Sandbagging has its good side

...which is that it keeps the belts system in BJJ valid. This way we won

 

I think what he is saying is that a Judo blackbelt doesn't jump into the BJJ black belt competition. He has to work his way through the belt system to compete at that level.

But I could be wrong...

 

Although I don't agree with his post, I think he is saying that we will not have blues with white belt level jiu jitsu, etc.,

 

Just like we see all those TKD "blackbelts". I understand him.

 

I'm not sure I agree completly with your entire statement. There is no real means of regulating the true color of the belt (thus the skills level of the fighter) when someone has decided to sandbag. The rating systems at present (and just sort of knowing the fighters in the bjj/judo community) are the only means of knowing, prior to the matches, that a person may be fighting below their skill level. Personally I've actually seen guys compete in the advanced level on a saturday then the purplebelt devision on a sunday. Even worse I actually saw a blue belt take of the belt he was wearing and put on a white belt just to compete in that devision and win against a less experienced and unknowing apponent. His Couch had actually being the one to tie the belt. I've seen good honest people hurt because of cowardly glory hounds who are to afraid to step up and fight a real match. Sandbaggers are little more than schoolyard bullies picking on the 1st graders. I agree that the sport will continue to grow but not because of sandbaggers forcing the system to keep it honest but rather because competetion leads to growth.


just my two cents

....takes deep breath and steps down off soapbox.....

 

A blue belt can fight a million whites and most likely none will get hurt. They are not like bullies in that way. As for fighting below their skill level, perhaps people will just have to adapt to a higher level of competition. It

 

huh?

 

First dude your post makes absoluty no sence what so ever.Secondly sand bagging has not place anywhere.The reason people sand bagging is they are afraid of having a tough fight on their hands.And they want an easy win.But this is just my 2 cents

 

I have argued against sandbagging on other threads. I really hate it when people sandbag.

Personally, if I had a choice of dropping down or going up a division because of lack of competition. I choose up. When I was white, I won my division, the absolute white division and with only 10 months of ANY grappling training I went up a division and came in second for blue. Kauai Grappler's Paradise November 2004.

As a blue, I have had to compete against a professional mma fighter / no gi advance fighter who wore a WHITE belt in the gi Super Heavy Weight Division of the Hawaii BJJ Open. WHITE! No lie.

I had a broken big toe but thought what the hell and competed. I lost of course by a kimura but I was actually up on points 5 - 0, but could not put weight on my left foot and lost. But I lost to a professional mma fighter / no gi advance competitor in my book who sandbagged that event.

I proposed that the entry blank on any competition must ask the following question.

I (name) swear that I started grappling, wrestling, judo, pancrase, submission wrestling, tjj, bjj, gjj, mjj, on (month and year or just year). I have a total of (enter # of years) years and (enter # of months) months of training and will be competing at beginner, novice, advance, pro level in no gi and (color of belt) in gi. I know that if I lie, misrepresent, sandbag or in any way fraudulently enter a competition I will be stripped of any winning medal and banned for LIFE from competitions.

 

also belt is often a reflection of someones skill not their abitity to win BJJ matchs
though they often go hand in hand they dont always

 

Yes that is my point.

 

Are you concerned with their placement or with yours? Because the way I see it whether you compete or not is what matters, winning is a consequence. In your case since you would rather go up a division than go down you should thank your lucky stars that people go down divisions to fight you because that

 

And BJ Penn would sign that up and laugh.. " I swear that I have practiced BJJ for only six weeks. " Then own the blue belt division and be banned for life for "sandbaggin". That

 

Maybe that is his thought but it's still not a good side of sandbagging buecause the kid in the division that's being honest about his experince may become discourged in his training if he continiously looses.Or may question his instuctors abilities.The honest kid may think man I should be at that level at white belt and that dude just smoked me like I knew nothing.Still no goo in sandbagging.

 

Whether the kid becomes discouraged or not is an issue but what you have to understand is that this is exclusively the kid