Promoted to BJJ Blue Belt in Less Than 1 Year (And He Hates It!)

[@xJD88x]

People forget that blue belt also has the widest gap in skill (until black belt anyway). A newbie blue belt and a almost-purple-belt are not even the same species.

[@ray5549]

Yep, you can be training for 1 year get your blue and face a 4-5 year blue belt in your first match

[@xJD88x]

@@ray5549 That's exactly what happened to me in my first IBJJF tournament in the absolute division at blue belt. I had my blue belt for like 3 weeks, got it in a year. The guy I went against had been training like 4.5 years. I had no business being on the mats with him. Yet we were both "blue belts"

[@jwill5033]

Facts

[@magcitrate]

Exactly my experience. I lost my 1st match as a brand new blue. Come to find out, the other dude was a blue for 4 damn years. 😂

[@abracadabra7779]

Such a true statement.

[@gomugomu95]

BJJ belts just turns us all into paranoid freaks.

[@jay31san]

I'm afraid to get purple.

[@OneStripeRyan]

@@jay31sanand you should be…. it’s horrible!!😂😂 just kidding. Get that purple bro, you’ll be fine. Trust that you’ll make mistakes, and work on improving.

[@spazzywhitebelt]

I'm a blue belt and feel white belt was pretty awesome. If I beat a blue belt awesome, if I got smashed well that's fine I'm a white belt. Now as a blue belt I'm like 'damn, some of these white belts are good, should I be a blue belt?' haha

[@HerculesLoyd]

It’s all so subjective. I’m a blue belt and in the past month I’ve gotten destroyed by another blue belt who is a serious competitor and slightly bigger than me. I’ve also done pretty well against most of the purple belts I trained with. Some days I feel like I should be coming up on a promotion, others I feel like I suck.

[@kaistigerboy]

😂😂😂 it’s not that serious

[@rolotomase1440]

I started training a little over 4 years ago. Looking back, I wish I was a lot fitter for the time I've put in - but y'know I'm not any fatter. My goal was just to fight back obesity and depression. I learned some BJJ along the way but at 50 it isn't easy. I got a blue belt after a year of 4x a week and then just kept chugging along 3-4x a week. And I stressed at times about what I knew or didn't know, who was giving me problems... and I thought this is the wrong way to feel about something that is supposed to be positive so I decided to stop. Stop worrying about it. I decided my only goal was to walk in the front door. I didn't care one way or the other - sure I tried, but I decided not to stress about it. Or set goals (other than going). All that mattered was if I walked in the front door. So I get a purple belt and feel unworthy...oh well, still gonna go.

[@singleplayerparty3899]

I’m a 4 stripe blue belt, 3 years in, and I’m just now starting to feel like an actual blue belt. Just keep showing up and one day you’ll feel better about it.

[@TridentLion]

Currently I'm a 4 stripe white belt. Been training for 23 months, 3-5 days a week. 5 tournaments competed in. 3 gold medals, 1 bronze. 9 matches(7 wins, 2 loses). I try not to think about belt color but I have to admit I am stoked and eager to finally get that 🔵

[@rooster82471]

That’s some solid performance, sounds like you’ll be blue soon!

[@eyeofcassie]

Our gym is no-gi and we do not have belts. I used to hate it as I wanted that validation. Now I am glad I personally started somewhere that didn't. It helped me remove the ego and belt chasing mentality and now I just really love doing jiu-jitsu.

[@tededo]

Validation is a drug for the ego...Addictive. And like most drugs when we abuse, validation can cause us to be sick.

[@muysantos2859]

same. I am glad our gym didnt have belts. our coach (who is purple but for us he is black) always say belts are subjective to each gym.

[@kenryu364]

Wtf most no Gi places do have belts. How do you know which category to compete in? This makes no sense.

[@muysantos2859]

@@kenryu364 years of training for nogi. belts for gi. only 10p gyms have rank rashguards.

[@eyeofcassie]

@@kenryu364 Most no-gi competitions I have participated in are based on years of experience, not belts.

[@NextScamdemic]

New Blue belt = 5 stripe white belt

[@tededo]

Not in all schools. I've been in schools where new blue = purples, and other schools the new blue are like 3 or 4 stripe whites.

[@vascomota8574]

Hey its me Vasco. Thanks for the words man i since came back to the mats and got cauliflower ear so now im trully a bjj practicioner

[@JR-qw5yi]

Hey Vasco, I see it’s been three months since your comment. You a purple belt yet?

[@angelprado5664]

@@JR-qw5yijajajaj

[@freddykripper7385]

Lol! Highlander reference was awesome! 😂😂😂 As always, great advice 👍.

[@HangmanActual]

Got my first stripe on my white belt in one month. Got my second stripe in two more months (three months total). Got my third stripe in another three months (six months total). Queue imposter syndrome. Now I'm at one and a half years. Still on my third stripe. I submitted a blue belt this morning. And then he thrashed me right after. I'm lovin' it.

[@OneStripeRyan]

I was in the same boat as this dude, I got my blue belt in 8-9 months, 1 week before I registered for a competition😂. First match was a battle with a seasoned blue, I lost that match. But I’ll say this, I gave the dude a run for his money!! That’s when I knew I had actually deserved my blue. Coaches see things we don’t, trust your coaches and professors bro, most importantly trust your skills at every level.

[@bbandura76]

I was recently promoted to blue. It was a year and ten months. I’m glad he really made work for it before promotion.

[@ExperimentalistBrewing]

I was a mediocre HS wrestler, but still had a few years experience with that before I started training BJJ. Got my blue belt after 1.5 years, and still have that doubt after going to a nearby school and getting man handled by everyone there. Even though I didn't get submitted by any of their blue belts, I felt like everything I had learned left my brain that day.

[@Luke-ns6ol]

Exact same thing happened to me this weekend, thanks chewy!

[@mightymikethebear]

The Voice of Doubt exists in every competitive person's mind. Each person deals with the voice in different ways.

[@Jboogieman2890]

Same thing just literally happened to me. Got promoted to blue belt in nine months just did my first Naga tournament got caught maybe in the first 30 seconds. I’m glad I found this video it helped. I will adjust for the next one.

[@mr.saturn7833]

I do a mostly NoGi, I don’t have anything against the Gi, it’s just how the schedule breaks-down for me with work. So, you can usually determine experience based on the skill you and your opponent display on the mat.

[@axel8406]

Same thing happened to me. Got my blue belt ahead of my peers. It was a suprise, and i had registered in a few tournaments. I was up against 3 stripe and 4 stripe blue belts and really felt the skill difference. I took that as motivation for how my skill level should be. It made me look at my own training and try to improve. It also made me sit down with my sifu and many of the coaches and i took a deep dive into jiu-jitsu.

[@thelogicalcaveman9139]

I got my blue belt in like 7/8 months also and at first didn’t feel like I was ready even though I was smashing at comps and open mats. My first comp as blue belt was actually a chewjitsu and I did really good. I stopped thinking I didn’t belong and trusted in my instructors in his choice in me. You grow into your blue belt over time you don’t just get promoted and all of a sudden you are that. We grow into our belts. Trust in your professors and love BJJ and you will grow. 😊

[@garyramirez1420]

thats one thing you have to always remember is that there are good days and bad days in jiu-jitsu,you have to try and keep a positive mind set,im a blue belt and i try to take a win or loss as a win win situation ,yeah your gonna have bad days and good days but you keep pushing and never give up and think of a win or loss as a win win situation because if you win a match good you won and learned something and or if you lose you stil learn something about yourself and what you have to work on. just keep a positive no quit attitude and you will go far😎.

[@Docinaplane]

I trained in a very good striking art way back in the blood and guts era. I never felt I deserved it for any promotion I got except for one. I did, however train like crazy after each one to deserve it. The only one I felt I deserved was 2nd degree black belt, and that was because I had just gone undefeated in an open karate tournament to get the promotion.

[@paulkopy3766]

Your coach decided that you are ready for it, and as Chewy said, 1-1/2 years is an average, so maybe you were training your brains out 6+ times a week, are a good athlete that learns fast, etc etc etc. Not sure where you train, and maybe if you were at PSF or Atos or another gym that puts a lot of emphasis on comps and has a lineage of world champs, you would not have been promoted yet, but again, if your coach decided to promote you and you like the gym you are training at, embrace the promotion, but recognize that it doesn't mean that you are now never going to lose to a white belt ever again, its your coach recognizing your development and commitment....Blue belt just means that you are coming along, being consistent, and soaking in some of the overwhelming amount of information that is jiu jitsu...Its good to have a healthy amount of self-doubt, it can be used in many positive ways, especially in this day and age of many people having an overinflated sense of self worth, but it must be managed with at least a bit of self confidence, knowing that you are trying your best to get better, even on those days when you are the nail MUCH more than the hammer....Dont join the ranks of people who get their blue belt and bolt, keep training and having fun, learning jiu jitsu and spending time with good people doing a pretty difficult thing...

[@HaroldBluetooth-uz1zz]

Yeah, it took me a 1 1/2 years to get mine.

[@ll2nycell]

bro i also got promoted at 8 months by Urijah Faber, no wrestling or grappling experience before jiu jitsu. I was gonna compete at white belt, and i thought I had plenty of time....but i didn't and it sucked. But 1.5 years at blue belt, i did my first comp ever. Lost a match, subbed 2 guys. ended up getting gold. Now people at the gym are talking about purple belt! wtf!..... you'll be alright bro. You're probably really good. Another coach said sometimes you just gotta grow into your belt rank, and that's okay.

[@AIAffiliator88]

It's a hard sports and there is the social component of it to keep me in check as well.

[@ronaldyang2295]

You know you've made it when the P in bio bots are in your comments. If you ever feel imposter syndrome Chewy remember this.

[@sofaking1627]

Similar thing happened to me. Got my blue about 10 months in and then lockdown happened. Took a while to feel right with the belt but forcing myself into more competitions helps

[@michaelalbritton1489]

I’ve been practicing right at 2yrs, no stripes at our gym and I’m still a white belt. I don’t care, I just love training and learning.

[@johnthree1611]

I'd have joined a different gym by then.

[@HerculesLoyd]

I trained for 3 years 4-6x a week before getting promoted. Switched gyms a couple times due to moving. Belts don’t really mean anything, your skill is the only thing that matters.

[@tomsheppard378]

Same my coach doesnt do stripes. Im happy without belts, they only hold your lapels together

[@ZorgG2]

Got my blue belt in just over a year and felt pretty much the same. Just keep training, just keep competing. Confidence comes and goes. I'm a purple belt now just hoping I don't have to be a brown belt any time soon.

[@LlamaBearMan]

I'm very glad my gym is stingy with belt promotions/stripes.

[@devonmoreau]

My last BJJ training was 20 years ago, but the average was 3 years of consistent training (4-5 times per week), and typically winning a tournament before you would be promoted.

[@jjdee2]

Been a white belt for about 7 years. Only 4 to 5 years active training though because of Covid. And still don’t feel confident to test for my blue belt

[@benzun9600]

7 years too long. Get over it

[@jjdee2]

@@benzun9600 eventually

[@BobbyVajazzler]

Hey Chewy awesome vid. O think you may have stumbled on a great idea for the sport. Highlander style where if you sub your opponent you take their belts, gi and soul

[@jutosgrind]

just do nogi and say you’re a white belt

[@muysantos2859]

this is the wei

[@JosephAllen-d2e]

Im one of those who doesn't care at all about belts. I'm not opposed to them by any means, and I recognize their purpose, but my ability isn't tied to a belt system or some arbitrary idea of how long it should take to get a belt. I do respect belts. Im just saying that I'm after the skill, not the belt. As long as I have the skill, I could care less about the belt.

[@chriscrew4478]

That's honestly maybe my favorite thing about bjj, it honestly doesn't matter what color your belt is. We are tested every roll.

[@shaneroberts2492]

I know how he feels, I got mine after 12 months and didn’t think I deserved it, I’ve had it nearly 6 years now and I still won’t feel ready for purple when it finally arrives.

[@Taekwon-Brando]

I didn’t get to blue for 3 1/2 years with consistent training, I’ve been told it’s because we’re old school I think I just sucked

[@jaysenior2220]

I NEVER feel like I’ve deserved any belt or stripe I get. I was in a similar situations when I started training. I started in March of 2016, competed in May and took 2nd place, and promoted to blue belt in November. I trained 3 days a week that whole time. Just keep training get 1% better and trust your coaches to know you deserve your stripes and belts.

[@bujindork]

Blue belt like a 5 stripe white belt. My instructor treats the blue belt that way. In the same vein there is no guarentee you'll get a purple belt at my gym, if the skills not there you'll be a blue forever.

[@bucsow]

i got beat at my first tournament at whit belt, i think i got my blue belt within the year after that, it felt soon to me, but its now a year later, and im getting ready to compete at blue. im feeling confident!

[@AthamAldecua]

When I start training bjj I will be a white belt forever. I come from Boxing, no belts over there. 😂

[@stargardtfitnesschallenger2595]

Hey dude . Hope you can help , I've been promoted to blue belt in 10 months and I feel its too soon . I've competed 3 tines as white 2nd , 2nd , 3rd . I beat all the white belts at my gym and the blue belts destroy me . I get 1 tap if I'm lucky. Coach is really happy with me but I was just getting into white belt , so I'm not really a blue belt more like a 4 stripe white . If I competed at blue the level of skill be so high ..... not sure if I should be happy or pissed off

[@devilpunishr]

Ive only seen that when its about coachs girlfriend...

[@shinichikudo1401]

True

[@espartajodesastroso7892]

True that

[@Chokesandsubs]

3 years at white. Started at a school where the coach gave a stripe a year on average with no structure. After 2 years I bounced to a new gym that was a better fit, and the coach almost instantly added my last 2 stripes saying I was a blue. I spent the next 9 months learning their curriculum and got my blue at the first test they had scheduled. Being 2 years in as a very competent 2 stripe white belt sucked for the ego, but it all worked out in the end.. I guess the positive is that I never had to suffer the imposter syndrome at blue.

[@701garage]

I was in the same boat with 6.5 months it was a wake-up call. Coaches saw something I won my first match lost my second. Same thing in gi. 2 months later, I am subbing some purples and catches black in my a game.

[@pninnan]

The hardest part about your first comp, and competing in general, is just not knowing the other guy’s game, and not being confident enough in yours to just go out and do your thing. I think if a lot of people could lose that first match, and then go and get a redo 20, minutes later, they’d realize that they aren’t so far out of their league.

[@tigercrush2253]

Just get back on the mats and train. I'm sure it's anxiety inducing, but if you look at it logically, you can't go back. You are a blue belt, whether you want to be or not, whether you perform like one or not, whether you win competitions or not. That insecurity and uncertainty will not get better by not training. It will only fester and make it harder and harder to go back to doing something that you love. You're gonna be a great blue belt. Just go do it.

[@MrAaronChatfield]

Is that timeframe typical of his academy or did his coach consider him to be ahead of the curve? 8 months looks quick, but the guy could be a judo black belt, or done nogi for years, etc. I spent 6 months at white belt when I focused on just gi jiu jitsu... previous to that I'd done 17 years of MMA, which obviously included grappling... so was 6 months quick? or was it 17+ years in the making?

[@dbeck5598]

3 1/2 - 4 years at white belt, multiple competitions and finally just left the gym I was training at. It was a family owned gym where no stripes are ever given. Now that I’m graduating college and moving I have almost nothing to show for it, while all of my “teammates” received promotions, goodbye posts on social media, etc. I doubt I’ll ever go back to BJJ at this point. I’ve trained in striking over the years, and I would rather just do that than deal with belts/a ranking system at this point. I tapped the blue belts more than they tapped me 😂

[@gilbertekkrkr]

My coach tells us to go to comps as white belts at first I was against it because I still had no idea what to do but thankfully we all competed as a team fun asf.

[@paulmoore3319]

Personally…..knowing what I know. (Not much lol) I happen o be a Brown Belt. IMO no one should be gettin a blue under 18 months. I am training under a very technical Black Belt that emphasizes Technique big time. (We all should) 6 months too soon. There is too much to learn and understand. I get wrestlers are very adept to jujitsu (sometimes) but jujitsu is not something you rush it takes real time and commitment to get to a high level. Too many people rush it. Not enough patience. Excellent advise Chewy

[@juaan.olvera]

After today's morning class I was talking about this with my coach, i was promoted to purple on past December after 7 years of training, but I tell him that I'm still feeling like I'm just a 2 stripe blue belt 😅 he only smiles at me and ask me if i trust on him? I just answer "yes of course" and he tells me "ok, so i need you to start trust in yourself too". 🤯

[@bmstylee]

By the end of the year I should have my blue. Is there something wrong with me for just wanting to keep my 4 stripes on my white belt? I'm not caught up with belts and all that. I'm just having fun learning a new skill.

[@terbioc]

I started jiujitsu in no-gi with no athletic background other than (1yr) rugby and soccer back in highschool (I’m 30). I got promoted in about 6 months just by treating drills/situationals/rounds as if I’m about to compete lol. Not aggressive tho. Watched a bunch, and I mean a lot, of jiujitsu on KZbin and try to reenact them on the mats. People thought I could wrestle but I just mimic what the pros do lmfao Going on month 8 of this journey and I still consider myself a white belt tho!

[@emersontalbott8421]

The greatest thing about BJJ in my mind is that we have all be humbled. Repeatedly. I’ve been beaten by people less skilled and more skilled multiple times and to varying levels of smack down intensity. We all have our own journey in this sport.

[@HeartlessKnave]

My goal is to hit blue belt in a year or less, not because I want the blue belt, but because it's a goal that will make me more consistent and frequent in my attendance and training, which will make me better more quickly and help me with my goals to complete in BJJ and eventually MMA. IMO, it's the entire original reason and purpose to colored belts before black belt in any martial arts system, something tangible to aim and strive for instead of something abstract, which will help you show up more and do the work to get better without that itself being the only goal.

[@blackanviljiujitsucompany1993]

I got mine in 10 months back in 2006 😂😂 immediately took silver in my first blue belt event .. no wrestling … just obsession black belt 2015 so not fast after that

[@monkoko6441]

Thank you

[@DarkLordSwoledemort]

That's not something I'm going to have to worry about. If I earn blue belt in 3 years I'll be shocked. lol

[@rooster82471]

When I got blue after a year and a half of solid training 3 to 4 times a week with no gaps I was excited to compete at blue and see how I stacked up, I already competed at white eight times and did very well mostly gold and a couple silvers, when I went to blue I won my first and second tournaments but man It was waaay harder than white and then lost at pans which I had won the year before, to me competing is the only true test

[@taskyr819]

I got my blue belt at 14 months and lost my first comps a year later I compete vs blue and purple and even get first place and I get head to head with brown and fresh black belts, belts mean nothing.

[@joeyh6521]

That’s kind of what’s I dislike about the BJJ competition scene in that a blue belt match up could see a guy who’s trained for 18 months against a guy who’s trained for 6 years.

[@bepratt]

I've been doing karate for a few years and we've got some ground self-defense/jiu jitsu classes at our school so I decided to enter a sub only tournament as a white belt for the first time this summer at 43 years old. I got smoked by a blue belt in no gi (I've never even rolled with no gi before but wanted to try it out) and I was OK with that given the circumstances. Then I went against a white belt in the gi and got smoked in seconds in the first round of our best of 3. My mental state was very bad after that and I was wondering why I was even there. I went back out and survived the second round with a win in OT then got a sub in the 3rd round to win the division. The biggest take aways were 1) I needed to be more ready when the rolling started and 2) I had a lot of fun once I got past my mental state.

[@Meeko2689]

Some new gyms give promotions based on number of classes students attend, maybe that’s why he got promoted to fast.

[@sjkdjfd2691]

Your experience Is very similar tò mine😂. I got promoted tò Blue After 8 months in december and then had to get knee surgery 2 months ago because of an ACL tear. Who know maybe next year on my First Blue belt competition i LL get my ass kicked aswell

[@blackdogbones9900]

No one is ready once you're given the next belt. Everyone has to grow with each level up. Just keep training and find your ways of playing Jiu Jitsu

[@murkywaterbeats3863]

This is how i felt when i went from 1 stripe up to 3 stripes in 8 months as a white belt lol ""I don't think I'm worthy of these extra 2 stripes coach! o.o" haha

[@peanutkaneshiro]

Hell i dont want my blue and ive been doing it for 3+ years (2 days a week)

[@ericstrobeck7675]

Sandbagging white belts can make some blues and purples rethink their egos 😂😂

[@Wasabi112095]

I’m really far away from getting my blue belt (I’m a white belt and just got my first stripe last week) and already with this just 1 stripe I already have a target on my back. The other white belts with no stripes who are new are already trying to go after me 😂 I can just imagine being a 4 stripe white belt or having a blue belt

[@benjamindelfs2718]

The first two stripes are attendance and extremely basic level stripes, relax

[@hagenanon9484]

I rarely ever hear people say that they had their first competition match and won.

[@danieltalamantes3763]

I think I got my blue belt in like 2 months but I was already a judo black belt and was always better at newaza. I got a black belt in judo and karate and a purple belt in bjj. My advice to people would be just have fun and try to improve your self the belt is only meant to keep your gi closed anyway

[@nostrings3169]

I was promoted to blue belt in 6 month I am now a black belt. Competed all through my colored belts. Now competing as a black belt, 10 years later.

[@garrettpatterson4969]

4 years in just got my blue belt just had my first tournament experience first guy rolled my ankle now I am on my revenge journey 😂 just keep swimming 🏊

[@MartialRoller-jd2hp]

you're not ready. tap it out and get back on the mat :)

[@sunnykobe3210]

Got mine after 9 months in. I didn’t like it bc my teammates saw me as competition rather than a teammate.

[@af4396]

Part of gaining discipline in BJJ is the balancing act of living up to your belt rank and controlling your emotions, being ok with losing to lower belts and especially not sering it as a big deal so you can take risks in sparring that might put you in a bad spot and cost you the "match" but that youll umtimately get bettrr from. Its being ok with some dude thinking hes better than you because he got the tap while you were literally playing and exploring, and ignoring those people. Real BJJ practitioners play the long game because in the end, most people will quit before purple belt, so just keep truckin'

[@reeseexplains8935]

Belt rank doesn’t matter that much.

[@demigodbjj5976]

True story

[@DisaffectedLiberal]

I guess if you don't compete. If you have a belt you don't deserve, a tournament will show that.

[@reeseexplains8935]

@@DisaffectedLiberal I don’t compete yet but I don’t think I’d be ready. I am a blue belt currently and I have been rolling for 1 year.

[@IzunaSlap]

Boxer here, the only belts that matter to us are championship belts. Only thing that matters to us is, are we training well enough to win?

[@reeseexplains8935]

@@DisaffectedLiberal I met one guy who said he didn’t feel like he knew shit til the middle of his blue belt and another said it wasn’t til the end of his blue belt.

[@michaelm9710]

Many of the blue belts at the gym I attend wear their white belt shirts and it’s confusing as f - I roll with someone smaller thinking that I’m matched with a white belt and it turns out he’s about to get purple but he wears a white belt level rash guard to class. 😂

[@jamesthera]

I read the title and my first instinct is "oh now he's getting head hunted, isn't he?".. Ill return at the end of the video to see if I'm right. After- nope. I was wrong.

[@gh7213]

gonna start saying "there can be only one" every time I win now.

[@brucewayne8453]

I got my blue belt in 10 months,then still blue for the rest of 4 years training

[@christophersmith3695]

Man, I'm just trying to not suck as much as I did last week. Not even thinking about belts. Though it is funny how once you get a black belt in a style (I have two out of five styles I've studied over 36 years), you just don't care about it as much anymore. Maybe that's old guy talk, who knows.

[@craigory972]

Ask him about the magic powers that come with a blue belt, us white belts are curious what they are????

[@reeseexplains8935]

Alex Pereira got a black belt before Demitrius Johnson so the belt system is a bit flawed

[@shinichikudo1401]

😂

[@Methodius7]

Well take that belt from Pereira than.

[@JeremyRussellMusic]

I’ve had my blue belt 3 years now and I still have days where I think I’m a white belt haha. I have other days I think I’m a purple.

[@WpnsCo2013OEF]

Idk I got blue in 8 months and I give every higher belt so far a reasonable shock haha I'm enjoying the journey so far. I wrestled and have other training too though so it's not like I didn't know. 😂

[@christiangraves9340]

I mean i made blue belt at 6 months but i was subbing people in mma fights and training hard 6 days a week

[@yo2stix]

1 stripe white belt and a high school wrestling back ground. I love it. I hammer whites and challenge blues. I don’t want any more stripes ha. I sand bag it.

[@murjo7254]

Hahaahhahahahah. Now I realize that im looking at a video about Impostor Syndrome when ur a new blue belt, but im not even close to blue belt. Im hardstuck white belt! XDDDDDD

[@kellenwaters9087]

Sometimes it's like highlander. Well, in my head it is.

[@KiDWAzowSki]

I didnt get promoted in 5 years

[@neonjoe529]

I'm a white belt, just got my first stripe... and I have imposter syndrome. Still feel like a beginner. Which is what i am, i guess. :)

[@DisaffectedLiberal]

You're still a white belt though. It's just a progression mark.

[@benzun9600]

Not all gyms are equal. When I was a white belt a trained at a hard gym. Went to a new gym still a white belt. I was tapping out blue and purple belts. I actually loved being a white belt destroying blue belts and stalling purple😅

[@ninpolife7749]

Yes it is Highlander

[@user-il9ze9py8c]

Just got my belt in 8 months and the fear is real.

[@davidmills5286]

imposter syndrome is a real deal.

[@mtxpert]

There are levels to this, take D1 wrestling. There are D1 wrestling programs that exist but are nowhere near what the top 5 are like, coaching, room intensity and athletes. Then put the top D1 guys against the Olympic guys and that's another massive jump in wrestling but all still wrestlers and could meet at any freestyle tourney.

[@fordguyfordguy]

This is all he has to worry about?

[@TapsNapsSnaps]

It always bugs me when people question why a black belt was made a black belt. Acting like they didn't earn it or that since they can't beat a world champion blue belt, they don't deserve their black belt. Or that black belt means you should be able to beat every person with a colored belt under you.

[@hectorg.9346]

It took me 1.5years to get 1 stripe on my white belt. I went to class daily, I made a lot of progress, and i was rolling up most people in my rank. Every instructor is different. There is no standard way of promoting.

[@Mdi456]

This is just s*it to wait that long Why ?

[@hectorg.9346]

@Mdi456 It's a process, a journey, a marathon. Its not a race, everyone has a different path, and every instructor is different. In my opinion, belts and stripes are irrelevant. Since there is no standard. I may have 1 stripe on my belt, however... I roll at a blue belt level Even though my belt doesn't reflect that. Fast promotions can lead to inflated ego, guilt or make you feel like you didn't earn it... not to mention hurt Sparring partners because you don't know proper technique or control. One of the best examples is Khabib.. He is a white belt in Jiu jitsu .. you know the rest.