Competition Belt Rank Question

[Balto]

I have been a no gi grappler ever since I was 10 or so. I only really got serious about it in college over the last two years, but I still have a fair amount of experience. I consider myself to be good, but not excellent, and generally fight in the advanced division in no gi competition.

Recently I have decided to add the gi game to my training. I just purchased a gi and told my training partners to do the same. Some of them have gi experience, but most do not. I have been training with the gi once a week for about three months and am largely self taught when it comes to gi specific moves.

I fought in my first gi competition yesterday. Obviously I competed as a white belt. To my surprise, I blew through the competition from other schools, winning my first match in one minute with a score of more than 12-0 and winning my second match in thirty seconds with a triangle choke. I lost in the finals to one of my best training partners, so I'm not really counting that match.

I had the opportunity to fight the winner of the blue belt division in the advanced no gi and felt challenged yet fairly matched. I lost in a fairly close match by points. It was probably my most technical match.

My question is that I am not sure what rank to compete at in the gi. I have no instructor to promote me to blue belt (assuming I am ready, which isn't something I am experienced enough to determine).

However, I don't want to just stay as a white belt forever. I already outmatched the competition due to my experience, and I just feel bad competing in white belt gi and advanced no gi.

I see my options as these:

1. Just stay a white belt and fight white belt indefinitely. I don't want to do this because I don't want to be a sandbagger.

2. Continue to wear the white belt, but sign up for the blue belt competition. I am a little concerned about this because of confusion. I am also concerned about insulting my opponents. It puts them in a no win situation because they are expected to win no matter what. If I happen to win, it will make them look very bad.

3. Wear the white belt to train, but wear the blue belt to competition. I am also concerned about this option because it is basically promoting myself.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Blake Bowman]

don't wear the blue belt until given to you.

I have an orange belt (our style is an 8 belt MMA system) and I wear to compete as a purple or blue. Depending on the level of the tourney. I have finished second in a purple tourney and third in blue at the recent NAGA ATLanta.

 

[Commissar]

You have two options.

1. Compete under a blue belt division, wearing your white belt.

2. Join a jiu jitsu club so that you can be promoted.

Do not promote yourself, because you are simply not obligated to do so. If you don't like either of those options, stick to no-gi competition.

 

[Immortal-BJJ**]

Just compete in blue-belt divisions with a white belt, who cares... I'm pretty sure that's where u belong, so do what you gotta do.

 

[Ybot]

Maybe I'm not too traditional, but I really believe that if you blow through the competition at any particular belt level, you've earned the right to at least wear that belt level. If you can compete and win at blue, then your a blue. If you can compete and win at purple your a purple.

I say wear your white until you win or place in a large tournament at blue, or win a couple of smaller tournaments at blue. Then wear the blue. Hell, in this case you've held yourself to a higher standard than the average blue.

 

[Commissar]

Maybe I'm not too traditional, but I really believe that if you blow through the competition at any particular belt level, you've earned the right to at least wear that belt level. If you can compete and win at blue, then your a blue. If you can compete and win at purple your a purple.

I say wear your white until you win or place in a large tournament at blue, or win a couple of smaller tournaments at blue. Then wear the blue. Hell, in this case you've held yourself to a higher standard than the average blue.

Oh. So, if I tap a bunch of blue belts, I can promote myself to blue?

 

[Oktavius**]

Dude, i would wear the white belt and compete in either the white or blue division, whichever you choose. Maybe you will shame someone into promoting you after you destroy there students long enough

 

[Jimmy Cerra]

You should not promote yourself; the only person who could or should do that is Kano himself!!! :wink: Stay at white belt until someone else promotes you. Just enter the blue belt skill level if you think white belt is too easy. Come with me to Steel City sometimes and maybe they will promote you after a while.

 

[DMcKayBJJ]

Hmmm...interesting dilemma.
At first I thought, go ahead and wear the blue at competition, just so you don't insult your opponents, but wear the white when training. Based on your tournament performances, it sounds like you're at that level anyway.

BUT...then I realized that even though a lot of instructors would probably agree that you deserve to be given a blue belt, you really can't promote yourself. Definitely wear the white at all times, but feel free to enter competitions in more advanced divisions.

I guess it's a lot like if you were a D-1 All-American wrestler, cagefighting veteran, and black belt in Judo, but you've never taken formal BJJ...no matter what your previous experience in other arts/sports/grappling, you only wear the belt you've been GIVEN in BJJ (and if you haven't been given a belt, then you wear white).

Forget about feeling bad about insulting your opponents. You'd insult the BJJ community and the integrity of every instructor and colored belt out there if you were to "promote yourself."

 

[Gaylon Cooper]

I guess it's a lot like if you were a D-1 All-American wrestler, cagefighting veteran, and black belt in Judo, but you've never taken formal BJJ...no matter what your previous experience in other arts/sports/grappling, you only wear the belt you've been GIVEN in BJJ (and if you haven't been given a belt, then you wear white).

Forget about feeling bad about insulting your opponents. You'd insult the BJJ community and the integrity of every instructor and colored belt out there if you were to "promote yourself."

My self I would still wear the white belt. I wrested for many years before, during and after high school. I have compete with many people in my dojo and most of them have not trained that much heack even some of the black belts have not trained as long as I have in wrestling.

It is all about respect.

 

[Fight4Money]

Dude, i would wear the white belt and compete in either the white or blue division, whichever you choose. Maybe you will shame someone into promoting you after you destroy there students long enough

Ahhhh, that's a nice method of bringing pain :icon_chee

 

[dutchmasterj3]

Find a club

 

[Guards]

If you're avoiding membership to the major clubs or dojos in your area for a specific reason, whether it be personal preference, time, money, or any other factor, this should be an area where they would be more help than hindrance.

Alot of locations have minor belt-testing fees to cover the cost of supplies, instructor time, dojo use, etc for the duration of a belt test. Go into any BJJ place that you can find, talk to one of the instructors for a bit, and tell them about the problem that you're having. Ask them if(although you're not a student...) you could arrange a belt-test through their club. If he brings up a "Testing fee" of $20, offer him $30 to set you up with a time.

It'll appear sincere, and help make up for the lack of 'being a member' that one might come across. Tell him that you'd feel much better having an official promotion rather than being self-advanced. He might even let you play a match against some of his students on the spot.

Either way, rest assured, I'm fairly certain that one of the clubs around you might be able to accomodate your interests. All you have to do is ask, and actually prove your general proficiency. :icon_chee