Question about belt/stripe progression

harr3929

harr3929

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A little bit of background info:

I wrestled for 6 years in junior/high school and club level during the offseason, was consistently ranked top 10 in the state my last few years. Have been watching MMA for 5-6 years and have read/watched a lot of instructional videos about subs/sweeps/positions and things like that.

Just started BJJ last week (2 nights/week of gi and 2 nights/week of nogi). Because of my wrestling and BJJ knowledge through watching MMA, I feel like I'm doing pretty good. I would like to think that I'm pretty strong for my weight also (been lifting pretty often for the last few years after wrestling). I rolled with one of the whitebelts there who has three stripes for a combined total of probably 20-25 minutes last week and tapped him out 8-10 times while he only got me once. Rolled with another whitebelt with three stripes and probably went 7-1 against him. Both of these guys are within 5lbs of my weight.

The instructor seems suprised at my knowledge of grappling from simply watching mma for years, and I feel like I used techniques he wasn't expecting (Example: I had backmount on one of the earlier mentioned guys, locked up a body triangle to an armbar from back).

I don't want to sound cocky at all, but I feel like I'm better than some whitebelts in my first week due to a lot of wrestling experience and being pretty strong/in good condition.

What I want to know is how this will affect my belt progression. Is it based on how well you do against others of similar belt level or is it based more on just putting in the time and demonstrating techniques that are taught? I've heard both, but stories like BJ getting his black belt quick based off of natural ability make me believe the first.

What is an expectant time for a first stripe for example, and also for a blue belt?

Also, does my performance in my nogi classes affect my belt progression as well? The classes are taught by the same instructor and there are a lot of guys that attend both classes.

Thanks
 
harr3929 said:
A little bit of background info:

I wrestled for 6 years in junior/high school and club level during the offseason, was consistently ranked top 10 in the state my last few years. Just started BJJ last week (2 nights/week of gi and 2 nights/week of nogi). The instructor seems suprised at my knowledge of grappling from simply watching mma for years, and I feel like I used techniques he wasn't expecting (Example: I had backmount on one of the earlier mentioned guys, locked up a body triangle to an armbar from back).


What I want to know is how this will affect my belt progression.
What is an expectant time for a first stripe for example, and also for a blue belt?

Also, does my performance in my nogi classes affect my belt progression as well? The classes are taught by the same instructor and there are a lot of guys that attend both classes.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I reckons if you get gold at your next BJJ competition, you should be promoted to blue. No need for stripes.
 
As someone with that much wrestling experience you'll probably beat up on most white belts but who cares. Just train and let your instructor worry about your belt progression. He'll promote you when your ready
 
I have to think this is a troll attempt too. If not...dont worry about the strips or the belt.
 
It really depends on your instructor.

1.) You could end up rocking all your tournaments with your wrestling skill, and your instructor may promote you fast because there's no point to having you compete at white and waste your time and money.
2.) On the other hand your instructor may want you to win alot and promote your school, in which case he might sandbag you there at white for a while.
3.) He may not care at all about your wrestling skill, and might be looking at your BJJ skills solely and promoting based on that.
4.) He might put the bar really high for you because you have wrestling experience and expect ALOT out of you and thus promote you slower.
5.) There may be no method to his madness and you might just have a blue belt thrown at you sometime within the next yr or so.

In any case, comparing yourself to your peers in rolling isn't a good yardstick. Practice is for honing your techniques and building a solid game, not ranking yourself in some imaginary internal ladder.
 
Even if you were to go in there and smoke blue belts right off the bat, you have to show commitment and dedication, not just skill. BJJ instructors don't give belts out to guys unless it's pretty clear they're going to stick around for a while. For that reason, it will still take a long time before you get your blue. Expect it to take at least a year. If you come at least 4 days a week, learn really fast, and kick ass in competition, you might be pleasantly surprised when you get it at the 8-9 month mark or so.
 
This was definetly not a troll attempt, pretty sure I wouldn't go into such detail if it was.

That being said, thanks to those that replied in a serious manner.
 
harr3929 said:
This was definetly not a troll attempt, pretty sure I wouldn't go into such detail if it was.
Click to expand...

That is what a troll would want us to think.

Also, you are being a tool for worrying about promotion, and especially worrying about stripes, and for worrying about how many time you are tapping each 3 stripe white belt. Your wrestling might help you win tournaments, it may get you promoted faster, but it won't get you better at bjj faster.
 
hell, why not just demand your blackbelt.

seriously, the belt is a peice of cloth. who cares. be a white belt as long as you can. enter comps at a white belt level and dominate. don't rush.

don't get overly cocky either, im sure you can pull of some of these techniques, but it takes months and months of pulling them off before you can turn them into your own, develop them so that you have the timing correctly, and can adequalty gain a grasp about the bjj art.

The art and fighting are two different things. BJJ is a mindset you need to wrap your head around, not just a way of fighting but a way of thinking. Look to a minimum of 6 months to get a blue, even if you start as a blackbelt in sambo, and judo. Its not just the skill your master is looking for.
 
Why not just train and go through life?

You should just train, stop sucking your own junk, and wait for things to happen when they happen.
 
The absolute fastest ive ever seen someone promoted was 6 months. My training partner Carsell is an animal. He took 2nd at Pan Ams, and Mundials. He wrestled throughout HS and college.

He was a force at whitebelt, and was more than capable to compete at blue. He was tapping blues the first month, and purples shortly after.

So i suppose i believe your story of tapping other white belts. But nonetheless, it depends on your instructor really. How well you do in tournaments. How often you train, consistently, etc...

A lot of it is just time. Also when they schedule belt promotions. Thats another factor.
 
Yeah, some instructors have a certain time when they promote everybody. He may do it all at once. He may give one white belt couple of stripes, then promote some guys to a higher belt. So your instructor may promote you when he promotes everybody.

Btw, dont worry about the belt, and just train. It will come.
 
Hows your guard? When someone gets you in a tight triangle, armbar, etc. how techincal are your escapes?
 
he got that good by watching MMA I guess he would escape triangles a la Rampage lol
Sorry if it's not a troll but that's just too funny. I know heaps of people started doing jiu jitsu by watching MMA but becoming good because you are watching MMA fights ... I dunno it's just hilarious
 
Meh ive been doing Bjj for about 3 months, everyone is surprised when i tell them ive only been doing it that short a time, often complimented on my defense etc. Instructor says i should jump up a class and am doing surprisingly well.

Havent been offered a stripe and couldnt care less. Ill get it when they think im ready, and to me thats enough.

In short, forget about the belt, they could hand it over to you tomorrow, but thats just going to make you lazy and cocky, work for it.
 
harr3929 said:
A little bit of background info:

I wrestled for 6 years in junior/high school and club level during the offseason, was consistently ranked top 10 in the state my last few years.
Click to expand...

This is why at whitebelt you are having success especially if you are explosive and athletic, enjoy it because it wont last once you get into blues (unless your Academy has crappy ones). Bottom line at whitebelt strength,explosiveness and previous grappling experience can carry you there. But into upper blue and purple it doesnt mean much. As for progression you have to demonstrate technical ability not just pure strength. When you can consistantly tap purple belts just starting out then thats something to be proud of, but consistantly tapping whites really isnt a big deal especially given the background you have in wrestling.
 
hilarious.

expect your blue when you can submit a better wrestler, if there is one in the universe.
 
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