"Online Belts" vs. "Live Belts"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV5eYLo3nCU



Gracie University was created in 2008, and as of this month there are over 90,000 students learning Gracie Jiu-Jitsu online in 196 countries. In this important discussion, Ryron and Rener reveal, for the first time ever, how the advanced belt testing process (for purple belt and beyond) will take place for students who are learning online through Gracie University. They also discuss the significant differences between the online belt promotion process used for Gracie University students and the live belt promotion process used for Gracie Academy students, as well as the strengths and limitations of each of both learning methods.

I think this vid was made in response to comments against online belting going around on the internet. Here is one article that was making its way around facebook last month

http://www.bjjee.com/articles/murilo...ne-black-belt/

This pretty bad for sure. I'm sure they will make a lot of money off of this, but having people walking around, starting schools and stuff, as Gracie online black belts is ridiculous.

I think spreading JiuJitsu is positive in any form and they're TRYING to make it somewhat legit. However, when you try to balance integrity vs millions of dollars, you know which way it tends to sway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sean applegate

This pretty bad for sure. I'm sure they will make a lot of money off of this, but having people walking around, starting schools and stuff, as Gracie online black belts is ridiculous.

---

I don't think there are Gracie Online Black belts? Not yet anyway. Possibly I misunderstood but I thought they said the highest anyone could advance up til now has been 4 stripe blue belt, as there has been no purple belt "test" until now.

That said, I agree. I do like that they say straight up in the video that MOST people, can't learn bjj online, and that you need an instructor (though they also say that there are a small percentage of people who can). I will say, that of all the online training programs I've seen, this is probably the least sketchy of all of them. Every time I watch one of their videos I'm tempted to sign up (the feeling fades over time, however). Rener is like Bill Clinton to me, in that, even when he's saying something I disagree with, I'm like "Yeah Bill! Preach it." and then an hour later I'm like Waaaiiitaminute.........

Frankly, I love it. This is what the internet was built for: moving information!

I don't really care what they do for their belt promotions, I think the argument is religious and vain without involving the internet.

i think its a pretty tight system to be honest. i mean no matter what happens. people slip through the belts sometimes, they have a good day on their promotion day or whatever. they used to train hard and now theyre fat and sloppy. but i think to the best of their ability they have got a system where someone who puts in the hours will get further. and they do have to roll with them for the belt, and tbh i cant see anyone getting their black belt through this for a long time yet. i think by the time youd get to brown youd either move to a gym or give up.

and as far as an online belted person goes as a teacher. ive seen horrible instructors and brilliant instructors. i think the amount of experimenting they would ahve to do would help give them a good idea on how to break positions down.

id be keen to see how this works, maybe eddie could even try something similar.

with 90,000 members, I'd be able to charge $1 a year and still be able to buy enough cigarettes to last me and my family our whole lives

I'm rich bitch!

The only way we will really know is to wait until some one has gone completely from white to black through their program to find out how they stack up to some who did it in person with them. Otherwise we're all speculating until the data is in.

also from my understanding of the video you can only get your Blue Belt (Combatives/Self Defense Course) and inter belt stripes via online testing but the actual promotion between belts e.g. blue to purple etc. is done in a live test with I'm assuming is done with Ryon or Rener or someone they authorized to do so. Which i think is an important distinction to make in this discussion.

I think this is dope. Its the best system I've heard of when it comes to promotion and development through the internet. The highest person they've had through this program is lower than purple, so it will take forever before someone even gets close to black. The process is so rigorous and so intense, it almost discourages those looking for a quick belt thinking online will be easy. Its a curriculum based, well thought out, well planned system. purple, brown and black belt tests have to be done in person and its no a guarantee, they even mentioned that they could even work on things that need sharpening before reconvening with the student in a few months.

Gracie University sounds like the most structured program when it comes to the development of what they identify as most important through the progression of bjj. Maybe other high level black belts or teams will think otherwise, or prefer to follow a different path or curriculum but it sounds very tough and awesome. They're doing the best they can to develop the most complete students they can. The standards are much higher than their own academy students so we'll see over the next couple years how this plays out, but great vision imo...this is just the opinion of a blue belt though so it would be interesting to hear some brown and blacks chime in...