like I'll have to do that. I have three of my five kids enrolled there as well, and now my wife and a fourth child want to attend, so we'll make our decision on leaving soon.
I love to train and if you are going for the belts you may have ego issues. Buy one online and stay at home. Just kidding. On the serious side I find it it’s less stressful to not worry about the next promotion belt because now there’s potential to build false expectations. Enjoy learning and get to enjoy your bjj, it’s all about fun. Time and place humility goes a long way.
I dont want to quit but i keep injuring my neck. I have had two seperate pinched nerves now. Im a blue belt and my wife says i should quit. I really dont want to but i dont know if these injuries are a sign to let go. Any thoughts help. OSS
Also its not just not tapping one was from stack pass drills and the other ya i tried to jump over to escape omoplata but my legs were caught in the air and down on my neck.
I think that the major problem in BJJ is that you're not getting any feedback in most cases. Nobody is telling you what to do next etc., you have to figure out so much yourself. So I don't care about the belt, I just would like to know where I am in my journey...
You’re right
What sort of CRM system do you guys use? What lessons have you learned along the way as a school owner when it comes to customer/student relationship management?
For example, if a parent is asking about a child as to why they haven't been promoted yet, one thought in my mind is perhaps pulling up their record in the CRM system and seeing their attendance as well as performance review during various testing and so on - that way one can manage the expectation with the parent in terms of a child progress. I was just wondering what you guys do for that.
We use ZenPlanner
Enjoy watching your videos
In my daughters bjj school they go white three stripes then grey belt then three stripes etc through yellow orange then green.
i have trained bjj for around 2 and a half years and im still a white belt, for me its seems like my progression is slow and that we only drill new techniques for 10 - 15 min in our classes and then go to the next technique. I dont think we drill the technique enough in our classes. I find it hard to remember every detail of every technique. What should i do??
Get some mats for the house, find a buddy, drill at home.
What about being promoted too fast? Great point about standards being school-specific. It is time-based at my school rather than skill, so even people who go twice per day advance at the same rate as people like me who go 2.5 times/week...with competitors advancing more slowly. Now, I'm a brown belt and strong, aggressive blue belts beat me - it feels very embarrassing and makes me want to quit or train elsewhere, but I really like the community at my current school. Already asked instructor a couple times about slowing my promotion and it was delayed a bit, but I still feel over-belted. Any advice on slowing my promotion to match my skill?
the fact of the matter is, as long as you're at that school, you'll be ranked by the instructor there, regardless if you feel it's correct or not. for a timeline academy, skill is secondary to showing up for class (the assumption being that if you show up, you WILL learn). i know a lot of black belts who SEEM to be over belted. as they are not Master Dave's students, he has no say (and if he doesn't, i certainly don't).
if you go to another academy, you may (or may not) end up wearing another belt, based on their advancement criteria.
so, when you're at your current school, wear the brown, when you're at another school, wear what they tell you to.
treat it as separate and different arts, requiring different belts.
one of my students asked me what belt he should wear when/if he visits his old school. told him to wear his old belt (that they awarded him) there while he's there. don't show his old professor any disrespect by wearing the belt he wears at our studio.
@@KamaJiuJitsu thank you! I like the idea of considering it a different art.
it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?
Yea you know what you should have time cards for precisely that reason so u don’t constantly forget about stripes man recognition is important to ppl man and nobody wants/ should have to remind you about that stuff that’s like asking for money owed to you
Duly noted.
Changing schools a third time and fully plan on spending another year as a four stripe white. Don't care to be honest.
Part of the title said "Im not getting belt promotions! ". The title seemed to imply it.
Reason #5
What about 1234?
Did you even watch the video before you decided to comment?
Ive been a first stripe white belt for year. Want my blue but dont know if im redy
In the 2 sportd I did, you only learn new attack and defences when going up one belt. So if you stay longer then needed on a lower belt. You aren't gone be good on the street. Especially the really low belts.
Isn't that he case with BJJ?
Mostly no.
I'd like to avoid the promotion. I got a purple belt 8 years ago and have hated my experience ever since and I know a brown belt is coming and I'll have to fake smile and accepted it knowing I'd rather die than take another promotion.
I dont want to quit but I suck, objectively suck, but without it I'd probably eat a bullet
If you “objectively suck,” (of course one “objective” is another person’s “subjective”) might I suggest checking out the KJJ Online curriculum on Kajabi?
@@KamaJiuJitsu I hit a wicked lateral drop in a competition class last night and it seems like years of pain lifted off my shoulders.
While I don't like getting passed over for belt promotions, I do realize that politics are a part of every gym. Plus I'd rather be a good blue belt than a shitty purple belt. Imo it's sometimes a curse getting promoted too early. You walk into another gym for open mat and you're a purple belt getting absolutely destroyed by their blue belts, jt kinda fucks with your head a bit. I try to act as if the belt color doesn't exist sometimes, because some of the worst ass whoopings I've ever gotten were from lower belts tbh.
Belts matter, if not then why would anyone care about fake black belts? Or just give everyone a camo belt and never promote.
The definition of what is a “fake” black belt is evolving, the more black belts given out. At first, your lineage vouched for your legitimacy. Today, you cannot count 100% on lineage.
People change gyms for not getting belted. Especially no gi guys
I guess they want the validation. Simply being better than their peers is not enough, it seems.
@@KamaJiuJitsu being better at their peers is only proven between their peers and themselves. The belt I think tells outsides they are better 🧐
Have kids compete... Winning is a better incentive than a stripe on a belt in my opinion.
SCHOOL small word many definitions. In the education system there is a promotion scale, there isn't any "ill promote you when I'm ready".its simple you go through
each level show dedication and progress and get promoted. i have been a BJJ student 8 months now, but in the Martial Arts for 29yrs(53 yrs young).
what this leave is a window open for politics of, I don't like you, your showing a lot of progress to fast, damn it he or she might get better them me(instructor),
so I'm going to make it difficult for them get promoted or make you wait for a super long time (instuctor on the down low). I'm on this ride for a long time so ill except the
system(have no choice) and just keep enjoying it.
You don’t need a belt color. The mats don’t lie
I went to jiu jitsu. Today after being sick and i knew there was a stripe promotion 2 days before and i got a fever so i couldent go on that day i feel i earned a stripe as i can submit all my peers and they got stripes and when i showed up today i didnt get a stripe. Is this just because i didnt show up or have i some how not earned it
Don’t worry about it. It’s just a stupid piece of tape.
I finally quit after 8 years +. Alway’s the finger injury’s so annoying. I really hated the gi for that reason. You are better of just grappling no gi and save your fingers. Especially if you play instruments like guitar. With this sport you are alway’s on the way to the next injury. It Just a matter of time. I have seen many injury’s during my time on the mat. The reality is, over time BJJ wears down your body.
Have you seen this one? ruclips.net/video/QsBGVBSgnik/видео.html
@@KamaJiuJitsu thanks for the link, i did this to prevent injury. In the beginning i was holding the grip to strong but as i progressed i let go. The problem is with rolling your hand can still be trapped in the gi. In my case my opponent did an explosive sweep and he landed with his body on my hand. Thumb overstretched. That was it it for me. Now i just go boxing, muay Thai and nogi rolling 💪🏼
That's why judo has more color belts. Dont make the jumps so big there are more colors in the world. There's a reason why the school system has 12+ grades. The fact that there are purple belts that can beat black belts in the same weight class seems to me like they're not getting promoted objectively. Sorry but I think out of all the belt systems the bjj system is the shittiest. Very poorly thought of
Have you done a video on No gi Black Belts?
What particular about no gi black belts?
You'll be promoted when you're ready.
I think I wont because I only do no-gi and nobody seems to care. We all know who the weakest is and it is usually me lol
The advanced guys tend to go soft on me because they feel sorry and I am very happy lol
Why no gi only? You’re cheating yourself.
@@KamaJiuJitsu I AM over 40 and don't have time to do both. I figured the no-gi is more MMA style and I like it better and it has more wrestling elements. I agree doing both makes you better but at my age I had to pick one.. plus my gym is more of a MMA style gym.
you're only 40?!
whatever works for you.
Im not quitting just because of not getting promoted. Im gonna quit going to promo nights😂. You want me to have the belt? Mail it to me 😂.
I say that because Id take off work, skip school or neglect other responsibilities for the excitement of being promoted only to be overlooked.
Fool me once shame on shame on you, fool me twice can't get fooled again - Bush W
My belt holds up my pants. That is it.
Benjamin B Cool then just wear a white belt forever. Does the same job.
I trained for 2,5 years now, 3-5 times a week, many times twice a day. Did 4 competitions and took only 2 weeks off because of injury and im still a fucking white belt. People are getting promoted who started a year later than me. Im so tired of this sport and trying to keep a good attitude. So tell me what is so fucking fun about bjj??!
i dunno, man. GM Relson gave me by blue belt in less than a year. Like 6 months or something like that.
sounds to me like you're expecting it, which is probably your problem. maybe your professor sees that, as well?
perhaps the envy you see for others who are getting promoted before you has made your attitude turn sour?
something is amiss. chances are, if you stop looking outward and look inward instead, you'll find your answer.
i agree with so much of this besides one main thing: "if your a 9 year brown and getting beat up by a 2 year blue belt, someones belted incorrectly" maybe this comes from my judo philosophical background, but its not just how well you fight that gets you rank... in judo, theres 3 eventual paths, tournament, understanding (usually in the form of kata or demonstration), and teaching (eventual mix of both of the previous), ive got a 35 year old brown belt (judo rank) thats been training for about.... 3 years.. the amount of work that hes been putting in, training 5 days a week... has been insane. he has a great (not perfect) working knowledge of all the techniques. he knows all of the techniques and how they work and in drilling does everything just fine. hes teaching the kids class and i have full confidence in him doing so. but when he fights, he gets beat UP. not for lack of trying. hes not very strong, hes not very fast, and hes not big.. judging him only by how well he rolls against people 15 years younger than him, while hes a father of 3 with a full time job and STILL trains 5 days a week.... i dont think its right to just judge rolling ability.. thats something ive found in my years of doing this is the biggest difference between judo and jiujitsu: juDO is way, while juJUTSU (jiujitsu) is the style or art... i love BJJ and train it twice a week while i also do judo twice a week, im blue in bjj and nidan (2nd degree black) in freestyle judo.. so dont take that to mean i disrespect jiujitsu, it just seems so much more discouraging for people who arent already in shape when they start. some people, this IS the only way they are trying to get in shape.. and i find it aweful to not recognize the work thats been put in, even if it doesnt exactly equate to rolling. (disclaimer: my brown belt has gotten MUCH better at rolling, he will, as hes accepted, just never be great at rolling. we want to make him the best roller he can be, but its the time that he started and the ability set he came in with [coordination] that makes his life twice as difficult.)
My teams standards aren't unreasonable. It's expensive hobby. It takes time. It takes dedication. It's sacrificed time with friends and family. I completely understand but if I'm not able to meet the standards I'll be white belt my whole god given life. For anyone that asks *how?!* Or says *you just suck* or *you just haven't put the time in* I been at it 2 times a week since mid 2018 .. do the math and it's not hard to understand why I'm not where I *should be* it's about what you put in and what you get out of it. After a belt is given (or stripes) it's short applause.. then amazingly enough .. nobody cares and you're back to it. *Mind blown*
There’s a fine line between business and expectations... I could see people quitting because they’re not getting a fabricated result they wanted , but at the same your business should do its best to keep good students.
Sorry, I briefly heard you say that sometimes you “forget” to recognize students with stripes or promotions and for guys who are fully committed and taking it seriously it could be bad for your business. Maybe it’s a way to weed out people you don’t like in your gym but you can also easily have a good, hardworking enthusiast walk out the door and take some other students with him. How’s that for business? Like I said, it’s a fine line but going out of your way to communicate to students will only help your business and program.
Funny you mention that. I just had one who I awarded two stripes to on his blue belt. He travels a lot, and is not in my class all that often. But he comes to the morning classes. After having seen him pretty frequently of late, I’ve noticed his progress. If the stripes were that important to him, he would have walked out long ago.
The first stripe ever put on master Dave’s belt by grandmaster Rickson was when he received his 5th degree last year. Keep in mind, master Dave received his black belt from grandmaster RICKSON in 1996 and is one of the dirty dozen members. And yet, Dave has been a continuous student of RICKSON’s since 1989.
We recently had a person leave our school because master Dave would not give him the purple belt. He left, went to another Academy across town, and immediately received his purple belt. Good for him. That’s what he wanted, that’s what he got. He just messaged me recently frustrated because we’re moving to down the street from his house. Hopefully, he truly is happy where he is at, because if he came back, he’d be a blue belt just like he was when he left.
You saying that we could lose business because of a temporary oversight on the stripes on a belt, tells me you know nothing about us.
Like I said, if your rank is that important to you, go somewhere else and buy it.
Respectfully speaking, of course. Thank you for watching our channel!
Kama Jiu-Jitsu yes sir... just offering perspective, so I hope I didn’t come off in a disrespectful way. I appreciate your content and insight so I’ll always tune in. Thank you sir! Much respect to you for all you do
No disrespect taken. I was just hoping you didn’t take my reply as such, hence the disclaimer at the end.
I think most quit due to huge egos, jobs or kids. Some people actually think they will be amazing after several classes lol
Hence, this one being #5.
I’m a brown belt in karate and recently started doing BJJ and the one thing I can honestly say to my coach and professor after training for a bit is PLS don’t promote me for a long time. I just wanna train and learn as much as I can.
I’m a Gracie jiu jitsu blue belt I’ve been training 2 years but 4 months as blue belt then I went to a judo school they let me train with the competitive team and keep wearing my blue and I freshen up my ground game with Brazilian top team Canada they let me wear my blue belt there too and I like going toe to toe with wrestlers and see if I can stay standing and if I can throw them using judo I think I’ll be a blue belt for a while
Id rather be a really good white belt than a blue belt lol
What if its just too expensive ?
10 years for a black belt. The belts count time and money it is a business that you are paying for. There no system with out students beside you could become a doctor in that time.
Easy solution, get rid of belts.