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Do I deserve my belt? Imposter syndrome in bjj
2 year(s) ago • 22341 views • 51 replies
JBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
AFAIK, the closest thing we have in our art/sport to "earning" stripes on our belts is by continuing to remain above ground for the required amount of time (i.e. 3 years for you and your first stripe).
For the record, I fully expect you guys to keep promoting me after I die. I’ll even leave my belt and some tape at my grave to make it easy for my next of kin. ;)
PFBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
You will.
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
For the record, I fully expect you guys to keep promoting me after I die. I’ll even leave my belt and some tape at my grave to make it easy for my next of kin. ;)
Sorry they are survival stripes...
No survive no stripe
No survive no stripe
MBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
I'm always impressed by the 50 year old black belts that still always try to roll with anyone. Even when they know some lower belt about to try to show out on them for no reason at all.
At 52 I can speak to the fact with age our bodies are more broken. I also feel that the desire to "prove" something is gone. But I am always willing to roll, even with that lower belt that has strength, age over me.
Now going back to the point of the thread, if we trust our professors then we should trust their judgement on the belt.
Now going back to the point of the thread, if we trust our professors then we should trust their judgement on the belt.
JJBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
if we trust our professors then we should trust their judgement on the belt.
Kinda sucks when you don't have a professor.
RIP purple belts.
RIP purple belts.
JBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
Sorry they are survival stripes... No survive no stripe
Plan B: brain in a vat. Technically, I’d still be alive. ;)
JJBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
Plan B: brain in a vat. Technically, I’d still be alive. ;)
Futurama rule. Gotta be at least the full head in a jar that can still talk.
CHBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
Honestly I never feel like I 'deserve' my belt. It's a weird paradox for me as I don't really have a thing with belts to me they allow you to compete at that level but at the same time I see what they mean to others and at times feel lacking
I feel it. It is tough for me because I trained no-gi the the whole second half of my black belt journey. So prob 7 years gi and 8 no-gi.
Just got to a point were I just didn't have any passion for gi anymore. So imposter syndrome mostly on the basis that traditionally bjj belts are given for skills earned training in the gi.
As if there was not a legitimate way to earn no gi rank in bjj. I’ve since come to appreciate otherwise.
Love the grappling game though, so I kept training and doing what I love.
More recently i've been training mma and striking class primarily…….with no-gi open mats peppered in periodically for fun.
Just got to a point were I just didn't have any passion for gi anymore. So imposter syndrome mostly on the basis that traditionally bjj belts are given for skills earned training in the gi.
As if there was not a legitimate way to earn no gi rank in bjj. I’ve since come to appreciate otherwise.
Love the grappling game though, so I kept training and doing what I love.
More recently i've been training mma and striking class primarily…….with no-gi open mats peppered in periodically for fun.
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
Plan B: brain in a vat. Technically, I’d still be alive. ;)
My only chance at a Coral belt
SEBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
Well, if I will be on the mats round about my 100th birthday the coral belt is a possibility….🧐
Edited 2 year(s) ago
![Slideyfoot [jun]](userimg/5e25cf311adfd.jpg){kind=small}
SJBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
It's if you trust your coaches.
Yep, I agree with Jorgen. I have never felt I deserved any of my belts and I tend to feel depressed about getting promoted (so I guess I am at least relieved that's effectively over, just time served stripes from now on). I find it hard to empathise with the people I see online, looking super happy with their new belts and posting massive long speeches about how awesome it feels, etc (to each their own).
Buuuut it doesn't matter what I think about getting promoted, as like Jorgen says, unless you're some weird McDojo nutjob, you don't tie on that new belt around your waist. Your instructor does. As long as you trust them, all good.
Buuuut it doesn't matter what I think about getting promoted, as like Jorgen says, unless you're some weird McDojo nutjob, you don't tie on that new belt around your waist. Your instructor does. As long as you trust them, all good.
JJBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
I always feel stupid when doing things that mess with the natural timing or rhythm of things. Everything I do is based on timing and strategy and not some A > B > C > D method.
Like warmups or drilling things unnaturally slowly I can look like a complete idiot. But then as soon as we do it at a more realistic pace and speed with transitions or sparring it's natural.
I can't stand positionally sparring from a single position without any transitions. It's really stupid and messes with your timing, setups, distance management everything,
For example if I want to work on getting out of closed guard I wouldn't just start from inside someone's closed guard. I would start by being in their open guard and trying to avoid being put in closed guard to begin with and then if they manage to pull me into closed guard then I work on escaping the closed guard. 1000% more natural and realistic.
Same thing if I am working on side control escapes I am not just going to let someone put me into side control and say go. I am going to let them start by passing my guard and getting past my legs and then going.
If I want to work on controlling somebody from top side control I am not just going to start from side control either, I am going to start from passing their guard from standing or top 1/2 guard and then go into the position from there.
Chaining multiple positions/transitions together with any drill or positional spar and never just doing a single thing at once that altars the actual timing of the way you would do things at full speed in a tournament etc.
Like warmups or drilling things unnaturally slowly I can look like a complete idiot. But then as soon as we do it at a more realistic pace and speed with transitions or sparring it's natural.
I can't stand positionally sparring from a single position without any transitions. It's really stupid and messes with your timing, setups, distance management everything,
For example if I want to work on getting out of closed guard I wouldn't just start from inside someone's closed guard. I would start by being in their open guard and trying to avoid being put in closed guard to begin with and then if they manage to pull me into closed guard then I work on escaping the closed guard. 1000% more natural and realistic.
Same thing if I am working on side control escapes I am not just going to let someone put me into side control and say go. I am going to let them start by passing my guard and getting past my legs and then going.
If I want to work on controlling somebody from top side control I am not just going to start from side control either, I am going to start from passing their guard from standing or top 1/2 guard and then go into the position from there.
Chaining multiple positions/transitions together with any drill or positional spar and never just doing a single thing at once that altars the actual timing of the way you would do things at full speed in a tournament etc.
MGBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
I always feel stupid when doing things that mess with the natural timing or rhythm of things. Everything I do is based on timing and strategy and not some A > B > C > D method. Like warmups or drilling things unnaturally slowly I can look like a complete idiot. But then as soon as we do it at a more realistic pace and speed with transitions or sparring it's natural. I can't stand positionally sparring from a single position without any transitions. It's really stupid and messes with your timing, setups, distance management everything, For example if I want to work on getting out of closed guard I wouldn't just start from inside someone's closed guard. I would start by being in their open guard and trying to avoid being put in closed guard to begin with and then if they manage to pull me into closed guard then I work on escaping the closed guard. 1000% more natural and realistic. Same thing if I am working on side control escapes I am not just going to let someone put me into side control and say go. I am going to let them start by passing my guard and getting past my legs and then going. If I want to work on controlling somebody from top side control I am not just going to start from side control either, I am going to start from passing their guard from standing or top 1/2 guard and then go into the position from there. Chaining multiple positions/transitions together with any drill or positional spar and never just doing a single thing at once that altars the actual timing of the way you would do things at full speed in a tournament etc.
Good description of a purple belt (:
JJBlack beltVerified
JJBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
Difference between purple and brown is that a brown belt can figure out your A game and strengths and be well rounded enough to call an audible and counter it fairly quickly.
Purple belts still are playing paper rock scissors.
Purple belts still are playing paper rock scissors.
KWBlack beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
I felt like I deserved my blue belt. It was the only time I felt like I was leveling up rapidly even after getting promoted too. At purple through black, I can attest to my favorite Marcelo Garcia quote: "It never gets easier."
Edited 2 year(s) ago
JBBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
And now I will derail the thread... :p https://m.facebook.com/fa[...]600400139/ In my opinion, that's not a way a BJJ blackbelt should do nor demonstrate ways to pass guard in the Lord's year 2023. But that's like...just my opinion man...
Haha that has to be a joke
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
They are survival stripes
ZPBlue beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
From my personal thought of it all, when I start comparing myself to other people on my level or have been training as long as I have. I compete more. When I go to competitions that's usually what gives me realistic feedback. At the gym of course your teammates are going to give you hard rolls and when you cross-train at other gyms guys are going to turn it up on you. However, in competition, we all know there is a difference in the intensity and the guy across from you isn't trying to be your friend. From there, win or lose I can validate my feelings. If I get in here and dominate? I'm feeling secure at my rank. If I get in here and do well, win some lose some? Again, it was validated because I'm in the average of the pack. Now it hasn't happened yet, but I've started competing in more intermediate and advance classes. Suppose I go and get completely outclassed and out-skilled. Then I know that I'm just not on that level yet.
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
The true measure what you can do on the mats is what actually matters. At least to me can I execute and perform techniques? Do I know them well enough to teach? Can I perform under pressure against an equally skilled practitioner?
RBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
The true measure what you can do on the mats is what actually matters. At least to me can I execute and perform techniques? Do I know them well enough to teach? Can I perform under pressure against an equally skilled practitioner?
I agree that it's a combination of a number of factors. It's definitely not purely performance and not purely knowledge, but a blend. There will be a unique blend for each person. If all that mattered was ability and winning/losing in competition there would only be a couple black belts in the world. There's always someone better, and sometimes that changes from day to day based on a number of things. But - proficiency is consistent. You might not win every roll against someone equally ranked/skilled, but you should be proficient. Obviously, there's a subjective nature to that though. And I think that's where the imposter syndrome enters the equation.
