Black Belt Definiton
- Thread starter Martial_Kumite
- Start date
I'm no where near a black belt in BJJ but we did a drill last week where we spent a minute in each other's full guard. I paired with a white belt and I opened his guard and took side control 4 or 5 times in that minute. The result was the same with him in my guard... me breaking his posture and sweating him a few times. Anyways, he comments: "I hope to get as good as you one day." My response was just: "don't quit".
As a father of two and in the military, I know how life can get in the way. You just gotta accept the set backs and jump back into it.
JR 137
Grandmaster
That's a good way to look at it. I hadn't considered that viewpoint.
I was thinking they learn a bunch of techniques. Perhaps (and hopefully) to the point where they've got good control while using them. All's fine and good with that except one thing - they don't know how to truly set them up. They don't know when nor how to really transition from one thing to the next. No different that if you were taught non-contact boxing - taught combinations, footwork, hitting a heavy bag and speed very well, but never sparred. How would you truly know when to throw what? Regardless of the style you practice, things never go 100% as planned in a physical altercation. What separates the best from the rest and the worst is the best know what's coming, how to counter it, how to prevent it from coming in the first place, etc. You can't get that real sense of "what if" without actually getting on the mat, floor, etc. I think non-contact karate (and every other striking art) is a joke. Non-rolling grappling arts are just as much of a joke. BJJ prides itself on pressure testing, non-LARPing (if you will), and not being glorified gymnastics and/or dance. Non-rolling BJJ is no different imo. It falls under the McDojo umbrella so many of them are so quick to point out.
No, the whole point of that incident is that Mr. Queiroz is not a BJJ black belt.
TSDTexan
Master of Arts
The "how to" of learning setups was solved in karate and other similar arts was solved by the creation of forms.
First you program muscle memory, to make it instinctive, and condition the body.
Then you learn through analysis, or the break down of what the kata is saying tactically.
Bam! You are deep drilling your setups.
Rigan has not promoted any of his no-rolling celebrity students to black belt. I think one of his celebrity students may have gotten as high as purple, but I don't know if that individual was in the no-rolling class.
Rigan gets enough criticism from the BJJ community for the program as is. If he ever promotes any of his non-rollers to black belt, he will be absolutely excoriated by the entire community including other family members.
On further research, I see Rigan states that while he has the "flow ju jutsu" classes available for his celebrity students, they do not actually get promoted in rank unless they actually spar/roll.
Headhunter
Senior Master
Real classy you are....what're you 15Exactly! Lol it's kind of like how you only get good reviews in bed because your wife wants to be nice.
Mou Meng Gung Fu
Purple Belt
Even if I was 15, still tho... lol
JR 137
Grandmaster
The purple belt you're referring to is most likely Ashton Kutcher. He's a purple belt under Rigan Machado. Some sources say he's a legit purple, despite arguably being promoted too quickly, other sources say he's a non-rolling guy.
This source implies he rolls...
Joe Rogan's Opinion on Ashton Kutcher's Controversial Purple Belt in Jiu-Jitsu
Others, which I can't find due to a lack of effort right now, have claimed he's a non-rolling guy. Maybe he's a minimal rolling guy?
At the end of the day, it makes zero difference in my training. I have the utmost respect for BJJ. It's a fantastic art. Having wrestled and coached for quite some time, it's not for me as I've grown a bit tired of the day to day grind of being on the mat. I'd just hate to see it become McDojo-ized.
Headhunter
Senior Master
No I don't think you're 15 but you seem to have the mentality of a 15 year old
Considering the fact that the belt might be black on the surface but is white underneath I would say that you're right. A black belt is just a white belt that's been dyed black. We're all white belts. Whatever color your belt is on the surface, its white underneath.
Ed O'Neill got his BJJ black belt in 2007. It took him less than 22 years. By now he's been training for a little more than 22 years so he must've started sometime in the mid 90s. So it might've taken him 14 or 15 years to get it. If he got it under Rorion than he had to work hard for it.
JR 137
Grandmaster
What if what's under the outer material is also black?
TSDTexan
Master of Arts
You may be right. About 14 years, to BB, but rolling for 22.
Interesting vid:
Ed OāNeill Practices Jiu-Jitsu With Billy Bush!
I don't know if they make belts like that.
So here is the video of the fellow who talks about how getting a black belt in BJJ really means something. Some people have disagreed with my earlier post about him well this is what he said not me so if you don't like it you can argue with him. Much of the video is about him chewing out somebody who claimed to be a BJJ black belt who wasn't, at 23:23 he talks about the difference between a BJJ black belt and a Karate black belt.
Mou Meng Gung Fu
Purple Belt
Headhunter
Senior Master
Yep point provenCool story bro...
JR 137
Grandmaster
Either do I. I think I'm going to start a new business making black belts with zero white and any other color anywhere in them. Since you inspired the idea, I'll cut you in. 10%?
