Best Advice for Jiu Jitsu Belt Promotion for Newbies from a Newbie: Chill the Fuck Out

Brazilian jiu jitsu, like pretty much any martial art, uses a belt system to rank practitioners. The progress for adults is depicted in the picture to the left. Each belt color from white all the way up to black are considered "major promotions", while the stripes added to each color are considered "minor" promotions.

Promotions are considered to be very conservative relative to other martial arts. I've been at it for about six months or so and am a one-stripe white belt (second to the lowest classification.) It can take anywhere from eight (considered relatively fast) to fifteen + years of consistent training to earn a black belt. Other martial arts, such as taekwondo, may take as little as 18 months for a practitioner to earn a black belt. Obviously the "black belt" means different things to different arts.

In regards to bjj, different schools, gyms, or academies (terms used to describe where bjj is taught) and different instructors have differing criteria for promotions. Some use a formal testing method where you have to show competence and technical knowledge of a wide variety of skills. Others (most I suspect) use an informal, subjective methodology to determine promotion. Instructors may use a wide range of criteria from technical knowledge to ability to submit others when sparring ("rolling" as it's called) to performance in competition. Other factors may be considered like age, prior skill level, respectful behaviors... whatever.

I've been reading a lot of jiu jitsu forums as of late, and I've noticed two distinct, conflicting messages:

1. People giving "Don't focus on promotions, focus on improving your abilities" messages,

-and-

2. People obsessing and/or complaining about not getting promoted.

Having come from a slightly different background than most jiu jitsu players I've met (former psychology teacher turned mountain ultrarunning hobo turned lumber handler/writer/stay-at-home-dad), I have to whole-heartedly agree with the former perspective. Focusing on the next promotion, while good for the ego and a good external measure of progress, can have quite a few unintended consequences. Let's start with...

1. Focusing on external rewards decreases intrinsic motivation. WTF does this mean, you ask? If we do any task because we expect a reward of some sort, eventually our motivation for the task decreases

(extrinsic.) Conversely, if we do something because it satisfies a deep, internal need, we tend not to lose motivation (intrinsic.) Focusing on our next promotion will eventually kill our desire to do the task. Perhaps this is why so few people continue past the blue belt level.

2. The early stages are a sandbox. You're supposed to suck. Take advantage of the opportunity by experimenting often. If you end up losing position or getting tapped, even at the hands of the brand new kid, nobody even notices. That's what is supposed to happen. Being a white belt is a freedom that you don't always get later on. Others will have expectations. Savor the obscurity.

3. The anxiety of waiting for your next promotion can inhibit your capacity to learn. Focusing on when you get promoted invariably distracts you from the task that should garner your attention- improving your game.

4. If you decide to compete, its better to be promoted later than earlier. If you decide to compete, you'll probably be more competitive if you're promoted later rather than earlier. Of course, there is a point where you'd be sandbagging at the lower level, but trust your instructor's opinion on the matter.

5. Don't compare your insides to others' outsides. That quote comes from Hugh MacLeod, but is paraphrased by many others. We like to compare ourselves to others, and our jiu jitsu game is no exception. This can be a useful to to gauge progress, but can also be a slippery slope. Other people, even those that started at the same time or later, may be more athletic, have prior grappling experience, or may just learn faster. This journey is uniquely yours. Treat it as such.

6. Almost everyone doesn't give a fuck about your belt color... they're too busy obsessing about their own. Those that DO care really should be avoided anyway. Humans are rather narcissistic. We tend to see ourselves as the center of the universe. As such, most people don't care about your rank. This is especially true of white belts. Given the number of white belts that wash out and quit after a few weeks or months, the more experienced folks usually won't bother investing in a friendship for quite awhile. Because of this, you won't register on most peoples' radar.

7. It's just a game. We're not curing cancer. Treat is as such.

Yes, promotions are nice. Recognition from our instructors makes us feel good. Don't get too caught up in that external measure of progress, though. It very well could sabotage the greatest experiences of the art.

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