# An unexpected milestone



## Tony Dismukes (Feb 21, 2015)

Attended a Carlson Gracie Jr. seminar today and got a shock at the end when I was informed that I was being promoted to black belt in BJJ.

I honestly thought I had a couple more years before I had to worry about being promoted. I think Carlson was probably applying a curve for old guys. There were three other brown belts at the seminar who are at least as good as me who didn't get promoted - but they're all 20 years younger than I am.

Anyway, I've got some holes in my game that I thought I had time to fix before I reached black belt. Now I've got to work even harder in order to catch up to my rank. I've been training about 12 hours a week on average. I wonder if my body can handle bumping that up to 15 hours per week.


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## Steve (Feb 21, 2015)

That is truly outstanding.  Congratulations !!!


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## jezr74 (Feb 21, 2015)

Congratulations Tony, what a great milestone. Even better that you didn't see it coming. Sounds like you are harder on yourself, take it all in and enjoy the moment.


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## Tames D (Feb 21, 2015)

Congrats! He wouldn't have promoted you if you're not worthy of representing his art. Accept with honor and pride.


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## Brian King (Feb 21, 2015)

Congrats!
Brian King


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## Tez3 (Feb 21, 2015)

Oh wow! Congratulations and very well done. Chuffed for you!


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## jks9199 (Feb 21, 2015)

Congrats!  I suspect that you sell yourself short and more than deserved the promotion. 

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## kuniggety (Feb 21, 2015)

That's such an amazing milestone to make. You've been entrusted as an inheritor of the system. As a guy who has only been studying BJJ for 2 years, I look at your accomplishment with awe.


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## drop bear (Feb 21, 2015)

Yeah well done.

You can do the extra if you keep it constant. And recovery swims.


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## Danny T (Feb 21, 2015)

Outstanding Tony. Congratulations!! Has to be an awesome feeling. I am very impressed with your honesty with yourself as to still having some holes and that you will continue to work to better yourself. It is an ongoing process to constantly refine or polish your martial skills. Keep on going and Never give up.


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## Dirty Dog (Feb 21, 2015)

Congratulations, Tony. I've no doubt at all the promotion was deserved.


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## Buka (Feb 21, 2015)

Dude. I mean, really. How fricken' awesome is that? 

As for any "curve for old guys", my guess is - Carlson knows a little bit more than you about BJJ, yes? Oh, that is just so awesome!

Congratulations, my friend. Bask, my brother, you deserve a little basking, I know it's foreign to you, but it's deserved for a bit and it's a long road. Yay, Tony!


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## K-man (Feb 21, 2015)

Congratulations Tony. Great achievement.


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## Chris Parker (Feb 22, 2015)

Dude. Awesome.


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## KydeX (Feb 22, 2015)

Congratulations!


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## elder999 (Feb 22, 2015)

Congratulations!


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## Tony Dismukes (Feb 22, 2015)

Thanks everyone!

I'll probably feel better about the rank once those other brown belts I mentioned get promoted. (Carlson's words: "They're young. They've got plenty of time." My thoughts: "I'm only 50. Don't _I_ have plenty of time? Do you know something I don't?"


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## elder999 (Feb 22, 2015)

Tony Dismukes said:


> . (Carlson's words: "They're young. They've got plenty of time." My thoughts: "I'm only 50. Don't _I_ have plenty of time? Do you know something I don't?"



Yep-he does. If you haven't noticed, years will go by much faster, even if they are the same 31,536,000 seconds that those young guys get....congrats again.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Feb 22, 2015)

Congratulations Tony!  Very cool and I know you deserve it!


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## Hanzou (Feb 22, 2015)

Congrats Tony!

Now prepare to get your *** kicked!


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## Tony Dismukes (Feb 22, 2015)

Hanzou said:


> Congrats Tony!
> 
> Now prepare to get your *** kicked!



My instructor told me: "I feel sorry for you- you're going to have a great big target on your back this week."

That said, I dropped in at a friend's school for some rounds this morning and held my own fairly well. I did feel the pressure to roll my best.


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## tshadowchaser (Feb 22, 2015)

I missed this thread yesterday  so
Congratulations on this accomplishment


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## jks9199 (Feb 22, 2015)

One more thought... He may have seen understanding that exceeded technical ability.

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## Gnarlie (Feb 23, 2015)

Wow, congratulations. If your martial spirit, ability and personality reflect the way you conduct yourself here on this forum, then you _really_ deserve this.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 23, 2015)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Attended a Carlson Gracie Jr. seminar today and got a shock at the end when I was informed that I was being promoted to black belt in BJJ.
> 
> I honestly thought I had a couple more years before I had to worry about being promoted. I think Carlson was probably applying a curve for old guys. There were three other brown belts at the seminar who are at least as good as me who didn't get promoted - but they're all 20 years younger than I am.
> 
> ...



Congratulations, it is a hard black belt to get and if Carlson Gracie Jr. thinks you're ready...you're ready


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## Instructor (Feb 23, 2015)

Tony, Congratulations!  Getting a black belt in BJJ is no small feat.  I am sure it is very well deserved sir.


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## sfs982000 (Feb 23, 2015)

Congratulations!!!


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## Hanzou (Feb 25, 2015)

Tony Dismukes said:


> My instructor told me: "I feel sorry for you- you're going to have a great big target on your back this week."
> 
> That said, I dropped in at a friend's school for some rounds this morning and held my own fairly well. I did feel the pressure to roll my best.



Do you feel more pressure to perform after getting your black?

One of my instructors (2 stripe black) told me that he refuses to tap to a purple if he's visiting another school.


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## Tony Dismukes (Feb 25, 2015)

Hanzou said:


> Do you feel more pressure to perform after getting your black?
> 
> One of my instructors (2 stripe black) told me that he refuses to tap to a purple if he's visiting another school.


Yeah. I will never refuse to tap - that's not a good way to keep my aging body in one piece. What I am doing is forcing myself to stay more focused and not allow myself to be lazy while rolling.


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## Hanzou (Feb 25, 2015)

You got any big plans for that belt Tony? From what I hear, bjj black belts are in pretty high demand around the country for instruction. You thinking about sticking with your current gym, or maybe open up your own gym somewhere else?


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## Tony Dismukes (Feb 25, 2015)

Hanzou said:


> You got any big plans for that belt Tony? From what I hear, bjj black belts are in pretty high demand around the country for instruction. You thinking about sticking with your current gym, or maybe open up your own gym somewhere else?


Part of me would eventually like to have my own school where I could shape the curriculum based on my own ideas. That's not going to happen anytime soon. For one thing, running a successful school takes as much work on the business end as on the martial arts end and I don't have the time, energy, or money to invest in that now. For another thing, I don't yet have the martial skill set that I would want to properly teach the curriculum that I have in mind. Right now I'm in a good place where I can teach a couple of classes per week and spend the rest of my time learning from other people.

Maybe when I'm getting ready for retirement I'll can open my own school and devote myself to it full time.


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## Transk53 (Feb 26, 2015)

@Tony Dismukes Congrats  Just curious. Do you also have a Black belt in Muay Thai?


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## Tony Dismukes (Feb 26, 2015)

Transk53 said:


> @Tony Dismukes Congrats  Just curious. Do you also have a Black belt in Muay Thai?


Muay Thai doesn't generally use a belt system. I do have an apprentice instructor's license from the TBA (Chai Sirusute's organization) and when I got that my kickboxing instructor (Oscar Kallet) awarded me a black belt in his own eclectic kickboxing system, for whatever that's worth. My striking skills are ... adequate but not particularly advanced.


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## Transk53 (Feb 26, 2015)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Muay Thai doesn't generally use a belt system. I do have an apprentice instructor's license from the TBA (Chai Sirusute's organization) and when I got that my kickboxing instructor (Oscar Kallet) awarded me a black belt in his own eclectic kickboxing system, for whatever that's worth. My striking skills are ... adequate but not particularly advanced.



I thought so. I have seen a few school web pages that refer to the instructors holding Black belts. I guess that it just used as generic term for those of you at that level.


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## kuniggety (Feb 27, 2015)

Having lived in Thailand, none of the schools there used a belt system. It's just something you train and when you're ready you hop in the ring. It's a lot like boxing in that regard.


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## seasoned (Feb 28, 2015)

Congratulations, Tony. 
Promotion by surprise means your head is in the right place and noticed. A hunger to learn and the humility to boot goes a long way. Good for you, well deserved.


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## yak sao (Mar 2, 2015)

Congrats. A black belt in BJJ, from one of the Gracies no less, truly means something.


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## donald1 (Mar 3, 2015)

wait a second... that means there going to start hitting you harder and more often right?  one minute your stretching or practicing techniques then BAM! ...right when you least expect it

joking aside, good job! you earned it!


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## FriedRice (Mar 12, 2015)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Attended a Carlson Gracie Jr. seminar today and got a shock at the end when I was informed that I was being promoted to black belt in BJJ.
> View attachment 19197



Wow, a BB from The Man, himself. Wish I knew this before I was being such a know-it-all towards you. You get my respect.


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## Buka (Mar 15, 2015)

So....Tony, how's it been around your club since you became a "man of the cloth"?

Target on your back? No target to speak of? 
Inquiring minds want to know.


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## Tony Dismukes (Aug 10, 2015)

Buka said:


> So....Tony, how's it been around your club since you became a "man of the cloth"?
> 
> Target on your back? No target to speak of?
> Inquiring minds want to know.


Just now spotted your question. Somehow I missed it back in March.

I haven't really felt like there's a real target on my back. Everyone has been supportive and anybody who is able to give me a good match already knows where they stand in relation to me skill-wise.

For about 5-6 months I was being extra conscientious about training every possible hour in order to try catching my ability up to my rank. I'm finally starting to feel a bit more like I deserve the belt and I'm allowing myself to take the occasional day off from training when I'm feeling burnt out.


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## ballen0351 (Aug 20, 2015)

Sorry I missed this Congrats Tony


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## Manny (Aug 28, 2015)

Congratulations, you deserve it so enjoy it. You are young enough to get better and then why not? get a seconde degrre black belt.

El Manny


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## Tony Dismukes (Aug 28, 2015)

Manny said:


> Congratulations, you deserve it so enjoy it. You are young enough to get better and then why not? get a seconde degrre black belt.
> 
> El Manny


Thanks, Manny.

Rank after black belt in BJJ is primarily about time in service, teaching and promoting the art. Assuming I keep teaching and stay affiliated with my instructor, I'll probably acquire a  stripe on my belt every few years or so.


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