What are the main reasons why white belts quit BJJ

rwmma

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We have been having a lot of discussion on why white belts drop out of BJJ....even as they get close to blue belts. I know there are tons of possible answers to the question but what are the main reasons in your opinion...
 
ego, it isnt nearly as easy as they though it would be.
 
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Different for every individual, but some common themes I think you might see crop up would include;
Financial cost
Unable to commit time to training (Full time job, family, etc.)
Being too challenged, not challenged enough
No real desire to train; they'd hopped on a fad
As above, stronger desire to partake in other activities, whether that be socialization or another sport

All of the above reasons can tie together too, and will tie together for different individuals. It's a question that can't be easily answered.
 
There are many reasons, almost too many to list. But, if we're talking specifically about those that are gettng close to blue belt, I'd say the most common reasons are:

1. Finances: can't afford to train, lost job, child on the way, etc...

2. Commitment: can't dedicate the necessary time to training consistantly, priorities may have changed...

3. Injury: some people seem to be plagued by injury and fatigue and after a while it just adds up to the point where training is no longer worth the constant discomfort or chronic injuries.

4. Boredom: Some people may just feel that they've learned "enough" to satisfy whatever their personal reasons were for starting to train. Maybe they feel like the progression in skill level as they approach blue is not as worthwhile as it once was when they were new.
 
And as far as the comments go about "These people are lazy, unmotivated and not dedicated" that is a very broad generalization.
They may be very motivated and passionate about some things. BJJ is not the end all be all. All of us here just happen to love grappling to the degree where we spend some of our free time on the internet posting in forums about it. So naturally it will irk us when someone says "I want to train BJJ so bad. Like so bad." But then not put any effort into it, or rather, not put into it the level of effort that we choose to put into it.
 
4. Boredom: Some people may just feel that they've learned "enough" to satisfy whatever their personal reasons were for starting to train. Maybe they feel like the progression in skill level as they approach blue is not as worthwhile as it once was when they were new.

I have been mulling on this point since the Blue Flu thread. Jag and some others brought up playing guitar. Would anyone begin to learn guitar theory, learn a few chords and scales, then just quit taking lessons, and playing guitar, forever?
Because lets be honest here, you stop going to a gym to train BJJ, it's not like you are going to keep those skills you've developed after a period of time, and how many of these guys are training on their own time?
At least without lessons you can pick up a guitar and strum out an old Neil Young song now and then to keep what small level of proficiency you deemed to be "enough" strong.


So what I'm saying is I don't think that boredom or satisfaction really has much to play into people quitting BJJ, unless they are holding the false belief that they will be able to retain everything they did learn forever.
 
Well I think it has to do with the fact that it takes a lot of time and dedication, and also probably the fact that the progression is slow in comparison to other martial arts. I can see why someone would quit after a few months, but it seems crazy to quit after doing it for 6 months-1 year.

Also, it could be a personal reason... such as financial or family issues.
 
All these replies and no one has thought of:

Maybe they don't like it!


Well our sport is the best shit ever and everyone loves it but it is also the hardest sport in the world and only the strong survive and anyone who quits is a pussy and their ego candle handle it when they submit to me
 
some people get sick of getting beaten up on. i take it real, real easy on everybody i don't think is on my level. rolling through a lower rank or a smaller person doesn't do either of us a damn bit of good.

i think a lot of people get scared off by assholes. sure, you've gotta coddle some people, and combat sports aren't really for people who need coddling, but i can see how it'd be frustrating as hell to come back night after night when you're getting ground into the mat.
 
Reasons white belts quite.

It's too rough (number one reason white belt women quit)

Don't like being held down, feel smothered (lots of tough guys with striking backgrounds HATE the claustrophobic feeling of being bottom in BJJ)

Its hard work! (Same reason most people don't stick with most exersise programs...)

Ran into one or more jerks who like to bully/hurt weaker opponents. (usually another white belt with more experiance or str with little control).
 
my coach told me once if u take a break its hard to come back. it almost happened to me over last summer playing and running softball team limited the time i could go to class. i started going less and less. work nights so i would just sleep through noon classes. It was actually my wife that asked me how come i haven't been going very often which for some reason clicked in my head i need to go to class more often and did.

So basically i think ppl that quit that have been doing it for 6 months or so usually get caught up with something and stop going. u definitely have to be dedicated. that's why i set some goals for myself this year like competing and getting my blue minimum of 2 classes a week stuff like that. think ppl don't set goals and get to caught up in the now. Guess i kinda went off subject but a lil insight from someone who almost stop going
 
I have been mulling on this point since the Blue Flu thread. Jag and some others brought up playing guitar. Would anyone begin to learn guitar theory, learn a few chords and scales, then just quit taking lessons, and playing guitar, forever?
Because lets be honest here, you stop going to a gym to train BJJ, it's not like you are going to keep those skills you've developed after a period of time, and how many of these guys are training on their own time?
At least without lessons you can pick up a guitar and strum out an old Neil Young song now and then to keep what small level of proficiency you deemed to be "enough" strong.


So what I'm saying is I don't think that boredom or satisfaction really has much to play into people quitting BJJ, unless they are holding the false belief that they will be able to retain everything they did learn forever.


I'm gonna disagree a little here. If you think about how BJJ really progresses for most people, your first 6 months you see almost immediate improvements in your game as you build your fundamentals like upa mount escape, shrimping, basic positional control, and your core submissions. These things tend to be almost immediately applicable in their rolling and make the feeling of progress seem very rapid. Even the first year or possibly two, this is the case most of the time, because everything is "new". As you get further on and start focusing on honing skills in certain areas, this increases your effectiveness from those areas, but the progress seems to slow down for many people. You've learned the mechanics of the armbar and the triangle, but now you are focused on finding 10 different ways to get to the same armbar or half a dozen ways to get to the same triangle or choke. You may spend months refining your half-guard to a proficient level and so on and so on. Most of us understand the necessity of this and appreciate it for what it is. Others though may not share that enthusiasm. I've known quite a few that were this way. They aren't avid competitors and many felt that they knew enough to defend themselves if ever forced to and that their time and interest were drawn away from bjj to other endeavors. Maybe boredom is not the correct word. Maybe it is more a matter of disinterest.
 
And as far as the comments go about "These people are lazy, unmotivated and not dedicated" that is a very broad generalization.
They may be very motivated and passionate about some things. BJJ is not the end all be all. All of us here just happen to love grappling to the degree where we spend some of our free time on the internet posting in forums about it. So naturally it will irk us when someone says "I want to train BJJ so bad. Like so bad." But then not put any effort into it, or rather, not put into it the level of effort that we choose to put into it.

Exactly. Plus, all we're doing is guessing here. Because really, we're the guys who didn't quit.
 
I'm gonna disagree a little here. If you think about how BJJ really progresses for most people, your first 6 months you see almost immediate improvements in your game as you build your fundamentals like upa mount escape, shrimping, basic positional control, and your core submissions. These things tend to be almost immediately applicable in their rolling and make the feeling of progress seem very rapid. Even the first year or possibly two, this is the case most of the time, because everything is "new". As you get further on and start focusing on honing skills in certain areas, this increases your effectiveness from those areas, but the progress seems to slow down for many people. You've learned the mechanics of the armbar and the triangle, but now you are focused on finding 10 different ways to get to the same armbar or half a dozen ways to get to the same triangle or choke. You may spend months refining your half-guard to a proficient level and so on and so on. Most of us understand the necessity of this and appreciate it for what it is. Others though may not share that enthusiasm. I've known quite a few that were this way. They aren't avid competitors and many felt that they knew enough to defend themselves if ever forced to and that their time and interest were drawn away from bjj to other endeavors. Maybe boredom is not the correct word. Maybe it is more a matter of disinterest.

I agree with this. But that disinterest was probably laying dormant in them from the beginning. The rapid progression is just enough to hold their attention for the time being.
 
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