Gi and the belt system ...

I train once a week at Gracie Barra jiu jitsu and I have been training with them over 4months now. I'm a white belt with no stripes. We have class 2 times a week and like I said I only go to one of those due to my work. So I was in class this week and noticed that someone who started after me had "earned" there stripe...This person doesn't even know how to tie there belt correctly . When we do roll I destory him. Question the belt system just based off attendance ? So if you really don't know the fundamentals you can still be promoted? Another funny aspect is I've started using some of the 10th planet system in class and have been giving the blue belts problems with the lockdown and swipes from lockdown. I've been told not to do things I'm not familiar with ...But it seems I'm doing really well with it since I'm trapping everyone in class with it:)

don't think of it dude, stripes and belts don't mean shit

if your instructor tells you not to use lockdown, don't use it. you can use it after someone flattens you out in half guard but that's all I'd advise. at this point it's better for you to work on stopping the crossface in the first place and working traditional half guard and z guard.

just put the reps in and you'll get a belt

Don't listen, don't do things you aren't familiar with? That's the most narrow minded approach you can have. Just keep doing your thing!

if you dont experiment, you wont grow... you can find people with this attitude; that looking outside the box is a bad thing-in all martial arts... i find them very annoying. in my opinion, every aspect of a martial art must evolve by finding the most effective techniques through trial and error

I use to think that a belt actually meant something but after doing martial arts my entire life i've come to the conclusion that it doesn't mean shit. It's all about the knowledge and experience that you gain that's important. I do things not to earn a belt but to be the best that i can be and if that doesn't earn me a rank well screw it.

I train under a Gracie Barra instructor, and he stresses coming to class 3 times a week to get to the next stripe. But I have found he really only gives stripes after you show significant improvement. Like I got a sub on a blue belt and got another stripe. That may just be my teacher though. I don't understand why he wouldn't want you to use the lock down, that's just stupid.

Don't sweat it, bro. The other day, someone in the beginners class got their first stripe, and I got left with none. I had been drilling with him earlier that day and it kind of baffled me that he'd been given a stripe before I had, but the more I thought about it, the more I just told myself that I had to work harder.

It certainly wasn't based on attendance, because I go just as much if not more than he does. My instructor, Master Dedeco, is a 4th degree black belt under Liborio, and got all the way up to his brown belt under De La Riva, so he's as legit as they come. Everyone he's been teaching since he came to the US in 2003 told me, "Whether you know it or not, Dedeco's watching you" and that he'll know when you deserve to be promoted.

It's disheartening when you see someone you feel is beneath you get promoted, but it should only motivate you to work harder and harder to become the best jiu-jitsu practitioner you can be!

Yeah sure... having a belt is cool, but it doesnt mean anything.

Don't compare yourself to others. Just focus on improving your skills and helping your teammates.

You gotta trust your instructor, perhaps he just expects a lot more out of you than others, that's not a bad thing.
When I was a white belt, I had the attitude that I'd rather be one of the best white belts than one of the worst blues.
It'll come, being a white or blue in my opinion should be a very fun time. Always learning new things and no pressure.

How often are you actually attempting the techniques your instructor is teaching you? Your instructor sort of has to evaluate you based on strengths and weaknesses and application of what he teaches you. I also have to say, every story like this I ever heard (but I tap so and so and so and so cant tap me) looked a whole lot different in the gym, and the complaintant was usually very, very deficient in some area that was very important (side control escape, moving the hips when in a bad position, etc). If this isnt the case, stick with it, but if you are not attempting the things you drill and are taught with these guys while you are there, why bother?

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Originally Posted by Jay JC Chow

Don't listen, don't do things you aren't familiar with? That's the most narrow minded approach you can have. Just keep doing your thing!

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+1

Each persons belt rank is a journey between that person and their instructor. For example, there was one guy that used to destroy me on the mats who had been going there longer than I had. I was no where close to his level but out of nowhere I got ranked up before him.

I remember him not being that stoked about it. He didn't lose his shit but he definitely wasn't congratulating me multiple times like everybody else. A week or so goes by and then after class I see him asking our instructor what he needs to improve on. The issue wasn't that he wasn't good, the issue was that he was exploiting the exact same route to beat everybody and he had been doing it for the past year. My instructor sort of used the belt as a way to get him to re-examine his game beyond just being able to tap out most of the class. As a way to push him outside of his winning comfort zone.

I just got my blue belt recently after 4 over 4 years of training BJJ. I was at a Gracie Barra when I felt I was ready for a blue belt, but they didn't promote unless you did the gi (which I didn't). I've trained all over, but I was always my goal to get to HQ. When I finally did, Eddie promoted me after he got to know me and my game.

While it's great to get a belt, its true that the most important part is just to enjoy your journey! It doesn't matter who you can tap or who can tap you, just that you keep on getting better and having fun. Don't be afraid to try new techniques. There isn't one "sacred way" that is the only way things should be done (not just in BJJ, but in life in general). Keep learning and keep training!

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Originally Posted by stlnl

How often are you actually attempting the techniques your instructor is teaching you? Your instructor sort of has to evaluate you based on strengths and weaknesses and application of what he teaches you. I also have to say, every story like this I ever heard (but I tap so and so and so and so cant tap me) looked a whole lot different in the gym, and the complaintant was usually very, very deficient in some area that was very important (side control escape, moving the hips when in a bad position, etc). If this isnt the case, stick with it, but if you are not attempting the things you drill and are taught with these guys while you are there, why bother?

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+1 So so true

just wait till you get your blue belt, it takes 75 classes to get 1 stripe... :)
pretty gay ass way of belt promoting imo...

belts dont mean crap and stripe are even a bigger piece of crap...just have fun and learn everything else will come...anyways what a belt or stripe more than something for your instructor to hold of your head as bait...dont be a sucker just wipe ass and he will be forced to give u a belt or stripe..

I'm not really concerned with the belt system . I just find it strange how someone is promoted when they can't even tie there belt correctly? And obviously wearing the Gi correctly in the Gracie Barra system is a big deal ...Plus the person doesn't know the basic stuff. But I'm more focused on no Gi and the 10th planet system which I train every Sunday now. I enjoy the Gracie class for what it is but I'm not expecting a promotion and will continue to take the class once a week to pick up what I can from it.

It doesn't mater what others think about you at all. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS WHAT 'YOU' THINK OF 'YOU'.
All these politics and mat issues are so typical in MA's its really just ego and whether you like it or not, its going to reel its ugly head time to time. Yeah it can piss you off, but I used to always get amped and go submitting those guys asap. Do the things that make you happy and enjoy the process of improving little by little:)

Eric...I've been training since October of last year...consistently. But I refuse to train gi. Did my first tourney - won ALL of my matches and even took home a gold in absolute division as well. I try and cross train as often as possible to learn as much as possible. To me, its all about experience. My gym is having a belt ceremony this weekend...guess where I will be...Grapplers Quest, competing, takin home dem golds. I will be a white belt lifer. I could care less. :)

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Originally Posted by EricSafier

I'm not really concerned with the belt system . I just find it strange how someone is promoted when they can't even tie there belt correctly? And obviously wearing the Gi correctly in the Gracie Barra system is a big deal ...Plus the person doesn't know the basic stuff. But I'm more focused on no Gi and the 10th planet system which I train every Sunday now. I enjoy the Gracie class for what it is but I'm not expecting a promotion and will continue to take the class once a week to pick up what I can from it.

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You are not concerned, but seem to make a rather large point of a guy having higher rank than you , that you clearly feel is inferior to you. Am I understanding correctly? I think a better way to approach it, is to be honest with yourself. You think you should be recognized/promoted and dont understand why you are not. I dont know why this is (promotion) but I do know who you can talk to about it, and have all angst removed. Just go to your instructor and ask him. Be respectful about it, and frame the question in terms of how you can advance in JJ and heighten your skills. Bad idea to ever directly ask about being ranked IMO, but if you ask correctly, you will at least have an answer and not have to let it worry you.

the reason why he got graded and not you, probably had to do with attendance. people don't grade up very fast if they only train once a week as far as i'm concerned. even if they're dominating the rest of the class and whatever, the instructor will find an excuse..

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Originally Posted by MegFTB

Eric...I've been training since October of last year...consistently. But I refuse to train gi. Did my first tourney - won ALL of my matches and even took home a gold in absolute division as well. I try and cross train as often as possible to learn as much as possible. To me, its all about experience. My gym is having a belt ceremony this weekend...guess where I will be...Grapplers Quest, competing, takin home dem golds. I will be a white belt lifer. I could care less. :)

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Yeah I wouldn't be training Gi at all but it's all we offer at our school...It's a "Gracie Barra" . But I want to train as much as I can so I take the Gi once a week. But have been training more 10th planet's system and it's made the biggest difference in my game.No Gi is a lot quicker then Gi ,So the No Gi has actually helped my Gi jiu Jitsu . Good luck at Grapplers Quest I'm sure you will be taking home dem golds:)

I tapped a a stripped blue belt the other day with a darce. I train at a Relson Gracie gym, and have only been going for about a month or two. I'm a white with no strips, but I know my time will come. Yours will too, homie.

You shouldn't worry about comparing yourself to others where you train. Test yourself at tournaments, the dojo is where you teach & learn. So what if you "Tap" or "Get Tapped" by some one in the gym. How else would you learn, btw them higher ranked over you probably just let you tap them so they could learn as well as help learn you. No point on always trying to look for a "Tap", the position is more important. IMO. White Belt is the best rank anyways.:cool:

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Originally Posted by EricSafier

Yeah I wouldn't be training Gi at all but it's all we offer at our school...It's a "Gracie Barra" . But I want to train as much as I can so I take the Gi once a week. But have been training more 10th planet's system and it's made the biggest difference in my game.No Gi is a lot quicker then Gi ,So the No Gi has actually helped my Gi jiu Jitsu . Good luck at Grapplers Quest I'm sure you will be taking home dem golds:)

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Thanks Eric. Gabby and I will send you pics!

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Originally Posted by FRANK BARCA

It doesn't mater what others think about you at all. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS WHAT 'YOU' THINK OF 'YOU'.
All these politics and mat issues are so typical in MA's its really just ego and whether you like it or not, its going to reel its ugly head time to time. Yeah it can piss you off, but I used to always get amped and go submitting those guys asap. Do the things that make you happy and enjoy the process of improving little by little:)

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+1