Forced to be a nomad because of my career

[BCNASH]

is anybody else in the same boat as me? I have had to move several times in the almost 7 years I have been training due to being a Marine. I have had to train at 5 different schools in that time and miss time at my current home school because of overseas deployments, and because of this I have been a blue belt for 5 and a half years. I will also have to move again within a year after being back from a deployment for a little over two months now. How do you other nomads deal with having to move frequently and having to start over every time you move somewhere else? Do you find that your instructors are understanding or do they look at you as an outsider with an expiration date on your training?

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Having all that experience with different rolling partners is the best thing. It is like doing tourneys except you get to spend more time with the people you are facing. If we all can be so lucky.

But how much time do you actually spend at the school. If you are deployed majority of time, then your problem is you dont have time to train at all, and not being at different schools.

 

[BCNASH]

At my original school I was there for two years, next one for 3 years, next one for a year, the one after that for 7 months and the one currently 2 and a half. I was deployed for seven months in between the last two schools and trained with a group of fellow nomads while we were overseas

 

[MadSquabbles500]

At my original school I was there for two years, next one for 3, next one for a year, the one after that for 7 months and the one currently 2 and a half. I was deployed for seven months on between the last two schools and trained with a group of fellow nomads while we were overseas

While you were "at a school" how many consecutive weeks did you attend?

 

[BCNASH]

I honestly do enjoy seeing different styles and games, and my game speaks for itself so I don't worry about that.

What I do worry about is when I retire in ten years I want to be a black belt with a stripe or so because I want to open an academy post retirement, so i need that for credibility when I do go to open up

 

[BCNASH]

While you were "at a school" how many consecutive weeks did you attend?

I was training at least four if not five times a week when I was not deployed. I also had three amateur MMA fights and several BJJ competitions.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

I was training at least four if not five times a week when I was not deployed. I also had three amateur MMA fights and several BJJ competitions.

how many weeks can you attend consecutively?

 

[BCNASH]

how many weeks can you attend consecutively?

The timeframes I previously posted I was training that amount of time consecutively

 

[ziggyholiday]

I'd say your higher belts will be harder to come by because of that. It's always been my thought, that with a purple, you're a made man. Your instructor is saying, this is one of my guys and he is a good guy. Not just in terms of skill. Maybe it's similar to getting that first senior NCO rank. Sure an E7 isn't the same as a E9, buts it's still a senior rank and comes with some perks.

Maybe you can build the type of relationship with one if your old coaches where they'll promote you even though you don't train there on the regular. There would be a lot to work out for sure, but it's doable. Besides, if you've been a blue for 5 years and have been actively training, you should easily be a purple.

 

[Dogstarman]

First. Thanks bro. It's hard to be soldier and I really mean it when I saw thank you for volunteering to be a marine.

Now, you are a fucking Marine. Just knuckle up, drive forward and just train when you can. Like you said when you are deployed you train with other dudes. You are doing the best you can with what you have. If your instructor doesn't like you being deployed to fucking bad, you have a job to do.

Are you going to re-inlist or stay? When your time is done you can get a semi normal schedule and begin training at a good school. Or you can become a scrub and try recruiting then train more consistently. I know you still have to move but you are in a location a little longer than 7 months.

Remember jiu jitsu is a grind. I know it can be frustrating watching other dudes you started with surpass you. Just know that your time will come. This is your path and just accept it. Shit is always changing.

 

[BCNASH]

I was recruiting for the three years I was at the second school I trained at, and I will never ever do that again. I would rather drive my car into a tree doing 60. Recruiting was the worst experience of my entire life; I had more fun working for minimum wage.

 

[KikoJones]

Like I tell my guys. "I'd rather be a good Blue Belt than an crappy Purple". From your cumulative training I can only assume that you're a damn good Blue Belt. Purple belt skills even. Once you get the opportunity to train regularly, a academy led by a good coach will recognize your abilities and award you your next belt.
It'll come and it'll be even more satisfying.

From a former Squid, Semper Fi!

 

[BCNASH]

Like I tell my guys. "I'd rather be a good Blue Belt than an crappy Purple". From your cumulative training I can only assume that you're a damn good Blue Belt. Purple belt skills even. Once you get the opportunity to train regularly, a academy led by a good coach will recognize your abilities and award you your next belt.
It'll come and it'll be even more satisfying.

From a former Squid, Semper Fi!

I wish I had More squids willing to train when I was stuck on a ship for parts of my last deployment. We could have had a good group, but as it stood we had about six consistent guys

Another question I was mulling over is do I register to compete at purple belt now? I don't care if I win or lose, but I think maybe this point it would be unfair to compete at blue if i have had stripes on my belt longer than some of my competitors have been training BJJ

 

[CFGroup]

My old TKD school had a jarhead come in after serving wearing a WB, I'm a cocky Blue Belt training for FC tournys and I get done sparring sessions with bruises all up and down my forarms and shins. Couple weeks later he's wearing a Red Belt(Brown). Trained for 7 years with him TKD and BT conditioning.

More recently I got to train with a USMC vet for almost 10 years and take Ukemi for his BB who trained Go Ju for years in Okinawa. No better work ethic out there!

Love training with U guys and any instructor with any sense will promote you to were U belong as soon as you muster out.

Keep doing what U r doing, it will get recognized in time.

 

[KikoJones]

I wish I had More squids willing to train when I was stuck on a ship for parts of my last deployment. We could have had a good group, but as it stood we had about six consistent guys

Another question I was mulling over is do I register to compete at purple belt now? I don't care if I win or lose, but I think maybe this point it would be unfair to compete at blue if i have had stripes on my belt longer than some of my competitors have been training BJJ

I found BJJ almost 7 years after retiring. I was with the Airwing so I'm not sure how the Ship's company's schedule were. We were 12+ on/12- off and by the time you were off, you wanted chow, shower and Sleepy time so you can Rinse and Repeat the next day. Of course if you had Watch, then that would be more suck.

As long you register higher and not lower, you'll get what you're looking for. You'll have to talk to the organizers and ensure they agree. Because many local tournaments are always looking for participants, I don't think you'll get much push back.

 

[EndlessCritic]

is anybody else in the same boat as me? I have had to move several times in the almost 7 years I have been training due to being a Marine. I have had to train at 5 different schools in that time and miss time at my current home school because of overseas deployments, and because of this I have been a blue belt for 5 and a half years. I will also have to move again within a year after being back from a deployment for a little over two months now. How do you other nomads deal with having to move frequently and having to start over every time you move somewhere else? Do you find that your instructors are understanding or do they look at you as an outsider with an expiration date on your training?

Nothing wrong with being a nomad. One of the best grapplers in my city is a pure nomad, and everyone loves training with him.

 

[TheMood]

Are you able to get in contact with the person that promoted you to blue belt? If so you may want to try and talk to that person. They might remember you and understand your situation.

 

[BCNASH]

Are you able to get in contact with the person that promoted you to blue belt? If so you may want to try and talk to that person. They might remember you and understand your situation.

Very toxic atmosphere at that academy. Shit changed in a major way from when I started in 2011. I could actually be training there now, and choose not to because of the situation. I no longer respect that coach's judgement and integrity, and walked out of there almost two years ago, leaving a purple belt on the table when I did. If I just wanted to wear a purple belt, I could be right now but it was not worth my principles to do so. Basically, the head instructor was allowing somebody else to dictate decisions and it made for a very poisonous situation for the entire academy. It was not fun or enjoyable there anymore and I am not going to politic or join somebody's fan club to gain their approval so they can give the head instructor their blessing to promote people when they ought to be promoted. It is supposed to be about getting better at Jiu Jitsu and the training, not stroking the egos of people who shouldn't matter when it comes to running the academy

 

[ultimateriley-o]

I've moved around gyms a lot, especially in the last couple years. I kind of like that I'm able to get different "gym-specialties" for a period and try to soak up as much of their best guys' games as possible.

Are you concerned that you're not getting promoted ? Because seriously, who gives a fuck what belt you're wearing. People who get discouraged because they're "still a blue belt" when they know where their skills are at confuse the shit out of me. Might be because I'm more no gi focused.

 

[BCNASH]

I've moved around gyms a lot, especially in the last couple years. I kind of like that I'm able to get different "gym-specialties" for a period and try to soak up as much of their best guys' games as possible.

Are you concerned that you're not getting promoted ? Because seriously, who gives a fuck what belt you're wearing. People who get discouraged because they're "still a blue belt" when they know where their skills are at confuse the shit out of me. Might be because I'm more no gi focused.

I am not concerned with the belt i am wearing but down the line it could become a concern when I open my own academy after I retire from the Marine Corps. I seriously doubt I would be taken seriously as an instructor wearing a worn out purple belt with 16 years training, you know what I mean?