What does your rank mean to you?

It's a big bullseye on my face that whispers into the ears of heavyweights, "He's done this longer than you, so you should go 100% and crush him."

It means I have a long ways to go.

I have said this before, but since it is a compelling argument I will restate. What was Mohamed Ali's belt? Jordan's? Dan Gable's? They are superlatives to my point. Reaching the top through results and not recognition. If you want to instruct you better get promoted under someone credible or win in competition and beat those who were promoted legitimately. If you can beat them, I'd say mission accomplished.

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Originally Posted by bobby rivers

I have said this before, but since it is a compelling argument I will restate. What was Mohamed Ali's belt? Jordan's? Dan Gable's? They are superlatives to my point. Reaching the top through results and not recognition. If you want to instruct you better get promoted under someone credible or win in competition and beat those who were promoted legitimately. If you can beat them, I'd say mission accomplished.

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Word. but I still have a long ways to go.

You and me both brother.

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Originally Posted by Ian "ifreez" Freemantle

I have often heard people talk about where they got their rank. For example, to get a black from Saulo Ribeiro, or a brown from Marcelo Garcia, is much more impressive than to get one from Mike Grades, or Phil Salvagy (just example names).

However, even some people on internet forums collaborate and try to propagate that a purple under Bravo, is like a blue in BJJ, (get this) even though 10th Planet purples who *don't* have a 'foundation' (read, gi), win against gi-trained purples in competition.

This proves the whole, "you need to at least start in a gi", to be a booshite argument (the argument that states Prokopos, Bollinger, and Einstein, are good cause they started in the gi.)

Yet, it's like the Tea Party -- a lie makes it all the way around the world, before the truth gets out of bed -- the whole you need a gi to start argument is pure boochit.

Anyways, test it out, for just as many people who criticize your 10th Planet rank in the BJJ community, the are equal, probably more who envy your rank in the same BJJ community. Those that have a 10th Planet in their city know it's legit because we meet them on the mat in competition. Plus, I have met many in the BJJ community that are very cool with 10th Planet -- rubber guarding and all.

Nonetheless, your rank should only mean something to you and you instructor, how you feel about your game, and how you do on the mat, whether at your school, competition, or visiting other schools, no?. Why should you care about what others think?

Question, does it even matter to you what the BJJ community thinks about 10th Planet JJ? If they don't want to respect your accomplishments, should that even mean shit to you?

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Ian, I have NEVER heard ANYONE say that a purple belt in the 10th Planet system is a blue anywhere else.
If you did, you can trust that it is simply not true.

I trained in the Gi for four years. It's been another four years since (8 years of training total) and occasionally I'll put on a Gi and train with friends at other schools. There is no reason for this, it's just fun to roll with friends and if they prefer the Gi, I'll look at it as a chance to test myself. Keep in mind that these are guys who train at TOP BJJ SCHOOLS in California. All I can say is BJJ is BJJ, Gi, or No-Gi. Obviously what I am lacking in the Gi are chokes that utilize the Gi, but that isn't my game anyway. It never was, not even when I played in the Gi.

We had a couple guys visit Marcelo Garcia's academy when he was still in Miami. These guys only received a blue belt in the Gi, but were already purple belts in the 10th Planet system. As a show of respect to Marcelo, these guys put on a blue belt to train when in the Gi. Marcelo told them to go put on their purple belts to train. Marcelo and Eddie have mutual respect for each other and Eddie is a black belt under one of the most infamous Jiu Jitsu practitioners of all time. They put on their purple belts to train and had a great time training with Marcelo, who is by the way an amazingly welcoming and talented person. Just FYI...Eddie calls Marcelo the greatest grappler of all time. How is that for a show of respect!

Also, there are many other instructors and other schools that promote students that train 100% No-Gi. The Avellan brothers are a good example of this. They are incredible grapplers, and have a 100% No-Gi program in Florida. David Avellan has had many incredible matches, one being against the great Rener Gracie. Rener wore a Gi to prove a point against David, who wore No-Gi and practices solely No-Gi. The score was 13-7 Avellan. Obviously Rener is a great grappler and a great black belt. I am a big fan of his, but the Gi doesn't make the grapper. The grappler makes the grappler.

You should watch Enrico Cocco. I am a big fan of his game. He went from white belt to black belt all No-Gi and now has his own 100% No-Gi school in Florida. Someone should tell him he's not a REAL black belt. That would be hilarious...especially considering that he submits nearly everyone he faces, gets picked by Brian Cimins to do super fights at Grapplers Quest events, and is a total beast on the mat.

Train a game focused on technique, not strength and size, and evolve. If you get a black belt some day in the 10th Planet system, you can be sure that that shit is as real as it gets.

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Originally Posted by Jason Eisner

the Gi doesn't make the grapper. The grappler makes the grappler.

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Yummy. I like that

i dont feel rank means anything ive changed instructors 3 times in the last year one cause he wasnt teaching anything the next retired and moved back to brazil and now im with Marcelo but i rep 10th planet as well. Ive beeen a blue belt the last 2 years and have been training 3years total but i tap purple belts and have tapped a few brown belts ( using 10th planet techniques just thought id say that) and in the end it means nothing to anyone but me and thats how i like it. I do jiu jitsu and Martial Arts for my self improvement if i have to sit back and wonder and worry about what people think and say ill sit there forever and be stressed rather then enjoying the fact that what i do who i rep Effects thier lives so much so that they feel the need to Hate look down on and talk poorly about, and in the end still lose to me little old me whos just keeping it real with myself enjoying what i do and living my life one technique at a time.

Life is only about Self improvement and the journey there in....

when talking mma I think you rank is a snitch, the last thing I want to hear in a venue as I walk out is " he's a blue belt in 10th planet" or whatever. My opposition if he didn't do his home work, doesn't deserve to know what my ground is. Go on the internet spy on the gym whatever, I'm not gonna give you the info though, ya know? grappling comps totally different. I will say though I'm proud to be a part of 10th planet, and do look forward to moving up in rank. but when I sign up for fights it'll say Anu academy for ground. and thats it! lol

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Originally Posted by Jason Eisner

Ian, I have NEVER heard ANYONE say that a purple belt in the 10th Planet system is a blue anywhere else.
If you did, you can trust that it is simply not true.

I trained in the Gi for four years. It's been another four years since (8 years of training total) and occasionally I'll put on a Gi and train with friends at other schools. There is no reason for this, it's just fun to roll with friends and if they prefer the Gi, I'll look at it as a chance to test myself. Keep in mind that these are guys who train at TOP BJJ SCHOOLS in California. All I can say is BJJ is BJJ, Gi, or No-Gi. Obviously what I am lacking in the Gi are chokes that utilize the Gi, but that isn't my game anyway. It never was, not even when I played in the Gi.

We had a couple guys visit Marcelo Garcia's academy when he was still in Miami. These guys only received a blue belt in the Gi, but were already purple belts in the 10th Planet system. As a show of respect to Marcelo, these guys put on a blue belt to train when in the Gi. Marcelo told them to go put on their purple belts to train. Marcelo and Eddie have mutual respect for each other and Eddie is a black belt under one of the most infamous Jiu Jitsu practitioners of all time. They put on their purple belts to train and had a great time training with Marcelo, who is by the way an amazingly welcoming and talented person. Just FYI...Eddie calls Marcelo the greatest grappler of all time. How is that for a show of respect!

Also, there are many other instructors and other schools that promote students that train 100% No-Gi. The Avellan brothers are a good example of this. They are incredible grapplers, and have a 100% No-Gi program in Florida. David Avellan has had many incredible matches, one being against the great Rener Gracie. Rener wore a Gi to prove a point against David, who wore No-Gi and practices solely No-Gi. The score was 13-7 Avellan. Obviously Rener is a great grappler and a great black belt. I am a big fan of his, but the Gi doesn't make the grapper. The grappler makes the grappler.

You should watch Enrico Cocco. I am a big fan of his game. He went from white belt to black belt all No-Gi and now has his own 100% No-Gi school in Florida. Someone should tell him he's not a REAL black belt. That would be hilarious...especially considering that he submits nearly everyone he faces, gets picked by Brian Cimins to do super fights at Grapplers Quest events, and is a total beast on the mat.

Train a game focused on technique, not strength and size, and evolve. If you get a black belt some day in the 10th Planet system, you can be sure that that shit is as real as it gets.

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Thats good stuff Jason.
Ive heard that Jake Shield has only trained no gi does anybody know if there is any truth to this.