So, I know we always talk about how "belts don't matter" all that type of stuff. But every once in a while I let my inner thoughts creep in. I am just about to be 2 years at Purple belt, I have about 650 ish classes trained at purple belt right now and I have one stripe on my belt. I am one of the more consistent people at the gym, I am there 5-6 days a week (7-10 classes a week). For a while I wasn't worried about promotions or stripes but around the start of the year we started promoting more people. 3 of our purple belts got promoted to brown belt and all of them had less classes on their purple belts than I currently have (most of them were around 400-500 classes on purple). In general (without sounding cocky or braggadocios) I tap these people out in most of our rolls as well as our other brown belts/ black belts at the gym. I am at the point now where I am asking myself if I am doing something wrong or doing something that is stopping me from getting promoted. I try to focus on learning and not just winning rounds, and try to get better as a coach/teacher. I am wondering if I should possibly ask my head coach if I should be doing anything differently? Or if I should bring up these concerns to him? Or should I just shut up and try to not think about it as much as possible? I know this post sounds super insecure, and I don't want anyone to this I don't like my gym or would leave my gym. But I know other people on here have probably went through similar things. Probably will end up deleting this post out of embarrassment but I just wanted to hear some peoples opinions.
Last month I celebrated 5 years as a purple belt; almost 4 of those years with 4 stripes on it. Don't know how many classes that is, nor do I care. I'd rather be known as the best purple belt in the room than a mediocre brown or black belt. Sounds like you are being passed over for a reason and a talk with your coach is the only way to find out what that reason is.
Also, if you are a competitor - he may be holding you to a different standard. remember, the belt is YOUR journey and what a brown belt is to you in your professor's eyes is different then maybe for me or someone else.
I know it is cliche, but "comparison is the theif of joy."
I'd recommend getting your professor aside after giving him a heads-up that you'd like to chat with him at a later time so he isn't ambushed - and ask him what you need to work on for brown. I always ask my professor, what do I currently need to work on from your perspective or what is my game needing that I don't see. There is a big difference between this and asking when you will get your next belt etc.
Speak to your instructor/professor about what they think you need to work on or what do they look for in a brown belt. You may already know what you need to work on but asking your instructor is a great way to confirm or learn what the requirements are for you to progress. Stripes are inconsistent between each instructor and in my view are a reflection on where the instructor sees you in your progression. Asking a forum for answers won’t give you what at you want. I suggest you speak to your instructor and seek some answers.
From what I see on your profile, you have been training BJJ for about 5 years. Taking into account the standard IBJJF rules, you should get a bar on your belt about every 6 months if you train regularly, which gives you 2 years of white belt (after 6 months 1 bar, after another 6 months 2 bars, etc.) and after 2.5 years a blue belt. Same thing on blue. Which gives you a purple belt after about 5 years. I think it's a very quick nomination. In most clubs it doesn't happen that quickly.
For example, I was a blue belt for less than 9 years, and a purple belt for less than 4 years. I trained for a black belt for 17 years. And today, looking back, I wouldn't want to get a black belt sooner.
"So, I know we always talk about how 'belts don't matter' all that type of stuff. But every once in a while I let my inner thoughts creep in. I am just about to be 2 years at Purple belt, I have about 650 ish classes trained at purple belt right now and I have one stripe on my belt. I am one of the more consistent people at the gym, I am there 5-6 days a week (7-10 classes a week). For a while I wasn't worried about promotions or stripes but around the start of the year we started promoting more people. 3 of our purple belts got promoted to brown belt and all of them had less classes on their purple belts than I currently have (most of them were around 400-500 classes on purple). In general (without sounding cocky or braggadocios) I tap these people out in most of our rolls as well as our other brown belts/ black belts at the gym. I am at the point now where I am asking myself if I am doing something wrong or doing something that is stopping me from getting promoted. I try to focus on learning and not just winning rounds, and try to get better as a coach/teacher. I am wondering if I should possibly ask my head coach if I should be doing anything differently? Or if I should bring up these concerns to him? Or should I just shut up and try to not think about it as much as possible? I know this post sounds super insecure, and I don't want anyone to this I don't like my gym or would leave my gym. But I know other people on here have probably went through similar things. Probably will end up deleting this post out of embarrassment but I just wanted to hear some peoples opinions."
Biggest thing man is to be there for the enjoyment of the process. That tape could literally fall off mid round and it's not going to effect the rest of your roll. Tangibles can be frustrating, don't get me wrong.....but what you can control is your level of dedication, regardless of recognition. Your time will come, and the other side to it is as you look back....the short years we spend at each belt is such precious time, once you promote to that next belt you lose the ability to have excuses and you want to be at the point where all of your local black belts are urging your coach to promote you. Compete-compete-compete-compete though!
Every time I go to a promotion ceremony, I sit there, waiting, and watching, as other people get promoted with stripes and belts.
I just sit there, and I receive no new belt, and no new stripe.
When I get home, my neighbors ask me, "did you get promoted today?"
And, I sadly show them my bag, and the only thing in there, is a rock.
"What's that," they ask.
And I reply, "that is a very special rock. With this rock, you can make the most amazing soup, from a stone..."
"Soup from a stone? Soup from a stone? We must try, this soup from a stone." they reply, in amazement.
"Do any of you have a clean pot?" I ask.
And so it goes.
"Easier said than done but I wouldn’t worry about it. "
When I first got promoted to purple I was very focused on getting to brown. I knew of some holes in my game that I needed to work on and I worked on them and made huge improvements on them for about 2 years. Still didn't get promoted, but wasn't too bothered by it. Then my body started failing me and I was just happy to still be on the mats a few times per week even if I couldn't do the technique being taught or couldn't roll or had to sit out entirely. It's all about finding your why. Once the why is established it gets a lot easier to not worry about it. For most of us I think we are ultimately just happy to be able to train and making that realization is a big difference maker.
The reason why so many people have to say belts don’t matter is because they do.
No body is ever saying "socks don’t matter."
The belt has as much importance as you grant it, it’s a personal thing. There is nothing wrong with taking a long time to get promoted if you and your coach agree you are not ready yet. The problems only occur when you think you are some where different to where you coach see you.
Open a dialog and explain where you are at in your headspace. Coaches are pretty good and can help you reassess your current skill level to help you align it better and set expectations.
If other people with less consistent time in grade are getting promoted ahead of you, I would definitely ask the coach if there is something you should be doing. If nothing else, it may remind the coach that you are being overlooked. A good coach should have a reason that you are being held back. A great coach would let you know without having to ask. A lousy coach will shrug it off in which case you might want to be looking for another gym.
I think the best thing is to talk to your teacher directly. I wouldn’t ask about graduation; there’s no need to talk about belts or ranks. Just ask him what he thinks you need to improve on—whether it’s technical, strategic, or attitude-related. In the end, graduation should be the result of everything else.
Personally, when I evaluate my students, I don’t do it just based on time or classes attended. There are other technical, mental, and potential criteria that I think they can reach.
Best regards, and don’t let these things cloud your path.
Don’t worry about anybody else. In the end of the day, the reason belts don’t matter is…… if you can take it off and tap higher belts, who cares what belt you’re wearing? As long as you’re progressing every time you go in. Don’t worry about how you look, Worry about what you’re learning, And keep going. Sometimes the best whiskey is aged
"From what I see on your profile, you have been training BJJ for about 5 years. Taking into account the standard IBJJF rules, you should get a bar on your belt about every 6 months if you train regularly, which gives you 2 years of white belt (after 6 months 1 bar, after another 6 months 2 bars, etc.) and after 2.5 years a blue belt. Same thing on blue. Which gives you a purple belt after about 5 years. I think it's a very quick nomination. In most clubs it doesn't happen that quickly. For example, I was a blue belt for less than 9 years, and a purple belt for less than 4 years. I trained for a black belt for 17 years. And today, looking back, I wouldn't want to get a black belt sooner."
I get that I know there are those rules and everything. Like I said I try to not focus on it but every once in a while I get insecure or start to worry I am doing something wrong (my overthinking gets the best of me sometimes). I just view it as a mixture of I put in so much time (350-400 classes a year for the last three years) and skill. Anytime I go to new gyms or new people come to our gym I generally do not have much issue with other purple belts or brown belts. I am not trying to brag as mentioned before, I am just trying to provide context and whatnot for why I asked the question. I also want to state for the record that I don't think anything bad about my friends who got promoted or my coach. I love all those guys and I am happy for them getting promoted and everything.
I think part of this question stems from the fact that when I started Jiu jitsu I was always told that it takes 10 years to get a black belt if you are training regularly, but we have one black belt who got his in 7 years and the coach always said that guy got his black belt that fast because he was special. In my head as a very competitive person who likes to shoot for ambitious goals I told myself I wanted to try to be like that guy and be good enough that I get a black belt in 7 years. I know this is completely arbitrary and I know how quick you get the black belt doesn't matter and it's about the journey. But I guess that thought has always been in the back of my head since I started.
I appreciate you and everyone else giving me thoughtful replies and not dragging me or giving me shit for asking the question.
Honestly if I had it my way at the academy I am the lead instructor at, I’d take away stripes. They mean jack and people tend to look at those as them getting better when in fact it’s not all the time. Takes away drama, comparison material “motivation.” Just me. Be there to make sure you know how to execute a scissor sweep properly not a piece of athletic tape that’s going to fall off anyway.
"Honestly if I had it my way at the academy I am the lead instructor at, I’d take away stripes. They mean jack and people tend to look at those as them getting better when in fact it’s not all the time. Takes away drama, comparison material “motivation.” Just me. Be there to make sure you know how to execute a scissor sweep properly not a piece of athletic tape that’s going to fall off anyway."
We didn’t start to do stripes for most of the time I was coming up through the ranks.
Then again, I’m not convinced belt ranks between white belt, and black belt are really necessary,
Or that degrees after black belt are really necessary, or helpful.
"So, I know we always talk about how 'belts don't matter' all that type of stuff. But every once in a while I let my inner thoughts creep in. I am just about to be 2 years at Purple belt, I have about 650 ish classes trained at purple belt right now and I have one stripe on my belt. I am one of the more consistent people at the gym, I am there 5-6 days a week (7-10 classes a week). For a while I wasn't worried about promotions or stripes but around the start of the year we started promoting more people. 3 of our purple belts got promoted to brown belt and all of them had less classes on their purple belts than I currently have (most of them were around 400-500 classes on purple). In general (without sounding cocky or braggadocios) I tap these people out in most of our rolls as well as our other brown belts/ black belts at the gym. I am at the point now where I am asking myself if I am doing something wrong or doing something that is stopping me from getting promoted. I try to focus on learning and not just winning rounds, and try to get better as a coach/teacher. I am wondering if I should possibly ask my head coach if I should be doing anything differently? Or if I should bring up these concerns to him? Or should I just shut up and try to not think about it as much as possible? I know this post sounds super insecure, and I don't want anyone to this I don't like my gym or would leave my gym. But I know other people on here have probably went through similar things. Probably will end up deleting this post out of embarrassment but I just wanted to hear some peoples opinions."
Hy!
Looks like you are a good purple belt. Don’t count how many sessions or lessons you had.
Do you have a curriculum you guys have to follow for a belt test or do you get promoted when you coach thinks you it’s time?
If I would be you I would ask your coach what do you have to work on to progress.
I am training, learning and teaching grappling for 15 years now, 6 years and 3 months purple belt now being on the mats 3-4 times a week on a recreational level🤷♂️…. I am proud I reached that level and really took the time to fit in that belt…Maybe I have a different view on belts and levels. I just enjoy training and learning on my individual level and pace, independent of the belt I wear around my waist.
Be proud of you that you are such a good purple belt within this short time period you train and don’t be disappointed other peeps you maybe „tap“ get promoted….take Individual circumstances into the account , everyone is different. You for sure will upgrade and progress… take your time, enjoy your training !
"Honestly if I had it my way at the academy I am the lead instructor at, I’d take away stripes. They mean jack and people tend to look at those as them getting better when in fact it’s not all the time. Takes away drama, comparison material “motivation.” Just me. Be there to make sure you know how to execute a scissor sweep properly not a piece of athletic tape that’s going to fall off anyway."
Stripes mean different things in different gyms. Mine, for example every student knows it only indicates how much time you’ve been in class in that belt, After you hit four stripes, you won’t get any more stripes, but it could take you forever to make it to the next belt, if you aren’t progressing. For some, when they hit 4 and are still far behind, they tend to step it up a bit to catch up.
I hear you man. I understand where you're coming from. Id be lying if I said I hadn't questioned some things myself. But, whats helped me to work through those ruminating thoughts was reflecting on trust. I remind myself that I trust my coach to teach me. So I must trust my coach to know when I deserve a promotion. I trust my coach completely. I would drown in the river of his knowledge of jiu jitsu. So I put this in his hands. My challenges towards my next promotion are different that others of my same rank. My strengths and my weaknesses are different than others too. I trust my coach to know what to challenge me with. Even if my next rank takes 7 more years, I'll be ok with that. I just try and get better than I was yesterday.
Stay patient buddy. You got this. Trust your coach and believe in yourself and You'll get through this.
"Trust your coach and believe in yourself and You'll get through this."
I don't think "Trust your coach" is good advice at all. Some coaches are fine and have good reasons for not promoting, but a good coach will let you know what they are if you ask. I know from experience of more than one "coach" who won't promote older people, weaker or less athletic people, LGBT people, or anyone who doesn't "hang out" with him. If you're being held back when others of similar or less experience are being promoted, you need to understand the cause.
Been purple belt for 3 years. Actually had set goals for purple belt I wanted to reach before going to brown. Specifically told the people in my gym what I wanted to do and asked them to wait.
I'd always rather be the purple belt everyone's afraid of than the brown belt people think doesn't deserve their belt.
I remember at purple something clicked for me. In the sense that i had this idea of what the road to black belt looks like (for me).
Not worrying about belts is a lot easier if you have a clear idea of where you want to go and how to get there. Because now you get to focus on your own goals
I don’t mind the advice of asking your coach what he wants to see. I just think it is a more important question to ask yourself what you need to see.
