Unifying all JJ belt systems

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Originally Posted by Mike May

Sounds like somebody's about go down the dark and ugly road of calling out Zog. Just save yourself the trouble and the grief that will inevitably come from this path of interwebz posturing. This is a great forum, and one of the best martial arts families in existence, so don't fuck up your chance to be a part of it by starting shit with Zog.

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I don't think he's been rude at all and I don't sense he would be. He is just ignorant to believe any of his traditional martial arts experience and knowledge translates to understanding the structure of Jiu Jitsu. That will change with time on the mat.

Yup. Nick hasn't been rude. Disagreeing isn't attacking and is actually throwing the proverbial bone.

Don't take any of it personal, but heed the advice. We jus playin, cause it was a pretty crazy concept.

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Originally Posted by Nick Lerch

I started doing martial arts 20 years ago. Please give me your opinion on how much longer I have to wait to give mine.

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If its that big a deal just buy a black belt and wear it lol. who cares? they're like $15 bucks. no ones gonna tell you no. Just tell people you got it from some gracie in europe, you can roll with a buncha white belts and they'll be like "damn that black belt spanked me but I almost had him like 3 times!" and then BOOOM! instant self gratification.

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Originally Posted by George Katechis

If its that big a deal just buy a black belt and wear it lol. who cares? they're like $15 bucks. no ones gonna tell you no. Just tell people you got it from some gracie in europe, you can roll with a buncha white belts and they'll be like "damn that black belt spanked me but I almost had him like 3 times!" and then BOOOM! instant self gratification.

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Haha thats the most down to earth post I've ever seen on any forum. Way to rep some sanity.

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Originally Posted by Slick Rick

Justin, dude you should get promoted. You're a beast. But with the whole time in belt thing, who knows whether it'll happen. Hey , it happened with BJ right? Just savor the moment because your time will definitely come, and when it does, you'll be that much more appreciative of it. Do what you're doing and smash on the competition. If you are doubting your training, just take a lil break. Maybe take up surfing or focus some more on another activity. As jiu jitsu as my vice, I sometimes need a vice for jiu jitsu. Be multi-talented and have many hobbies.

I know I've been fortunate to be part of some exciting fight camps. But I'm always here to spread the good word to the family. Always have. I was hoping to get there before years end, but it's that time of year and I have millions of things on my list of todo's. I'll be there in 2014, maybe even a few times. Miss you guys brotha!

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With the belt thing, it's pretty old school here. Everyone here had to wait a certain amount of time before even being considered for promotion. It's what everyone had to go through before me (and there have been some monsters), so it's wrong of me to want them to change the way things are, just for me. I don't care at all about belts, except for the fact that it's your ticket to competing at higher levels. Whether I win or get smashed, I just want the opportunity while I'm still young. I moved back home and quit my job so I could train all day every day because I didn't want any reason/excuse to not accomplish my goals. BJ was my inspiration to start because of what he did in BJJ but that goal has come and gone already. Idk man, got some thinking to do for sure. Appreciate the advice.

The pics of the training camps are great inspiration for me. but yeah, I know how it is, man. Super busy lately as well. Hopefully see you soon, bro.

I started martial arts when I was 9 as well, and have spent a large majority of my life involved in them. TKD, Karate, a little Judo as a child, dabbled in Muay Thai, Arnis, Kenpo, whatever I could find and too many to list. I seriously settled and stuck with TKD and excelled at it by the age of 12 and continued to experiment with other martial arts on the side.

Then at 39 I join BJJ at Peterborough 10P, and realized that most advance whitebelts can easily submit a majority of Traditional Martial Arts Blackbelt without breaking a sweat, and without injuring themselves or the opponent.

So now a new journey has begun, in which I am a student and a content BJJ whitebelt, just trying to survive and not tap in 6 minute rounds against guys who are higher ranked and for the most part have 20 to 50 pounds on me, and are typically stronger.

I'm in no rush to get ranked. What I want before I get a blue belt is solid skills that let me compete and win against blue belts consistently. In fact I would probably not accept a promotion until I knew in my heart that I was rolling at a blue belt level and also a threat to purple belts, and I am nowhere near that level right now.

So I keep rollin.

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Originally Posted by Chris Herzog

I don't think he's been rude at all and I don't sense he would be. He is just ignorant to believe any of his traditional martial arts experience and knowledge translates to understanding the structure of Jiu Jitsu. That will change with time on the mat.

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Also, I know I have told this story before, but for Nick's sake I will just say that I walked into 10P my very first time at age 39, as a TKD Black Belt and an established street fighter (From my younger years) and I got tapped out by a 13 year old boy twice in one match.
Heel hook and a guillotine.
This boy was a blue belt and has great technique, but I didn't know wtf was going on or what I was defending against: all I knew was my leg was on fire and I had to say "uncle", and then a few minutes later my throat was closed and I couldn't breathe and I was getting dizzy, and I had to concede again.
....and that's when I decided I had to learn BJJ.

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Originally Posted by Kurzy

In fact I would probably not accept a promotion until I knew in my heart that I was rolling at a blue belt level and also a threat to purple belts, and I am nowhere near that level right now.

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That's another issue, Kurzy, albeit the complete opposite of Nick's. I can tell you in my limited experience in the BJJ community, most newly awarded blue belts don't feel like they deserve the promotion. It's not up to them though. Their instructor is the one with the experience necessary to judge if someone should be promoted. If you attempt to turn down or discourage the promotion, you are questioning their judgement which is disrespectful.

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Originally Posted by Kurzy

I started martial arts when I was 9 as well, and have spent a large majority of my life involved in them. TKD, Karate, a little Judo as a child, dabbled in Muay Thai, Arnis, Kenpo, whatever I could find and too many to list. I seriously settled and stuck with TKD and excelled at it by the age of 12 and continued to experiment with other martial arts on the side.

Then at 39 I join BJJ at Peterborough 10P, and realized that most advance whitebelts can easily submit a majority of Traditional Martial Arts Blackbelt without breaking a sweat, and without injuring themselves or the opponent.

So now a new journey has begun, in which I am a student and a content BJJ whitebelt, just trying to survive and not tap in 6 minute rounds against guys who are higher ranked and for the most part have 20 to 50 pounds on me, and are typically stronger.

I'm in no rush to get ranked. What I want before I get a blue belt is solid skills that let me compete and win against blue belts consistently. In fact I would probably not accept a promotion until I knew in my heart that I was rolling at a blue belt level and also a threat to purple belts, and I am nowhere near that level right now.

So I keep rollin.

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BOOM! This is the mindset of a true Martial Artist.

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Originally Posted by Joseph Hachey

That's another issue, Kurzy, albeit the complete opposite of Nick's. I can tell you in my limited experience in the BJJ community, most newly awarded blue belts don't feel like they deserve the promotion. It's not up to them though. Their instructor is the one with the experience necessary to judge if someone should be promoted. If you attempt to turn down or discourage the promotion, you are questioning their judgement which is disrespectful.

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Well, luckily I am in the fortunate position of training under an instructor who has a discerning eye for quality and consistency, so if the day ever comes that I get promoted, I can't imagine my opinion will be in conflict with his.
I think we will both know when it's time, but I am not no rush. My journey is my own and it's really all just based on self-improvement and health insurance.

Edit - Thanks Zog.