When did you submit your first blackbelt?

[JeremyDeschner]

LOL If I submit a Black Belt I always have a feeling in the back of my mind that they let me win. Maybe it's just me. IDK...

[Tony Toffolo]

this is why so many instructors find it a must to crush and dismantle there students, because dudes might get on facebook or forums and talk shit, not realizing there instructor let them get the tap or went at half speed. those dudes are there own worst enemy, because they force there instructors to kill them constantly and they get there spirits broken, it puts instructors in a wierd spot were they don't want to break there students spirit, but they also don't want them talking shit on online, "what happens in the gym should stay in the gym "

Yep

[DanConway]

I've caught a brown belt, purple belts with black belts/15+ years in other grapling arts, but all in free rolling.. But I can tell you in each case, they were taking it very easy, choosing NOT to do many things they could of the entire roll, and let many things happen just for the benefit of me learning or just getting a rep in on something in live rolling, OR to put them self in a situation they don't get in often or are weak in just to play around with it. At best, in addition to taking it very easy most of these submissions were on times they were already tired, or just being lazy and didn't expect such a sudden submission. Yes, they left their guards down and were caught for it, but it hardly means anything as they assuredly were not engaging with any intention throughout the roll.

If you are training somewhere without ego's, it shouldn't be that big a deal to tap someone with a significant rank, but thatch no reason not to let it give you a little self confidence boost all the same.. ;] If its competition and you beat a much higher ranked opponent, than I think you earned being able to brag humbly a little to friends ;D

[Kurzy]

I have to relate this to striking. My background consists of striking, mainly TKD. I know when I was a lower ranking belt, I could sometimes make a nice head kick on a black belt that would have been critical in a full contact scenero, but big deal: That same black belt would have already made a million critical-like head kicks on me loooong before that.

So while it is a sweet feeling to bask in the rays of self-success after pulling a move like that, you also have to keep it real with yourself, and like other people here have mentioned, remember that higher ranking belts are typically going easy on us lower belts.

Stew (Landry) will roll me and pass on a million submissions, just putting them on me slightly so I know what to feel for, and how to defend against it, before moving onto some other move he feels like working on. He will position himself so I can put a d'arce on him or something, and he will not tap unless he has to. )Which is never, because my d'arce sucks shit right now, but it's getting better.)

When I first started noticing that he was passing on subs, and giving my grips, I asked why, and he said to help me learn what to watch out for, what to grab for, what to feel for, etc.

[Sam Sales]

"what happens in the gym should stay in the gym "

^^^ This!
Its standard gym etiquette. :-)

[Jack Hanley]

What was that second one Jack, a heel hook?

Yep, it was a heel hook.

[Mike May]

Free rolling doesn't count for anything. Unless there is something on the line (medals, money, a bottle of bourbon) there are no bragging rights.
If you really want to see how you do against higher ranked individuals: go sign up for a tourney as an advanced competitor, and see if you come home with any new bling.

[brent_littell]

If you catch me it's cause I wanted you to

[Wade Hamilton]

Yep, it was a heel hook.

That was very sick

[Wade Hamilton]

I agree it puts instructors and black belts in weird positions... CM Punk is a white belt and does jiu jitsu and does it when he's free from wrestling in his off time and he was telling a story where a random guy rolling with him put him in an arm bar and CM Punk tapped and he held onto it a little longer then said "I'm telling my kids I got the champ!". I know anyone can be submitted by anyone on any given day and I'm not saying go online to talk shit or let it be an ego boost. The last thing we need is people with egos in BJJ... Most of them quit after a couple months of being humbled constantly... There's a big difference between people who know how to fight, and people who think they know how to fight.

It's just a mental note you take and move on... Not an ego boost or an acomplishment as big as winning the Mundials, just something you can look at... Maybe I worded it wrong, sorry.