I dont really care too much about belt promotions to be honest. However, a gentleman came into my gym the other day weighing about 400lbs and had recently been promoted to purple belt. I know who promoted him, and the instructor is a legit bad ass black belt. That being said, the portly gentleman could not do any kind of armbars, triangles, omaplatas, or basically any offense off of his back. In addition, his guard passing was atrocious. Now, out of curiosity, is there a certain point where a guy is just too damn fat to be promoted because he simply cannot perform basic elements of jiujitsu due to his weight? I am sure the gentleman had awesome weight distribution from top and his takedowns were ok for a non wrestler. Are the weight classes so vastly different that even things like armbars can be dismissed at extreme upper weights for promotion past white belt? Curious if I am out of line with my thought process.
It sounds like the guy has a Jiu Jitsu problem, AND a weight problem. If someone was overweight but could perform for 7 minutes, I would promote him. But hey....who am I?
I have wondered this too, so I am curious for an answer to OP's question or even someone who has seen an overweight person stay at a belt because of their weight. I also wonder if people are promoted for knowing the technique and/or using it effectively. Example: an overweight guy could tell you how to do a technique, but may be unable to pull it off themselves. Should they be promoted as fast as a guy who knows the technique and can use if in sparring, as opposed to the overweight guy who can't. So, basically, after learning techniques, should you have to show you can use them effectively to be promoted? Note: I am tired and haven't read this through, most of it may be gibberish, sorry.
If he can't do the techniques in live sparring, because he's too fat or for other reasons, then he shouldn't get promoted IMO One of the things that makes BJJ legitimate is the fact that you use the techs in live sparring. If you can't do that then the techs are worthless.
Bjj promotion is down to one persons opinion,his instructors. That's it. I think that I'm undergraded but that's my opinion which counts for shit,lol
It is always up the instructor. Maybe he thought he could do it or has sufficient knowledge of it. Or maybe the instructor just said lets promote this guy.
Can he consistently beat 400 pound grossly overweight bluebelts his age? Probably a hard thing to assess!
I think its already been said but to me if you cant execute the necessary techniques for whatever reason then promotion is out of the question, even if your size enables you to put people down and lie on top of them indefinitely, thats not jj.
If he only can pull of say a kimura, but he can defeat higher grades with his size and one move. Does it mean he's ok for promotion?
Was he always fat? Maybe he was less fat at one time and made his progress at that time. Maybe he hasn't trained in a while now. Details?
This is the type of question only a legit black belt instructor can answer. Unless your allowed or qualified to give rankings then it becomes an existential issue. Sounds like he must have got his purple belt through years of service then merit. There are those guys out there too who get promoted based on attendance than actual skill level. There are some athletic fat guys out there who do pretty well...but there certainly nowhere near 400 pounds. These guys are more chubby than fat though too be honest. My instructor promoted a late 40 something year old man to blue belt more so based on years of service than skill level. He said to the advance guys I can't compare him to a 20 something blue belt but comparing to a late 40 something man. I remember rolling with a guest bjj student who was a purple belt(not from my school ) he was 20 something, but skill wise he was a not a purple belt. I felt like I rolling with another white belt. If he is a legit purple he should have at least one great attack from guard and be fine at passing guard.
How tall is this 400 pound behemoth? From reading the OP I don't think he is anywhere near the height it would take to be efficient for a 400 pound guy to do jiu jitsu. Which would be at least 6' 11'.
i know a guy who got promoted to blue without subbing anyone from his back. he was just strong with a smothering top game & he outweighs everyone. he's 5'6 & around 260 lb.
There are plenty of heavy weights that are large and in charge. For instance Otavio de Souza Nalati won the Brasilia 2012 last year and he is massive. So I think the answer is no ( i don't think there is a too fat to be promoted) it depends on the skill set.
