I am confused.

[Justin W.]

You gotta recognize talent. Sometimes people think they are a belt but really aren't that because they you certain fundamentals. But I know you are the ish, so they gotta recognize game. Nothing is more telling than your performance at major tournaments, however.

Just clarifying again, I'm not saying I should get promoted or that any of that was directed at me but this guy also said "If someone wins the mundials, doesn't mean they should get promoted" I'm just genuinely curious as to what he means by all of this.

[David Rosado]

Every instructor promotes differently. BJ Penn became a black belt in 2 years. I suppose your instructor would've kept him at blue. LOL.

I personally disagree with your instructor's approach. I think it makes more sense to judge based on performance not time. A shitty blue belt shouldn't get a purple belt because he's been a shitty blue belt for 3 years. He should remain a shitty blue belt until he shows improvement to merit a purple. Likewise, a phenomenal blue belt shouldn't be held back just because they've only been blue for a short time.

Examples off the top of my head:
BJ Penn: Black belt in 2 years (and mundal winner shortly after that)
Andre Galvao (Purple for less than a year)
The 10th planet Freakshow brothers (got to purple in like a year and a half I think?)


That's my opinion for what it's worth coming from a shitty white belt. LOL.

[Kyle Spalla]

Oh no, I wasn't talking about myself getting promoted. He didn't direct these things at me, he said it as a general statement to everyone. I'm not saying I deserve to be promoted or anything. I was just wondering what he meant and he's not portuguese lol

Please DIRECT him to an English class. Till then just nod your head and try not to piss him off.

[sean applegate]

Meh, just because you tap someone doesn't mean you know nearly as much about jiu jitsu as them. It really doesn't mean much at all to be honest.

There is way more to getting belted than tapping higher ranked players out, but it definitely helps

Here is a for instance.
I have a guy in my school that has really picked the guard game up fast. So fast, that he was tapping blues in tournaments at 3 months. His clinch is good, his hips are good, and his timing is good. He has even put a beating on a few purples that have come through the school.
Now, with that being said, there are other white belts in the gym that can crush him. Why? Am I holding them all back to long? Does he deserve a blue belt for tapping these people regularly? No.
All the other white belts just pass and tap him. He is only dangerous from there. His game is far to narrow. Because of this, his understanding of jiu jitsu as a whole is much less than many of people he is tapping.

Not blue belt level jiu jitsu.

Maybe that's close to what he meant? Or he could just be crazy...

[Justin W.]

Meh, just because you tap someone doesn't mean you know nearly as much about jiu jitsu as them. It really doesn't mean much at all to be honest.

There is way more to getting belted than tapping higher ranked players out, but it definitely helps

Here is a for instance.
I have a guy in my school that has really picked the guard game up fast. So fast, that he was tapping blues in tournaments at 3 months. His clinch is good, his hips are good, and his timing is good. He has even put a beating on a few purples that have come through the school.
Now, with that being said, there are other white belts in the gym that can crush him. Why? Am I holding them all back to long? Does he deserve a blue belt for tapping these people regularly? No.
All the other white belts just pass and tap him. He is only dangerous from there. His game is far to narrow. Because of this, his understanding of jiu jitsu as a whole is much less than many of people he is tapping.

Not blue belt level jiu jitsu.

Maybe that's close to what he meant? Or he could just be crazy...

Spot on post. I completely agree but let's say just for the sake of the argument, the blue belts skill and knowledge far surpasses the brown/black belts at the gym. What reason then would there be to hold someone back? I'm just curious is all. I like how you think.

[Justin W.]

Every instructor promotes differently. BJ Penn became a black belt in 2 years. I suppose your instructor would've kept him at blue. LOL.

I personally disagree with your instructor's approach. I think it makes more sense to judge based on performance not time. A shitty blue belt shouldn't get a purple belt because he's been a shitty blue belt for 3 years. He should remain a shitty blue belt until he shows improvement to merit a purple. Likewise, a phenomenal blue belt shouldn't be held back just because they've only been blue for a short time.

Examples off the top of my head:
BJ Penn: Black belt in 2 years (and mundal winner shortly after that)
Andre Galvao (Purple for less than a year)
The 10th planet Freakshow brothers (got to purple in like a year and a half I think?)


That's my opinion for what it's worth coming from a shitty white belt. LOL.

You don't even wanna know what he said when someone brought up BJ Penn getting promoted in 2 years.

[sean applegate]

You don't even wanna know what he said when someone brought up BJ Penn getting promoted in 2 years.

Caralho?

[GMathewsMMA]

3 years, but BJ trained twice a day, every day and did every competition available for the duration of those years. BJ's also super talented and has always been an absolute monster on the mats, trust me on that one, heh. All of his brothers are also just as good and always have been, so it runs in the family.

[Brent Smith]

And BJ deserved it. I hope to see him come back to BJJ competition. Im sure he'll fight a bit longer though.

[Kyle Spalla]

3 years, but BJ trained twice a day, every day and did every competition available for the duration of those years. BJ's also super talented and has always been an absolute monster on the mats, trust me on that one, heh. All of his brothers are also just as good and always have been, so it runs in the family.

I think BJ is the last person anyone wants to debate his legitimacy. His accolades more than support his belt color and nickname. I would pay big money to see BJ win another Mundial.