Belt dilemma - What would you do?

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Oldguy

Blue Belt
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I am looking for advice. I am 61 years old. I started training back in 1993. In total, with layoffs, I have trained about 20 years. I am very fit. I love BJJ. But, I don't consider myself gifted or even good for that matter.

I recently moved and want to start training again. I went to a trial class this morning. The instructor asked me what my belt level is. I couldn't lie. I told him black belt. I got my belt at Gracie Barra. They essentially give belts out for time is service. This new place looks at belts WAY differently. They don't give them out like candy. Blue belts are good. The purple belts are absolute beasts. A black belt is unicorn level rare.

Here is my problem. He told me to wear my black belt. I asked him if I could just roll for a few months and they could give me the belt according to my skill level (probably purple). I don't want to be the new guy with a freaking black belt that everyone looks at, chuckles and says "no way" to themselves. Out of 20 guys on the mat this morning, there wasn't one black belt besides the instructor.

I guess I have to not train there if that is the case. It is a shame. It seems like a great school.

What would you do?
 
If you like the school and the vibe, just do it bro. At your age, folks will cut you slack and no one will sweat you as long as you're humble and respectful. And as long as you've trained, you WILL have tricks and shortcuts to share with the younger guys.

I know BB has special significance, but our gym had a mid 50's brown who came in out of shape, was gassing out during warm ups and getting pieced up by tougher blue belts. We also had an out of practice, 30-something BB who was competitive with most of our purples. But both guys were respectful, didn't try to pull rank on anyone and it was a non issue.
 
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Yea man your 61 no one is going to care. Anyone who is judging a 61 year old black belt has issues. I would never roll with a 61 year old black belt and judge them period. In fact even if I destroyed the person I would just assume he's injured and doing the best he can to work around the injury.
 
Oldguy said:
I am looking for advice. I am 61 years old. I started training back in 1993. In total, with layoffs, I have trained about 20 years. I am very fit. I love BJJ. But, I don't consider myself gifted or even good for that matter.

I recently moved and want to start training again. I went to a trial class this morning. The instructor asked me what my belt level is. I couldn't lie. I told him black belt. I got my belt at Gracie Barra. They essentially give belts out for time is service. This new place looks at belts WAY differently. They don't give them out like candy. Blue belts are good. The purple belts are absolute beasts. A black belt is unicorn level rare.

Here is my problem. He told me to wear my black belt. I asked him if I could just roll for a few months and they could give me the belt according to my skill level (probably purple). I don't want to be the new guy with a freaking black belt that everyone looks at, chuckles and says "no way" to themselves. Out of 20 guys on the mat this morning, there wasn't one black belt besides the instructor.

I guess I have to not train there if that is the case. It is a shame. It seems like a great school.

What would you do?
Click to expand...

@ChickenBrother is right sir, they will understand.
Also throughout your time there you'll get more comfortable with people and you can explain.

If nobody asks, you have no story to tell.
 
50 bb checking in. Just enjoy the mat time and have fun!
Had this conversation the other day with a younger fellow black belt. When I was a blue, purple, brown I still had that hungry kill or be killed mentality on the mat. now I’m just happy to be training at 50 and get on the mat with a totally different mindset.
 
Don't worry about it, nobody reasonable would expect 60 year old dudes to do well in sparring
Honestly I would be impressed you have working knees at 60.
The level of BJJ used to be dog shit in the 90s so purple belt level honestly isn't that bad for super old school black belt.
 
If I'm hearing your guys correctly, in summary you are saying ...

"You are ancient and lucky to still be alive. Just shut up and train. No one cares about you"

You guys made me laugh. I think I am going to just suck it up, wear the belt, and train.
 
Oldguy said:
If I'm hearing your guys correctly, in summary you are saying ...

"You are ancient and lucky to still be alive. Just shut up and train. No one cares about you"

You guys made me laugh. I think I am going to just suck it up, wear the belt, and train.
Click to expand...

My dad is almost a decade older than you. He is a brown belt, but doesn't really roll that often anymore. But he wears his belt and is still out on the mat as much as possible.

However, every mother fucker in that gym looks up to him, and everyone getting ready for their brown / black belt test go to him because he knows more about teaching and doing the self defense curriculum (he's done karate and other martial arts for 40 years) than anyone around. And when he gives advice on a technique, people listen. He also constantly trolls and stirs shit up. Its awesome.

Most people without their heads up their ass will respect the old man still doing a sport that is to hard for most young people. You've earned your belt, wear it with pride, and just enjoy still being active on the mats.
 
Oldguy said:
I am looking for advice. I am 61 years old. I started training back in 1993. In total, with layoffs, I have trained about 20 years. I am very fit. I love BJJ. But, I don't consider myself gifted or even good for that matter.

I recently moved and want to start training again. I went to a trial class this morning. The instructor asked me what my belt level is. I couldn't lie. I told him black belt. I got my belt at Gracie Barra. They essentially give belts out for time is service. This new place looks at belts WAY differently. They don't give them out like candy. Blue belts are good. The purple belts are absolute beasts. A black belt is unicorn level rare.

Here is my problem. He told me to wear my black belt. I asked him if I could just roll for a few months and they could give me the belt according to my skill level (probably purple). I don't want to be the new guy with a freaking black belt that everyone looks at, chuckles and says "no way" to themselves. Out of 20 guys on the mat this morning, there wasn't one black belt besides the instructor.

I guess I have to not train there if that is the case. It is a shame. It seems like a great school.

What would you do?
Click to expand...

I will give a straight forward answers. Just wear your black belt you earned it, even if it was by time.

Also at 61 years old I do not expect you to be smashing competition blue belts.

The belt means a lot but it does not mean everything. Just wear it and train. You put in time to get it a black belt, as you said 20 years of training.

Most people do not even last 1.5 years
 
Thank you guys. I really appreciate the answers and encouragement. I started with Rickson before the first UFC. He taught at Laguna Niguel Racquet Club in an empty racquetball court in 1993. It seems like yesterday. Time goes by so fast.
 
Oldguy said:
Thank you guys. I really appreciate the answers and encouragement. I started with Rickson before the first UFC. He taught at Laguna Niguel Racquet Club in an empty racquetball court in 1993. It seems like yesterday. Time goes by so fast.
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Shut up and train, but then tell Rickson stories at open mat. They're gonna fucking love you.
 
Just go in there and Train. You earned that BB. Plus at 61 most of the younger guys at the gym will see you as a Inspiration, Hell at my Gym we had a 47 year old man go and compete in his first Muay Thai match at 47!!!

If anything it was more inspiring for me to train harder to compete next year for BJJ. 61 man I hope I can be like you and be that inspiration to the younger ones. Hell I'm 36 and it took me 12+ years of on and off training to get to blue. Wear your Black Belt with Pride and keep rolling!!!!
 
I doubt anyone will care, but yours is an issue I wrestle with internally. I just turned 60, and got the second stripe on my purple belt yesterday.

I hold my own with the 45 and older guys for the most part, but from time to time, I’ll get tapped by younger blues and even some young, strong and fast 4-stripe whites.

So, am I really a purple? In five years or so, will I really be able to say I’m a black belt or should there be an asterisk next to it?
 
Wear your black belt, but put some pink stripes on it.
 
fishNjits said:
I doubt anyone will care, but yours is an issue I wrestle with internally. I just turned 60, and got the second stripe on my purple belt yesterday.

I hold my own with the 45 and older guys for the most part, but from time to time, I’ll get tapped by younger blues and even some young, strong and fast 4-stripe whites.

So, am I really a purple? In five years or so, will I really be able to say I’m a black belt or should there be an asterisk next to it?
Click to expand...

As a 49 yo purple who admittedly feels the same sometimes, I often remind myself how ridiculous this is. Middle-aged men self-conscious about training a martial art they've enjoyed for years, because of the color of a cloth belt around their waist? That is some slack-jawed bullshido fuckery.

But BJJ culture perpetuates this. The implication that a belt promotion is a video game level up regardless of age, injuries, conditioning, size or strength. You're not competing against your training partners and belt rank shouldn't be a dick measuring contest.
 
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ChickenBrother said:
As a 49 yo purple who admittedly feels the same sometimes, I often remind myself how ridiculous this is. Middle-aged men self-conscious about training a martial art they've enjoyed for years, because of the color of a cloth belt around their waist? That is some slack-jawed bullshido fuckery.

But BJJ culture perpetuates this. The implication that a belt promotion is a video game level up regardless of age, injuries, conditioning, size or strength. You're not competing against your training partners and belt rank shouldn't be a dick measuring contest.
Click to expand...

Very well said.
 
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