Belt dilemma - What would you do?

[Quebec Nick]

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.

absolutely

I'm ok with some kids (14 to 20 something years old) having some stupid mindset like being happy to have old their own against the 45 year old purple belt.

They are kids, kids are stupid and they can think as stupid people

But other grown man, flexing about taping a brown belt with a footlock and seeing this as a proof of their skills.

Man, work hard everyday, help your training partners and be happy for them

Belts are only a way for your coach to show you that you progress the right way, it's not to prepare a Fight club event where everybody with the same belt will kill each other

 

[ChickenBrother]

absolutely

I'm ok with some kids (14 to 20 something years old) having some stupid mindset like being happy to have old their own against the 45 year old purple belt.

They are kids, kids are stupid and they can think as stupid people

But other grown man, flexing about taping a brown belt with a footlock and seeing this as a proof of their skills.

Man, work hard everyday, help your training partners and be happy for them

Belts are only a way for your coach to show you that you progress the right way, it's not to prepare a Fight club event where everybody with the same belt will kill each other

Lol as ludicrous as this sounds, it's common thinking. BJJ culture places WAY too much emphasis on belt rank. And it sometimes comes from instructors. "You're a BLUE/PURPLE belt, a WHITE/BLUE shouldn't pass your guard like that!" Maybe the higher belt was working on his C game, maybe he's old AF or maybe the lower belt is just a stud.

At our gym, some of the least sympathetic guys are youngish BBs (not the main coach) who don't yet understand what it's like to be >45. I often get told to "keep moving, don't just lay there. Keep switching directions until you get the pass, etc." Me and the other late 40's purple just kind of grin and nod at each other. I don't care how fit you are for your age. When you're pushing 50, you're simply not exploding continuously for 6 minutes like you could have in your 20's and 30's unless you're blasting TRT.

A belt rank isn't a pro wrestling title you need to defend every roll. If it were, I'll leave my purple belt at home, wear a rope around my waist and tell everyone I'm only doing non-title matches today without my belt on the line.

 

[Oldguy]

I listened to you guys. Thanks. I did my first class Thursday and another this morning. I am really glad I posted this question.

No one cares what my belt is. I just needed a reality check. You guys gave me that.

After not training for 4 years, it feels like I have been hit by a truck! Haha. It will go way.

(I don’t do any TRT. I sometimes take a multivitamin. That’s it)

 

[Smato_rules]

You have more to offer the lower belts than you even know. Definitely wear the belt, you earned it

 

[Oldguy]

Yesterday, one of my rolls was with a white belt. Of course, you go easy and help them learn. I let him pass my guard, get side control, and take mount. He didn’t really know what to do. So, I showed him the Ezekiel choke. He was so thankful and excited. It was brand new to him.

That was the highlight of the morning for me. I love seeing the light come on for people.

 

[Forceof1]

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?

How do you think you would do against the average 60 year old? Some of them can barely get off the couch, and you are rolling against people half your age. Don't worry about it.

Do you have the knowledge and understanding of BJJ commensurate to your rank? Are you improving? Could you beat the 58 year old version of yourself?

Most importantly - are you enjoying it? If so, don't let anything else get in the way of that.

 

[Quebec Nick]

Lol as ludicrous as this sounds, it's common thinking. BJJ culture places WAY too much emphasis on belt rank. And it sometimes comes from instructors. "You're a BLUE/PURPLE belt, a WHITE/BLUE shouldn't pass your guard like that!" Maybe the higher belt was working on his C game, maybe he's old AF or maybe the lower belt is just a stud.

At our gym, some of the least sympathetic guys are youngish BBs (not the main coach) who don't yet understand what it's like to be >45. I often get told to "keep moving, don't just lay there. Keep switching directions until you get the pass, etc." Me and the other late 40's purple just kind of grin and nod at each other. I don't care how fit you are for your age. When you're pushing 50, you're simply not exploding continuously for 6 minutes like you could have in your 20's and 30's unless you're blasting TRT.

A belt rank isn't a pro wrestling title you need to defend every roll. If it were, I'll leave my purple belt at home, wear a rope around my waist and tell everyone I'm only doing non-title matches today without my belt on the line.

Maybe you should have one of your friends to drop kick the other guy in the middle of the round, then the match will be a no contest and you never lose your belt.

But for real, it's very exhausting to have that mindset, that you should never ''lose'' to anyone bellow you, and every round with the guy over you that you need to prove something, and then every guy on your level is a competitor to being the next getting the promotion...

It's ok for those top elite competition guys... It's a world of their own and they are the 1%

But for the common people, the only goal is to get better, build a game and helping your training partners.

 

[fishNjits]

How do you think you would do against the average 60 year old? Some of them can barely get off the couch, and you are rolling against people half your age. Don't worry about it.

Do you have the knowledge and understanding of BJJ commensurate to your rank? Are you improving? Could you beat the 58 year old version of yourself?

Most importantly - are you enjoying it? If so, don't let anything else get in the way of that.

All of this is very true - I'm better than I was two years ago and I could certainly tool some noob 60-year old walking in the door.

What you're getting at is what I usually conclude. My coach thinks I'm the purple belt version of me and that's got to be good enough.

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

We've had guys do that. No shame in it. They were better for starting fresh. If you trust your instructor's judgement then let them make the correction. Or just embrace the suck, wear your belt and work hard to grow into it

 

[Evenflow80]

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?

Dude , are you me ? Haha

Same exact story and I even posted it a few months back

Got black belt at GB after only 7 years. Like you it's given based solely on attendance, but to be fair I consistently trained 4 to 5 times a week during that time.

I'm 41 now, switched over to a major academy here in San Diego almost a year ago. I felt and still feel so embarrassed wearing my black belt, I can barely hang with their purples there. Blues even give me a hard time..forget brown or black.

Like you they told me I earned my bb so wear it with pride. It is what it is. To be fair though, I haven't seen one instance of anyone even caring. Everyone is so nice. Plus there's always no gi which I do 3 times a week, and no belts there !

Also to add to what everyone says : dude you're 61. If anything anyone with a set of eyes will respect the hell out of you for even going in and training in a sport with guys half your age or less. I'm 41 and no where near where I was physically even a few short years ago. I respect the hell out of people like you.

Edit : want to clarify, 61 is NOT ancient or one foot in grave or anything. Lots of 61 year Olds look great. It's just ancient for a tough full contact martial art like jiu jitsu haha

 

[Quebec Nick]

Like you they told me I earned my bb so wear it with pride. It is what it is. To be fair though, I haven't seen one instance of anyone even caring. Everyone is so nice. Plus there's always no gi which I do 3 times a week, and no belts there !

Good people will see a good training partner with a certain style

At those high level gyms like you seem to go to in California, the competition people are just so good, local gyms guys like me can't even fathom how it would be to roll with them

But a crafty older guy with some good stuff in his game will be priceless training partners for them

They can't roll 100% all the time when they do 2 sessions a day 7 days a week.

They will look at your skillset, see what you can offer and make good use of that time rolling with you

At my gym, I'm the ''hard to pass guy'' it's a challenge for them, the ''allstar'' guys, they know I'm older, they won't try to pressure me for minutes after passing my guard, they will try a sub quickly and try to pass me again if I escape. They also know that if I manage a sweep I will work for getting something, it won't be a heavy old guy taking a breather when he's finally on top.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

"a black belt only covers about 2 inches of your ass, your responsible for the rest" ..


Dont sweat it man...go out there and train anyone acting up on a 61 year old just so they can say they beat a BB is disrespectful and likely a douche lol which they will be dealt with by someone closer to their own age...

This is your Journey not there's...you earned it no matter what

 

[Foppa21]

To throw in my 2c well after the fact. Wear your belt, you earned it. To look at it from another direction, universities don't tend to ask for for degrees back

 

[2008]

After training at 3 schools, being around BJJ for 12 years, I don't look at belt colors the same way anymore. I don't even get excited about it. My best instructor was someone who I met as a blue belt and followed him when he became a purple. I learned things I needed to learn to make me better from a purple, not from blackbelts who taught and owned schools.

 

[Oldguy]

Evenflow, we definitely are living parallel lives! The good thing is that I have also found no one cares.

I’m just going to train hard and not listen to that stupid voice in my head.

It’s before 4:00am right now, I’m up to stretch for 30 minutes and then lift weights as a warm up before the 6:00am class. I did 4 classes my first week. My goal is to eventually train M-F. I’m setting activity goals instead of performance goals.

 

[xMTDx]

BJJ at times is still stuck in the TMA mindset where BBs need to be unbeatable gods. It is not in touch with reality.