What does your rank mean to you?

[Jim Allen]

I think Miyagi makes a valid point here which applies to any martial art...

[Jeff Doherty]

It's been said a lot already, but belts don't mean much although sometimes it's nice to have reassurance that your accomplishments don't go unnoticed. You make your own rank based on skill.

[ifreez]

I think belts are a measure of where you are, although many instructors do it differently.

So, yes, I fully believe progress can be measured.

For example, I've heard Leo Vieira say that you get you blue, when you start doing Jiu Jitsu, and applying technique (rather than just wrestling and spazzing out, like most beginners who don't have a clue about what they are supposed to be doing).

You get your purple when you're no longer confused (as in, no more "oh, shit, what do I do from here again?"), but you know your way around the mat very well. And you get your brown when you are a stud at your game, and have very accurate answers from anywhere -- you're 'vocabulary' is sound. Finally, you get your black when you have the maturity to wear one.

Another BB once told me, he gives his blacks when a student's body just does 'Jiu Jitsu' naturally without thinking (paraphrase).

However, my point was that this is a relationship between you and your instructor, and no one else. Too many people are caught up in the, 'where you got your belt' argument. Or the 'what does my belt mean in the broader community?' argument. My opinion is that when you start stressing over what your belts means to others, you've lost an important character trait.

It is important to have rankings that aren't laughed at, of course. But, it is beyond sensible to start that whole, 'a brown at your school is like a blue at mine' argument.

[Dustin C.]

the guy didnt respect any of what Ive accomplished or learned or the time I put in and he gave me a white belt Im not into that at all, just wanted to train and learn some new stuff. So, I put it on. I smashed him, his purple blue and brown belts.

My view, the belt shows the time someone has put into the art...and I have respect for anyone who dedicates that much time to this sport or any sport for that matter. But dont lose sight of the fact that there are many people who have lots and lots of time in this sprot and art and have taken an unconventional path....dont discredit their mat time and their hard work over the belt they wear.

^^ this