Once a Black Belt, Always a Black Belt?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Professor Carlos Machado talks about what happens when a BJJ Black Belt takes an extended break from the sport and then comes back. The internet has been all about this topic of does a BJJ Black Belt keep their belt even if they haven't been training for a few years. Let's talk about it and please feel free to comment with your thoughts too. Enjoy the video.
Carlos Machado Black Belt JD Olsen owns and operates Keishidojo Martial Arts Unleashed in Sumter South Carolina. He has multiple Black Belts and is currently studying the art of Jeet Kune Do under Sifu Ron Balicki. Currently, Keishidojo offers classes in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Karate, Filipino Martial Arts, Kids Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, STX Kickboxing, Fitness Kickboxing, and Turbo Kickbox.
#bjj #blackbelt #keishidojo
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[@BMO_Creative]

YES... Of course! It's like getting a masters degree in accounting in the 50s... even if you retire, you still earned that degree!

[@martialartsunlimited01]

Alol, that was my example basically. My masters degree is always mine, yet I know I have forgotten so much from my schooling as I am not using it.

[@BMO_Creative]

@@martialartsunlimited01 lol... Yessir! BUT it is relevant to note the date of the degree... IF you know you haven't been keeping up the practice... Like getting a doctorate BUT still practicing as a doctor so your skills are better than ever!

[@zenshinacademy4096]

I don't think there is a single answer to such a question like this. I think it depends on the system, school, instructors, and the individual training. I know that most think once they get it they are "skilled" as a black belt for life, even if they stop and never go back. I personally think that at some point it should no longer be valid, but that is just me. It should, in my view, be judged on a case to case situation, some could go longer than others without training and maintain or at least qualify with black belt skill level. I have found most who leave, and stay gone even if it has been decades, still think of themselves as black belts in their systems. Not for me to judge others.

[@wrestlefan007]

Yes, once a blackbelt always a black belt. You earned that rank. And that should be respected. But there are levels to the game. It's just like with the military. If you serve you are a veteran. But someone who did 3 tours in 6 years in a war zone and someone who sat behind a desk for 6 years are on 2 different levels with their status. May be a controversial way of putting it, but I see it to a parallel to the conversation.

[@martialartsunlimited01]

Interesting take on the topic. I think I see where you are going with it. 🫡

[@metrolinamartialarts]

You're talking about Enson Inoue. Lol But here's the thing - once a black belt always a black belt. The key is to keep training. Comparison is the killer of joy.

[@martialartsunlimited01]

Hey hey hey, no spoilers buddy. Thinking a 25 yo Black Belt meets their special someone, finishes school, and starts their career and maybe there are even a couple mini me's in the pic. So continuing might not be possible, at least for a while. I know I had to take a couple years break when I was married.

[@nacktheslayer9882]

I think so. I took a 5 year break from taekwondo after earning my 4th dan. My old dojang closed and I decided to start up again at another one founded by an instructor who worked at my old dojang when I was a kid, so same lineage and a very similar curriculum. At first it felt weird being one of the higher ranked students, actually higher than the employed instructors who are 3rd dans, but it doesn't matter to me.

[@martialartsunlimited01]

How long to get your groove back?

[@nacktheslayer9882]

@@martialartsunlimited01 Mentally its there, my body still has some catching up to do. Still having trouble with the double and triple and quadruple kicks, and the more flashy spinning stuff, gotta improve my hips and my flexiblity I think

[@joshuaowens3611]

Belts are a marker for education level. In most styles a first degree black belt is considered an advanced student. We can equate that to high school graduate. I understand that BJJ actually attributes a higher skill level to black belt more akin to a skillful practitioner which I would consider like a bachelor's degree. If we take that model then there should be an appropriate physical skill level commiserate with the level of education. That being said however, one does not lose the education if they stop using the skills for some time. Look at everyone who has a bachelor's degree in something and then never uses it again. Will the skill continue? Probably not, but the education is still there. They do still have a bachelor's degree. You don't suddenly lose your degree because you took time off, got rusty or out of date, and need a refresher.

[@martialartsunlimited01]

Oh man I both agree and disagree with you Josh. I agree that the rank or belt once earned is kept. Although I don't agree with once knowledge is learned is always yours. I think 99% of us all know we can forget things, and I think all knowledge is perishable, meaning not used will be forgotten or lost. Yet I think any learned skill can be retrieved at a quicker rate than initially learned.

[@joshuaowens3611]

@@martialartsunlimited01you and I are saying the same thing. I wasn't arguing that knowledge can't be lost if unused. I agree with you: all knowledge and all skills are perishable. My point was your rank is not a direct skill level. It's an education level. Skill level does run hand in hand with education if you're actively using the knowledge and skills that you've gained from the education. An active black belt in any style from a reputable school should have a decent amount of skill roughly equal with whatever that style or organization thinks a black belt should have. However somebody with a bachelor's degree in paleontology should be pretty versed in paleontology at The bachelor's degree level. On both cases if you don't actively use the knowledge and skills that come with that education you will lose those things. However you don't lose your bachelor's degree just because you're not using it. And I agree with you too once you have the educational basis relearning is a quicker process. My only point was that your rank isn't 100% skill based, its an education level.