Something You Need to Know About the BJJ Gauntlet

I'm not opposed to a ritual or trial to mark an occasion or achievement, I'm opposed to this ritual. Nothing sickens me more than to see a two month old white belt whacking away at someone who spent five or seven years earning a purple or brown belt. They simply haven't earned that right.

At my gym you get choked by your instructor with your new belt. Most of us go unconscious, but it's not required. We also get thrown by everyone who is a higher rank. To me, this serves the same purpose.
 
I dont have a problem with it. In the times I was hazed in my life, I carried it as a badge of honor. I'm older than a lot on here and was raised in a time and an area of the country where violence was sometimes needed to solve some problems in your life. It's just the way it was back then.

I dont agree that lower belts should take advantage of it, and think if they do they deserve what they get on the mat next session.
 
The gauntlet never seemed to make much sense.

The shark tank I can get behind.
 
I would never train anywhere that did this. I have more self respect than that.
 
yetanother said:
Wait what? Change your gym ASAP.
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Why? Don't you get choked in class? I said you can tap.

I'm not talking hit man style choke here. Fold the belt in half twice, go around neck and tighten just like collar choke.

Missing the big deal.

The symbolism is that your first tap or choke at new belt is done by your instructor.
 
PointyShinyBurn said:
Not as pointless hazing, no. Hazing absolutely has a function, it binds your in-group identity at the expense of your other affiliations.

That's why BJJ has invented this whipping thing rather than e.g. sparring a lot of rounds, because it's essential that the participant's other culture find it weird or disgusting.
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I don't see any evidence that it is done at the expense of other affiliations or that it has to be disgusting to wider culture.
 
Dirty Holt said:
And you dont find fault with paying 10k for a polished stone as a ritual?
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I very much do.
Codger said:
I don't see any evidence that it is done at the expense of other affiliations or that it has to be disgusting to wider culture.
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As an experiment, try describing it to some of your non combat-sports friends and see what their reaction is.
 
I've seen some pretty reasonable gauntlets and one that was straight up sadistic. You can wet a belt and give a man a pretty good beating.
 
PointyShinyBurn said:
I very much do.
As an experiment, try describing it to some of your non combat-sports friends and see what their reaction is.
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That might show they find it weird, not that it needs to be weird to have the desired effect. I'd suggest that it just needs to be hard.
 
Codger said:
That might show they find it weird, not that it needs to be weird to have the desired effect. I'd suggest that it just needs to be hard.
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Why has it taken this form, then? Given that people don't generally invent deviant behaviour out of whole cloth.

It's not really 'hard' to get smacked about a bit either. No one 'fails' do they?
 
A tradition is wrong when the victim is expected to willfully take the abuse.

If a school has a tradition where a guy has to roll with multiple people in a row as a super hard initiation, that is not sadistic because he has the ability to RESIST.

Never want anything in life so bad that you allow yourself to be the object of sadistic behavior. It is counter productive to being a true martial artist. A true martial artist has a healthy respect for himself and refuses to willingly allow another person to violate his personal dignity.
 
I would ask anyone who is commeting against the gauntlet, have you actually witnessed and been part of one in real life before and found it to be inhumane and morally reprehensible, or are you commenting on what you think the gauntlet would be like and you do not like that? Not that your opinion is invalid, but to me it makes a difference, as I thought the exact same way until I was actually part of one.
 
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Lol what the fuck... I always found whipping to be fun and harmless. I don't even smack people that hard but when someone does its usually very fun and funny.

I hate to stereotype but I always figured you need to have a little bit of manliness to martial arts for it to be legit. Seriously how many gauntlets have you seen that were terrible beatings???

If you don't know the person that well you don't hit him as hard. The better or closer friends you are the harder you go ya know?
 
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I've witnessed many and gone through 1, at blue belt.

I'm not in the inhumane camp, as other than a few bruises and one white belt who got me in the neck, I was unharmed.

I just find it stupid, and again, no white belt deserves to whip a purple or brown belt. The idea of a blackbelt gauntlet ( unless only performed by other blackbelts) bothers me as well- again mostly due to respect.

Of course, I have no problem with every higher belt planting me hard with throws ( happened at purple belt) - so maybe my bigger objection is who is doing the beating.
 
I got it at blue, my gym does it. I mean even the hardest ones don't hurt that much, its no the best belt for whipping, its light and cloth, its just a thing. Its fun and everyone is smiling and its just a thing. Never had an issue with it at all..guess thats just me.
 
Dirty Holt said:
I would ask anyone who is commeting against the gauntlet, have you actually witnessed and been part of one in real life before and found it to be inhumane and morally reprehensible, or are you commenting on what you think the gauntlet would be like and you do not like that? Not that your opinion is invalid, but to me it makes a difference, as I thought the exact same way until I was actually part of one.
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Reprehensible, not the ones i've been to.

Mainly i just remember thinking "this is stupid. I am getting stupider right now" the entire time.
 
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