My first post in a long time but I felt recent events deserved a quick update. So why the title?
Let me explain.
The first time I ever attended a Jiu-Jitsu class (that’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) I had been training Judo for just a few months. However due to my rather large size and general athleticism I was already giving many of the higher belts at Judo a hard time in Newaza.
I had been studying groundwork since I first watched Royce Gracie win those early UFC’s and Judo was the closest thing, both in terms of distance and similarity, to BJJ in my vicinity.
However Nova Forca in Epsom wasn’t a million miles away so when my Judo club was closed for one of the school holidays I rang the instructor and asked if I could come down for a class. I explained to him that Judo was my thing and that I was hoping to make the occasional foray in to BJJ only when my Judo club was closed and he was fine with it.
In my first proper BJJ class I got to roll (spar) with many BJJ students of all levels. Against some of the new guys who had but a few weeks of training, I did ok, managing to submit some of them. Against the white belts who had been training a few months things were pretty even. I remember thinking at this point that I was quite good. I was half expecting the instructor to single me out as a great example to others. Then I rolled with a blue belt.
This blue belt moved effortlessly on his back as he submitted me with a succession of armbars, triangles and all other manner of weird chokes that I had never seen before. He was also able to take my back with ease, sweep me and basically do whatever he wanted.
I quickly came to the conclusion that Blue belts were basically wizards and I aspired to be one.
Roll forward many years later and on Saturday I was awarded my blue belt by my instructor Martin at Reigate Martial Arts. It felt great to be acknowledged for all the hard work and training I had put in and whilst I felt I was ready, due to how I performed when rolling with the other students, I certainly didn’t feel like a “Wizard”.
I have therefore come to the conclusion that Purple belts are “Wizards” and I now aspire to be one……
Let me explain.
The first time I ever attended a Jiu-Jitsu class (that’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) I had been training Judo for just a few months. However due to my rather large size and general athleticism I was already giving many of the higher belts at Judo a hard time in Newaza.
I had been studying groundwork since I first watched Royce Gracie win those early UFC’s and Judo was the closest thing, both in terms of distance and similarity, to BJJ in my vicinity.
However Nova Forca in Epsom wasn’t a million miles away so when my Judo club was closed for one of the school holidays I rang the instructor and asked if I could come down for a class. I explained to him that Judo was my thing and that I was hoping to make the occasional foray in to BJJ only when my Judo club was closed and he was fine with it.
In my first proper BJJ class I got to roll (spar) with many BJJ students of all levels. Against some of the new guys who had but a few weeks of training, I did ok, managing to submit some of them. Against the white belts who had been training a few months things were pretty even. I remember thinking at this point that I was quite good. I was half expecting the instructor to single me out as a great example to others. Then I rolled with a blue belt.
This blue belt moved effortlessly on his back as he submitted me with a succession of armbars, triangles and all other manner of weird chokes that I had never seen before. He was also able to take my back with ease, sweep me and basically do whatever he wanted.
I quickly came to the conclusion that Blue belts were basically wizards and I aspired to be one.
Roll forward many years later and on Saturday I was awarded my blue belt by my instructor Martin at Reigate Martial Arts. It felt great to be acknowledged for all the hard work and training I had put in and whilst I felt I was ready, due to how I performed when rolling with the other students, I certainly didn’t feel like a “Wizard”.
I have therefore come to the conclusion that Purple belts are “Wizards” and I now aspire to be one……
