Blue Belt promotion, What is expected.

[duckinho87+1]

In my little world

Blue belt = advanced player and at least 3 years on the mat
Purple belt = assistant instructor and at least 7 years on the mat
Brown belt = straight bad ass, and can give anyone anywhere a run for their money. 10-12 years of training.
Black belt = master of the art. 12-15 years of mat time, and probably a lifer (i.e. owning their own school)


There are ONLY FOUR colored belts. This is not some TMA with seven or ten belt colors, so everyone can get promoted once or twice a year for showing up x number of times. IMHO if you want to have a nice colorful belt to show off because you memorized some form or kata this is not the sport for you, "Not that there is anything wrong with that" :redface:

thats cool man, but in my world, you get a blue belt when you are winning white belt divisions and hanging with the blues on the mat in training

i hope some of your dudes dont compete, its kind of wack to have a 3 year white belt in a division with a 3 month guy you know

3 years is a long time to be slumming

 

[duckinho87+1]

You should enter a competition and compete with people your size. If your constantly rolling around with guys that weight 220lbs you could probably destroy a lot of the people in your weight class.

to stick up for this guy too

what you dont understand is that us small guys are often robbed of the opportunity to work and create a game that is gonna work against guys in our weight class

things that will work against guys your own size, are not going to work against guys 50lbs heavier

so lets say i am working a pendulem sweep and i cant ever get it to work... i might get discouraged and be like shit, this is not the sweep for me

meanwhile, the same sweep would have worked 50% of the time against someone my own size, and i never added it to my game because i couldnt get it off in training

heres another example... i am often forced to play a bottom game in training, because heavier dudes can get on top of me

meanwhile... when i compete in my division (depending whether i want to cut weight, 150-140and 140-under) i am actually the strongest guy, and it serves me better to play a heavy top game

 

[STFUjiujitsu]

I've been training over 2 years and I'm a white belt. I've won my division in the first tournament I competed in.
Guess what...I'm moving in a few months and will probably not be promoted. I will most likely have to prove myself at a new school for around 6 months before he considers me worthy of a blue belt. Guess what again...I don't care as long as tomorrow I'm better than I am today.

As far as rolling with bigger guys is where I learned my guard game. I've developed a guard that my team mates say is difficult to pass. When I roll with smaller guys, I work on my top game, Eventually newer guys your size and inexperienced will come and you will get to better your game then.

Just stick with it man, everything will fall into place. I promise.

 

[TalkShowOnMute]

3 year white belts competing with 3 month white belts doesn't sit well with me...especially if there is an obvious ability gap...if the 3 year white is being sandbagged this is terrible..however if the 3 year white belt really is just as sloppy and awkward as a 3 month WB then I could see it being justified.

But otherwise...a white belt for 2 or 3 years is pretty ridiculous, especially if he will be competing...

Good thing that some tournaments go off time not belts...(I.E. whitebelt 12 months or less) (advanced 12+)

 

[STFUjiujitsu]

That's really the only reason I am looking forward to being promoted. Not saying that I'm awesome or anything but just as you as you said, it's not fair for me to compete with someone less than 6-8 months experience.

 

[TalkShowOnMute]

That's really the only reason I am looking forward to being promoted. Not saying that I'm awesome or anything but just as you as you said, it's not fair for me to compete with someone less than 6-8 months experience.

For sure..and for the amount of time you've been in it, you should be due for a blue any time I would think....Up to your instructor of course, but I doubt he could rationalize many good reasons to hold you back any longer.

I just straight up ask my instructor, what do I need to do to progress? How long and what should I focus on? Always works.

 

[beeble]

I am a 8+ month white belt. In my school, everyone is bigger than me. They all have about 55 to 90 pounds on me. Not to mention with that weight comes strenght. Am I as a white belt expected to be able to beat these guys on a regular basis in order to get promoted? Before when we did have people my size. I would win a big majority of my sparring matches. Now that all the smaller students(like me) have quit. I am the smallest. I fall in the Light Weight division and all the other students fall in the Heavy Weitght division. Am I really expected to beat these Heavy Weights before I can advance? Our school does not give strips/rank within a belt. So, the only real way to show advancement is to get promoted to the next belt level.
Tonight, I almost passed out from one of the guys using his weight to pin me to the mat. when he weights 220 lbs and does the 100kg posture to keep advantage. I just couldn't breath with him on top of me.
I love Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But, I don't know how much more of this I can take. Nothing but loses in the past two months. How can I win? I practice harder that they do, I work out more, Starting running futher, eating right, and studying techniques on days off. I'll be a three or four year white belt at this rate. When we had students my size. The instructor sounded optimistic about promoting me next fall. Now, I don't think it even crosses his mind.

dude you have the wrong mind set.... dont think of it as your going to be a 4 year white belt so you want to quite, imagine how good your going to be in 4 years when you face someone your weight? give it time man, your game will adapt, you need to use leverage, without leverage strength means nothing.. thats why jiu jitsu was invented, for smaller guys to take out bigger guys.... there are plenty of smaller guys at my gym that are very good, as well as a purple belt girl who probably weighs 90 pounds soakin wet. just stick with it and you will improve

 

[Gary Peters]

to stick up for this guy too

what you dont understand is that us small guys are often robbed of the opportunity to work and create a game that is gonna work against guys in our weight class

things that will work against guys your own size, are not going to work against guys 50lbs heavier

so lets say i am working a pendulem sweep and i cant ever get it to work... i might get discouraged and be like shit, this is not the sweep for me

meanwhile, the same sweep would have worked 50% of the time against someone my own size, and i never added it to my game because i couldnt get it off in training

heres another example... i am often forced to play a bottom game in training, because heavier dudes can get on top of me

meanwhile... when i compete in my division (depending whether i want to cut weight, 150-140and 140-under) i am actually the strongest guy, and it serves me better to play a heavy top game

False. Working against heavier guys GIVES YOU A BETTER opportunity to work your technical/leverage sweeps. When you roll with someone your own weight or lighter you ARE ABLE to use strength to your advantage.

Sigh.

 

[Vector_X]

better overcooked than undercooked. Maybe you should enter some tournaments and see how you actually do against people your own size? Your attitude seems like ass and maybe that is the reason you aren't getting promoted. Just ride it out and enjoy your time rolling, I don't really understand the appeal of a higher belt as long as you are improving your own game.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

I am a 8+ month white belt. In my school, everyone is bigger than me. They all have about 55 to 90 pounds on me. Not to mention with that weight comes strenght. Am I as a white belt expected to be able to beat these guys on a regular basis in order to get promoted? Before when we did have people my size. I would win a big majority of my sparring matches. Now that all the smaller students(like me) have quit. I am the smallest. I fall in the Light Weight division and all the other students fall in the Heavy Weitght division. Am I really expected to beat these Heavy Weights before I can advance? Our school does not give strips/rank within a belt. So, the only real way to show advancement is to get promoted to the next belt level.
Tonight, I almost passed out from one of the guys using his weight to pin me to the mat. when he weights 220 lbs and does the 100kg posture to keep advantage. I just couldn't breath with him on top of me.
I love Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But, I don't know how much more of this I can take. Nothing but loses in the past two months. How can I win? I practice harder that they do, I work out more, Starting running futher, eating right, and studying techniques on days off. I'll be a three or four year white belt at this rate. When we had students my size. The instructor sounded optimistic about promoting me next fall. Now, I don't think it even crosses his mind.

It's pretty much like this no matter what athletic activity you do. There's a reason why 5'7, 130 pound guys aren't in the NFL. There's a reason why guys under 5'9 are rare in the NBA. There's a reason why the hardest servers in the ATP are well over 6'.

Size matters. But in my experience with sports, grappling has been the only time where I ever felt like I could hang with bigger people. The ground is the ultimate equalizer. Just have to work on your technique. The essence of jiujitsu isn't in your wins and losses record, it's - surprise, surprise - in your jiujitsu. So work at it, and just accept what you are.

 

[Davii]

It's pretty much like this no matter what athletic activity you do. There's a reason why 5'7, 130 pound guys aren't in the NFL. There's a reason why guys under 5'9 are rare in the NBA. There's a reason why the hardest servers in the ATP are well over 6'.

Size matters. But in my experience with sports, grappling has been the only time where I ever felt like I could hang with bigger people. The ground is the ultimate equalizer. Just have to work on your technique. The essence of jiujitsu isn't in your wins and losses record, it's - surprise, surprise - in your jiujitsu. So work at it, and just accept what you are.

Not to be bashing on YOU directly - I feel like this is a very american view on sports. When you look at it this way - soccer, tennis and even basketball in europe have NOTHING to do with your natural weight and height (maybe basketball to some degree).

Why do you think the US, with all of its super duper hotstars can't win the gold in basketball?

Anyways - let me relate this to bjj. I'm 135lbs 5'9. Probably a little light for my height - but bigger guys don't bother me. You have to adjust your game and play aggressive. It's really just a mindset. Yep, the ground is an equalizer to a great extend. If you just focus on technique, you'll be pulling off sweeps and simply amaze yourself.

Best thing to do - is ask them to S-train with you. That's really the best way to improve from what I've seen.

 

[Cardio King]

Think of it in perspective. You have been training BJJ for less than a year, and all of your training partners are heavy. What an excellent time to practise framing, shrimping, and escpaes! Also try to maintain top position alot. Not only is it hard to hold down a larger opponent, but the fact that you are on top will make breathing/training a bit easier.

 

[Jinzumkei]

It's not all about being a Blue Belt. If our instructor gave strips I would be happy. Then at least I would know where I stand in relation to progress to a blue belt. 8+ months would be at least be two strips. BTW, how many strips are there before promotion?

Who says you even deserve 2 stripe? Maybe your ground game is rubbish, i mean your attitude isn't the greatest. Why do you even need this type of validation? If you can feel yourself getting better maybe you should just be happy with that.

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

Not to be bashing on YOU directly - I feel like this is a very american view on sports. When you look at it this way - soccer, tennis and even basketball in europe have NOTHING to do with your natural weight and height (maybe basketball to some degree).

Why do you think the US, with all of its super duper hotstars can't win the gold in basketball?

Anyways - let me relate this to bjj. I'm 135lbs 5'9. Probably a little light for my height - but bigger guys don't bother me. You have to adjust your game and play aggressive. It's really just a mindset. Yep, the ground is an equalizer to a great extend. If you just focus on technique, you'll be pulling off sweeps and simply amaze yourself.

Best thing to do - is ask them to S-train with you. That's really the best way to improve from what I've seen.

First, the "view" you are bashing is certainly correct with respect to the NFL.
Second, the U.S. has more gold medals in men's basketball than any other country by a mile so your statment that the U.S. can't win the gold in basketball is misguided. If you are referring to the 2004 olympics, I am pretty sure that not one player on the Argentina team was smaller than 6'4." So what point were you making? Finally, and actually relevant to this post, I do agree with you and most people posting here that jiujitsu is a great size equalizer. For proof look at Marcelo Garcia's record in the absolute division at ADCC.

 

[BJJ Padawan]

I don't know. Maybe I have lost sight of why I started BJJ in the first place.
I not asking to be a blue belt after 8 months. like I said, promotion was looking good for next fall.
My ground game is good agaist guys my size. I win almost all the time.
Yes, when I started taking on the big guys I tried to muscle them. technique works if your able to move. These guys are heavy. Compact car heavy. I can get them in kimoras and armbars. They just muscle out of them.
I think I'm going to take a break from BJJ. Maybe a month or two. I been going to BJJ classes four times a week for the first six months. Now down to three.

 

[FWTG]

I dont really get the "I want to know where I stand " thing. Its usually obvious where you stand just through how well you do in rolling and tournaments. Belt doesnt mean anything its all about how you perform on the mats.

 

[Sobral]

hmm maybe work on nasty arm bars from guard (im assuming they muscle you to your back)

Or get their backs and sink in a RNC and squeeze so hard you want their head to pop off.
Start getting angry and don't allow them to muscle you around, show them your not a push over.

 

[CrazyCossack]

I don't know. Maybe I have lost sight of why I started BJJ in the first place.
I not asking to be a blue belt after 8 months. like I said, promotion was looking good for next fall.
My ground game is good agaist guys my size. I win almost all the time.
Yes, when I started taking on the big guys I tried to muscle them. technique works if your able to move. These guys are heavy. Compact car heavy. I can get them in kimoras and armbars. They just muscle out of them.
I think I'm going to take a break from BJJ. Maybe a month or two. I been going to BJJ classes four times a week for the first six months. Now down to three.

You probably shouldn't take time off, for one your bitching about belts/bigger training partners, and you think 4 days a week is alot, your already cutting back.

You run the risk of going away for 2 months and never coming back.

Also the 8 months + next fall is sorta silly, at my school the fastest guy to get a blue belt was a year and a half, and he trained every single day for that year and a half, including christmas, birthdays, new years eve, etc....

He's a 145 pound purple belt now, and yes he has started training less times a week, probably done to 3, but your still expecting your belt way too fast.

I train 5 days a week on average and after 2 and a half years im still a whitebelt,

quit whining.

 

[ModernWarrior]

The only thing i can say is belts really dont matter. Its how your progressing as a competitor. Meaning in competitions, not only the gym. If you win competitions at your skill level then eventually you will get promoted. Learn as much as you and you always have to keep progressing, little by little. How far youve come as a competitor should mean more to you then your belt color.

 

[damit2hell]

I got my blue in 8-9 months, but i am rather big strong and athletic, but thats besides the point, everyone develops on their own tempo, just because someone took a few months and its going to take you much longer is no reason to quit, if anything its incentive to work harder, do your homework outside of class, watch videos etc