Getting Promoted in BJJ too quickly :(

[Evenflow80]

I know this is a topic that is done to death, but I can't help but remain concerned over this.

At my academy, if you come and train at least 3 times a week, you will get your blue at 1 year and purple at 3 years, brown at 5, and black at 7 years.

I'm pretty consistent, train 4 - 5 times a week, and now as a 4 stripe blue I am basically 4-5 months away from getting my purple which makes it exactly 3 years to get purple.

There is no question my professor is legit as hell, multiple Pan am and even a Worlds no-gi gold. Countless smaller comp wins.

I've only competed 4 times so far, all as blue. Got a gold, two silvers, and a bronze. So I do all right against other academies I guess, but not stellar by any means.

At what point is getting a belt in BJJ too quick to be considered a fake, mcDojo belt? is getting a purple at 3 years a joke? I am hardly a phenom at all, pretty decent but nothing special.

Basically, based on your experience and thoughts, what would you consider as the most legit number of years to get to each belt? And any less than that number you would consider that person to be not as legit?

Speaking of normal people, not prodigies who compete and medal 12 times a year.

Thanks!

 

[DatCutman]

Belts are just awful anyway. Belts in BJJ aren't based on % knowledge of a defined universal curriculum. They aren't based on performance (see: world champ purple vs. a recreational black belt). If it's a subjective criteria (rolling with person X feels like a purple belt!), that makes it even weirder. So what the hell else do you base it on?

Personally, I started in 02. It took me 3 years to get my blue, another 4 to get my purple, 2 years to brown, and then 2 more for black. Then the normal time allotments for my BB degree after that. Truth be told, I hate my rank. It feels ridiculous to have the same belt rank as world champs, when there is a clear difference in competitive ability. Either they should be double black belts, or I should be something less. Then factor in that world champ non-black belts could beat me makes it feel even more ridiculous. The belt system has no thought behind it.

Judo has a good system for belts, but it was designed from the top down as a system to be learned, not one that organically grew from the bottom-up like BJJ. I think BJJ should be akin to wrestling, or boxing; which is to say, without rank. Let accolades speak for ability, let cultivated talent speak for coaching skill.

 

[jack36767]

Humble brag...

 

[Evenflow80]

Belts are just awful anyway. Belts in BJJ aren't based on % knowledge of a defined universal curriculum. They aren't based on performance (see: world champ purple vs. a recreational black belt). If it's a subjective criteria (rolling with person X feels like a purple belt!), that makes it even weirder. So what the hell else do you base it on?

Personally, I started in 02. It took me 3 years to get my blue, another 4 to get my purple, 2 years to brown, and then 2 more for black. Then the normal time allotments for my BB degree after that. Truth be told, I hate my rank. It feels ridiculous to have the same belt rank as world champs, when there is a clear difference in competitive ability. Either they should be double black belts, or I should be something less. Then factor in that world champ non-black belts could beat me makes it feel even more ridiculous. The belt system has no thought behind it.

Judo has a good system for belts, but it was designed from the top down as a system to be learned, not one that organically grew from the bottom-up like BJJ. I think BJJ should be akin to wrestling, or boxing; which is to say, without rank. Let accolades speak for ability, let cultivated talent speak for coaching skill.

In my humble opinion, it should be subjective based on your professor's opinion. He or she persumably rolls and trains with you consistenly, and assuming he has years of experience rolling with people of all different ranks, in theory he/she SHOULD have some idea of how a blue belt "feels" or how a purple belt "feels".

IMO assuming you professor is a legit black belt himself, wouldn't that be enough?

I just think the whole fixed time promotions are the worst way possible. Even at my own gym there is a vast difference between someone consistent like myself and someone else of same exact rank, trains way less, but started same week as I did. Same other way around, some people who started same week as me compete and train even more and mop the floor with me, even though we are same rank.

 

[Evenflow80]

Humble brag...

Nah, your still just an insecure, petty little shit that craves attention by being a drama queen, thats all. The best insult anyone can give an insignificant nobody like you is to ignore, so back off to the ignore list for you!

 

[beat...people...up?]

I don't know man. At my gym I'm fairly sure there are different promotion criteria for "competitive" vs "hobbyist" practitioners. If you compete you may be promoted less quickly because the standard is higher.

I am an almost 11 month white belt beginning to compete and in academy rolls I can hang with almost any female blue and some purple belts (I'm female). I train 5 or 6 days a week typically for 2 to 3 hours at a time. My training partners say that I will "for sure" get my blue soon, but I have a feeling the instructors will hold me back, for two reasons: 1. Competition and 2. To teach me patience and humility.

 

[method115]

Belts are just awful anyway. Belts in BJJ aren't based on % knowledge of a defined universal curriculum. They aren't based on performance (see: world champ purple vs. a recreational black belt). If it's a subjective criteria (rolling with person X feels like a purple belt!), that makes it even weirder. So what the hell else do you base it on?

Personally, I started in 02. It took me 3 years to get my blue, another 4 to get my purple, 2 years to brown, and then 2 more for black. Then the normal time allotments for my BB degree after that. Truth be told, I hate my rank. It feels ridiculous to have the same belt rank as world champs, when there is a clear difference in competitive ability. Either they should be double black belts, or I should be something less. Then factor in that world champ non-black belts could beat me makes it feel even more ridiculous. The belt system has no thought behind it.

Judo has a good system for belts, but it was designed from the top down as a system to be learned, not one that organically grew from the bottom-up like BJJ. I think BJJ should be akin to wrestling, or boxing; which is to say, without rank. Let accolades speak for ability, let cultivated talent speak for coaching skill.

This isn’t why I don’t really care to much. I do think there should be a belt system just to get an idea of somones skill level (espicially helps with making sure your instructor is legit). When you watch one black belt submit another with as much ease as I do a white belt though it really blows my mind.

 

[Evenflow80]

I don't know man. At my gym I'm fairly sure there are different promotion criteria for "competitive" vs "hobbyist" practitioners. If you compete you may be promoted less quickly because the standard is higher.

I am an almost 11 month white belt beginning to compete and in academy rolls I can hang with almost any female blue and some purple belts (I'm female). I train 5 or 6 days a week typically for 2 to 3 hours at a time. My training partners say that I will "for sure" get my blue soon, but I have a feeling the instructors will hold me back, for two reasons: 1. Competition and 2. To teach me patience and humility.

Interesting, so at your academy they sandbag competitiors? I've heard of that, even though I thought at most academies it was the opposite: those that compete (and medal) get promoted quicker than hobbyists.

Also 5-6 times a week 2-3 hours each time is a ton of mat time. How much do you roll / spar each session/class?

 

[Evenflow80]

This isn’t why I don’t really care to much. I do think there should be a belt system just to get an idea of somones skill level (espicially helps with making sure your instructor is legit). When you watch one black belt submit another with as much ease as I do a white belt though it really blows my mind.

Happens a lot. Just last week I saw a blue belt submit our newest black belt.

Granted, hes our resident blue belt gym assassin (best Blue we have IMO) and hes tall and lanky, while the black belt barely trains anymore and is much smaller (about my size). Still, it was surreal to see....

 

[berimBOWLoh]

im told im getting my black belt at the promotions on saturday. Less than 8 years. Feels fast. I got my blue in 1, purple in 3, brown in 5 and will get my black in about 7.5 years. Im just a hobbyist.

my gym is also the biggest and one of the most respected in Canada. So is my instructor. I just trust his judgement. it doesnt really matter i would train whether i got it fast, slow or not at all.

 

[Evenflow80]

im told im getting my black belt at the promotions on saturday. Less than 8 years. Feels fast. I got my blue in 1, purple in 3, brown in 5 and will get my black in about 7.5 years. Im just a hobbyist.

my gym is also the biggest and one of the most respected in Canada. So is my instructor. I just trust his judgement. it doesnt really matter i would train whether i got it fast, slow or not at all.

Congrats man! Sounds exactly like the promotion timeframe at my academy too.

 

[beat...people...up?]

Interesting, so at your academy they sandbag competitiors? I've heard of that, even though I thought at most academies it was the opposite: those that compete (and medal) get promoted quicker than hobbyists.

Also 5-6 times a week 2-3 hours each time is a ton of mat time. How much do you roll / spar each session/class?

Oof, I guess you could call it sandbagging. :/ I'm not sure, really; it may also be that they take into account a person's age, strength or lack thereof, etc. and reward those who master techniques even if they can't beat the stronger people in practice. They also say it's based on attitude. For instance, we have one blue belt who closes out at comps but is a bit of a gym bully, and thus has not been promoted.

I roll for about half of each session. I probably enjoy rolling too much and could deal with some more drill focus, though it's hard to round up people for drills when we all have different schedules.

 

[kenpeters8]

Plenty of academies now a days promote sympathy belts. When you train long enough, the professor will promote you. It's either a lot of people don't deserve their belts now a days, or they're promoted too soon. The sad thing is, all those professors that promote too quickly and promote sympathy belts are all legit as fuck. I guess it's just business now a days.

 

[KikoJones]

Happens a lot. Just last week I saw a blue belt submit our newest black belt.

Granted, hes our resident blue belt gym assassin (best Blue we have IMO) and hes tall and lanky, while the black belt barely trains anymore and is much smaller (about my size). Still, it was surreal to see....

You're putting too much emphasis on the color of the belt. Believe me Strength, Athleticism and Age are factors. You said it yourself, the Blue is a Gym Assassin and the Black is small and barely trains.

Now compare the Black Belt to another Black belt or even a Blue belt of the same age, height, length of time training and conditioning and would he do well?

Its surreal if you put the color of the belt on a pedestal.

 

[Fla graplr]

I can chime in on why competitors can take longer to belt. Yes they are talented and beat people of equal or higher hobbyists but there is more at play. I compete a lot. Much of my time is practice and hitting the timing of my A game and putting a big emphasis on conditioning and being able to go hard. Given this, in spend less time trying to hit the move of the day or play I guard I know I dont like. Experimenting with new things a lot is a big way to expand upon your overal jiujitsu experience and improve your whole game and knowledge, but not the best way to prepare for the tourney in two weeks against a guy who you know hits a specific move and you have a specific thing you need to drill to win...this all depends on how individuals approach training for comps and what coaches look for.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I know this is a topic that is done to death, but I can't help but remain concerned over this.

At my academy, if you come and train at least 3 times a week, you will get your blue at 1 year and purple at 3 years, brown at 5, and black at 7 years.

I'm pretty consistent, train 4 - 5 times a week, and now as a 4 stripe blue I am basically 4-5 months away from getting my purple which makes it exactly 3 years to get purple.

There is no question my professor is legit as hell, multiple Pan am and even a Worlds no-gi gold. Countless smaller comp wins.

I've only competed 4 times so far, all as blue. Got a gold, two silvers, and a bronze. So I do all right against other academies I guess, but not stellar by any means.

At what point is getting a belt in BJJ too quick to be considered a fake, mcDojo belt? is getting a purple at 3 years a joke? I am hardly a phenom at all, pretty decent but nothing special.

Basically, based on your experience and thoughts, what would you consider as the most legit number of years to get to each belt? And any less than that number you would consider that person to be not as legit?

Speaking of normal people, not prodigies who compete and medal 12 times a year.

Thanks!

Due to work and other factors, I get precisely one training session per week. I estimate I'll get my Black Belt roughly 3 years after I'm dead. So fuck your First World BJJ Problems, bro

Joking aside, you've already said your instructor is legit, so don't worry about it. Just trust his opinion. If he's a good as you say he is, he won't promote you until he thinks you're ready.

 

[Evenflow80]

Oof, I guess you could call it sandbagging. :/ I'm not sure, really; it may also be that they take into account a person's age, strength or lack thereof, etc. and reward those who master techniques even if they can't beat the stronger people in practice. They also say it's based on attitude. For instance, we have one blue belt who closes out at comps but is a bit of a gym bully, and thus has not been promoted.

I roll for about half of each session. I probably enjoy rolling too much and could deal with some more drill focus, though it's hard to round up people for drills when we all have different schedules.

That really does sound like a ton of training, damn. In rare cases like yours then yeah, I wouldn't question you getting your blue at one year at all. You've put in 2+ years of average mat time in a years time. You're bound to be good.

Also sandbagging competitors isnt a bad thing at all. In my last tournament I went up against probably my toughest roll yet. Guy was a beast, and wasn't even that big. Later was told he was one of Barett Yoshida's competitors, meaning he has probably been a blue belt for like 6 or 7 years!!

 

[Evenflow80]

Due to work and other factors, I get precisely one training session per week. I estimate I'll get my Black Belt roughly 3 years after I'm dead. So fuck your First World BJJ Problems, bro

Joking aside, you've already said your instructor is legit, so don't worry about it. Just trust his opinion. If he's a good as you say he is, he won't promote you until he thinks you're ready.

This is probably the mindset I am leaning towards. If my professor is legit then I shouldnt question his decision to promote me.

And yeah, believe me I know all about work and family as you get older preventing you from training

 

[beat...people...up?]

That really does sound like a ton of training, damn. In rare cases like yours then yeah, I wouldn't question you getting your blue at one year at all. You've put in 2+ years of average mat time in a years time. You're bound to be good.

Also sandbagging competitors isnt a bad thing at all. In my last tournament I went up against probably my toughest roll yet. Guy was a beast, and wasn't even that big. Later was told he was one of Barett Yoshida's competitors, meaning he has probably been a blue belt for like 6 or 7 years!!

I feel like blue belts have one of the widest spreads of ability of all of the belts, perhaps because most people stay there for SO long. I almost wonder if there should be another belt category added within blue, but defer to those with much more experience in the sport. Sounds like a fun comp experience, though. Did you win or did he?

As for my case, I don't know, but we'll see. I only train that much because I love every second of it, so belt color shouldn't matter. It only matters to me when some visiting purple belt guy comes over and decides to spend our whole roll "teaching" me stuff I already know without letting me work at all.

 

[560ti]

I'm pretty consistent, train 4 - 5 times a week, and now as a 4 stripe blue I am basically 4-5 months away from getting my purple which makes it exactly 3 years to get purple.

4-5x a week is on the higher end of a hobbyist. If you pulled that off for 7 straight years with no substantial breaks/time-off then I would imagine you would be at very worst a respectable brown.

It's hard to get an accurate time-frame to be honest. Some schools might have only 1 hour practices while others have 1.5-2 hour (12 years at school A might be the same mat time as 8 years at school B). Gym hopping and extended periods of time off usually delay most people as well

I feel like blue belts have one of the widest spreads of ability of all of the belts, perhaps because most people stay there for SO long

I would say that and because the person isn't experienced enough to deal with people who have come from other backgrounds.

If you have 2 low level blue belt with one having 400-600 hours of mat time while the other guy has that plus 300-500 extra hours of wrestling/no-gi (before starting BJJ) then the skill gap is gonna be huge since the first guy doesn't have enough hours to make the skill gap low

By the time you reach purple the gap closes significantly since the BJJ only guy has enough experience to where the extra couple hundred hours of the 2nd guy isn't as big of a deal