Belt and competition division

You can just change to a different school and start all over as a white belt
 
@Grassshoppa , @AJ Garcia

Haha you are right guys, I might be overthinking it. I would enjoy competition division to work like in any other sports, But you are right let's just take it as an opportunity to progress....
I think I just needed the pictures !!!! ;)
 
__guardian__ said:
But what was the point then ? Did you learn anything ?
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I went to have fun, and see if I was at least decent at BJJ. I had taken about a year of kenpo karate, to orange belt, and was out grappling the black belts.

Grassshoppa said:
This sounds like an interesting story. What prompted you to do this? Any wrestling experience? Do tell.
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Hahaha I watched every UFC and Pride ever so I figured I could at least see a few moves ahead of a random shmuck, and its true it does help.

But yes I did wrestle for a few years in high school.

I would do it again now, but I've gotten slightly fat since then. It wouldn't be right to step up against the 175 lbs competition when I've got 145 lbs muscle
 
__guardian__ said:
I don't want my blue belt. My trainer told me explicitly I'd have it after competition. But I did crap in this competition.

He insists that's partly because I mentally failed, I can fight much better than I did. Also I competed in a weight category 10Kg over my current weight, because I passed selection tournament for this category few months ago.

But still, these are no excuses, the fact is: I did fucking crap, I failed. In any other sport, Tennis, Judo, Golf or wrestling, you go to compete in a better division based on your score in lower division. Technical grades (belt or others) may require some competition achievements, but never the opposite.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is literally the only sport in which a random coach can decide for you in which division you compete, let alone the fact that you cannot downgrade if you get beaten all the time...

Do you think I should stand firm and refuse altogether?
Do you think like me that competition division should be completely independent of belts? Whether it is tennis style (no grades, just competition ranking), Judo (black belt requires minimal competition achievement) , taekwon do (the two are mutually independent) ?
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Why is this in Mayberry?
That "random coach" presumably knows more about bjj than you right? I mean that's why you're paying him to teach you...

So you got in your head (happens to every1) and competed at a higher weight (how many times have you competed? How many times have you competed at lower weight class?)




















Wait a minute....this is about going from white to blue?????
LOL man just take it, say thank you and move along.
 
MyTopGameSucks said:
Why is this in Mayberry?
That "random coach" presumably knows more about bjj than you right? I mean that's why you're paying him to teach you...

So you got in your head (happens to every1) and competed at a higher weight (how many times have you competed? How many times have you competed at lower weight class?)

Wait a minute....this is about going from white to blue?????
LOL man just take it, say thank you and move along.
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I competed a few times in lower weight class YEAAAARS ago... Then twice in my current weight class since I started back BJJ 2 years ago.

I negotiated with my instructor. His answer was something like:

"Ok, you do not want a blue belt because you want to keep competing as a white belt a little ? Sure, when rolling on the ground you definitely have a blue belt level by now. Now that said, your mental was a bit weak, you have to get used to competition. And your wrestling sucks, I'm guilty of this as I'm 100% guard puller myself with as much wrestling skills as my grandma. There are a few judo black belts and former competitive wrestlers in our gym take some time training with them, an extra season as a white belt is ok for me. Loosing 10 kg may help you as well. These guys were all about 10-15cm taller than you!"


I'm happy he accepted. I told him : "I still think, these belts should be completely de-correlated from competitive divisions..." His answer was: "you are preaching to a believer! But I doubt it will ever change."

By the way, where I live, most sport instructors are not getting paid for what they do. Even competitive BJJ black belts are usually teaching for free and have a full time job. You only pay the city administration for the gym room usage and your sport license and insurance. ~300$ a year.
 
In a few years, it won’t matter if you spent 1 year at white belt and 3 years at blue or you spent 2 years at white belt and 2 years at blue. It’s still 4 years of experience (just using 4 years as an example).

So whether you get it now or in 12 months, it doesn’t really matter. In fact, there is an argument for speeding up your progress by throwing you into the deeper end of the pool.
 
__guardian__ said:
I competed a few times in lower weight class YEAAAARS ago... Then twice in my current weight class since I started back BJJ 2 years ago.

I negotiated with my instructor. His answer was something like:

"Ok, you do not want a blue belt because you want to keep competing as a white belt a little ? Sure, when rolling on the ground you definitely have a blue belt level by now. Now that said, your mental was a bit weak, you have to get used to competition. And your wrestling sucks, I'm guilty of this as I'm 100% guard puller myself with as much wrestling skills as my grandma. There are a few judo black belts and former competitive wrestlers in our gym take some time training with them, an extra season as a white belt is ok for me. Loosing 10 kg may help you as well. These guys were all about 10-15cm taller than you!"


I'm happy he accepted. I told him : "I still think, these belts should be completely de-correlated from competitive divisions..." His answer was: "you are preaching to a believer! But I doubt it will ever change."

By the way, where I live, most sport instructors are not getting paid for what they do. Even competitive BJJ black belts are usually teaching for free and have a full time job. You only pay the city administration for the gym room usage and your sport license and insurance. ~300$ a year.
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Competing at a lower belt when you possess higher skills ("clearly a blue belt on the mat") is the very definition of sandbagging.

Takedowns suck? Keep grinding in practice, pull guard in comp.

If you feel being a better athlete at this point (losing 10kilos) is what's needed. I'm not gonna argue.

Wasn't aware of where you live.

Final thought- unless you're a black belt ,sponsored pro ,competing in adult male divisions on a regular basis. The main benefit of competition is personal growth.
....which will come quicker through facing technical adversity (blue belts) , not wanting to do so until you're "comfortable" isn't going to benefit yourself
 
Trust your coach, my friend. No self promotion... no denying a promotion...
My first competition as a white belt, cesar put me in the blue belt division.
He gave me my purple as I was recovering from knee surgery...
Caio told cesar for a long time that I was black belt level. After Caio left, I finally got promoted to black. I wasn’t sure if I was ready or over ready for every belt.
Whether we deserve them or not, just take it.
 
Consider working on your confidence by demanding a purple belt, at least.
 
How often are there competitions in your area? Just ask him if he will wait a month and get your white belt out of your system. If says no then say thank you for the belt and train on.
 
Yeah I appreciate your position. But at this point competing at White is sandbagging. Your coach said you are a blue belt.

Of course you’ll get wrecked in the blue division at first. A fresh blue is barely not a white belt, while a seasoned blue is pretty much a purple. So the gap is huge, is what it is.

I’m saying this as someone in your exact situation. I did two comps at white and got wrecked. Then I got promoted. But I just don’t care. I never asked for the belt, I invited to test so it is what it is.
 
There are competition every few months. As long as someone destroys me in competition at this level it is not sandbagging.
I guess problem is solved, an extra year is fine, I'll train the very same way as white or blue, and do 4-5 extra competitions within next season as a white belt. Trying to perform better this time!
 
An extra year after you are supposed to have your blue? How is it Not sandbagging? That's literally the dictionary definition.
 
Lol dude I know how you feel but you are 100% being a bitch.
I did one year of bjj and got promoted to blue. Never had any competition experience and got wrecked at blue for at least 3-4 tournaments. My second tournament I even paid $100 just to get guillotined in 10 seconds, wake up staring at the lights, and proceed to go home feeling like absolute shit.

Totally worth it
 
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