TalkShowOnMute - I have been instructed to notify our head instructor when people are eligible, and he decides. He has turned down the overwhelming majority so far, especially the adults.
Just out of curiosity - if a person is denied promotion at first eligibility, when are they considered up for promotion again?
That's the most entertaining part actually....and also at the head instructor's discretion. sometimes he will just say "No, not yet ". other times he says "ask me in 2 months"...or whatever other length of time he deems appropriate .
TalkShowOnMute - I now work for GB, about a week or so now. I have been in charge of processing attendance cards. I have been instructed to notify our head instructor when people are eligible, and he decides. He has turned down the overwhelming majority so far, especially the adults.
Actually, we had a Judo BB come up for his purple. The guy is a beast and has well over the minimum time. He deliberated for a good while before he was sure.
At our GB, we follow the guidelines and promotions are still very much at the instructors discretion.
If memory serves me, do you work or train under Draculino? If so, he is the man, and I'm sure he does what he wants in terms of belt promotions, wearing standard uniforms, etc.
The question is what is the standard procedure of most GB schools in the country, or at least the GB schools that have recently been opened/franchised.
TalkShowOnMute - I now work for GB, about a week or so now. I have been in charge of processing attendance cards. I have been instructed to notify our head instructor when people are eligible, and he decides. He has turned down the overwhelming majority so far, especially the adults.
Actually, we had a Judo BB come up for his purple. The guy is a beast and has well over the minimum time. He deliberated for a good while before he was sure.
At our GB, we follow the guidelines and promotions are still very much at the instructors discretion.
If memory serves me, do you work or train under Draculino? If so, he is the man, and I'm sure he does what he wants in terms of belt promotions, wearing standard uniforms, etc.
The question is what is the standard procedure of most GB schools in the country, or at least the GB schools that have recently been opened/franchised.
The question can't be answered because it's impossible to interview every single instructor at each location. There will be haters and supporters on this topic, people who say guys are getting promoted too quick and then people who say everything is okay.
The fact is, any system will be abused and misused just like the GB guidelines/rules/standards/procedures.
The only question that can be answered is that each promotion is up to the instructor, so basically the instructor would promote as he would if he were or weren't GB. As it has been said multiple times in this thread, the attendance cards and the guidelines set by Gracie Barra are an absolute minimum and does not guarantee a promotion.
Do you really expect a black belt to be given simply based on attendance??
If everyone would use a little common sense, these threads wouldn't exist. However, that is the problem.
TalkShowOnMute - I now work for GB, about a week or so now. I have been in charge of processing attendance cards. I have been instructed to notify our head instructor when people are eligible, and he decides. He has turned down the overwhelming majority so far, especially the adults.
Actually, we had a Judo BB come up for his purple. The guy is a beast and has well over the minimum time. He deliberated for a good while before he was sure.
At our GB, we follow the guidelines and promotions are still very much at the instructors discretion.
If memory serves me, do you work or train under Draculino? If so, he is the man, and I'm sure he does what he wants in terms of belt promotions, wearing standard uniforms, etc.
The question is what is the standard procedure of most GB schools in the country, or at least the GB schools that have recently been opened/franchised.
It's funny because the guidelines cause so much confusion when before them the promotions were solely based on instructor opinion. They are still based on opinions, only now those opinions can only be expressed with a promotion after a minimum time period.
TalkShowOnMute - It's funny because the guidelines cause so much confusion when before them the promotions were solely based on instructor opinion. <br>They are still based on opinions, only now those opinions can only be expressed with a promotion after a minimum time period.<br><br>It's the difference between telling your kids...<br><br>You can have some cake.<br><br>Or<br><br>You can have cake, but only after dinner. <img src="/images/phone/droid.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
no one is concerned about the theory, they are concerned about what happens in practice
mjm345 - I can tell you that if there is an instructor pre scheduling or guaranteeing promotions like that, it is actually violating the GB rules and not what the attendance cards are intended for.
TTT - been a brown belt for a little over 2 years. Train several days/week. was teaching classes for most of that. Entered an ibjjf tourney in the adult div even though I'm 42 - won that.... Thought I was going to get promoted at this past year's annual get together... No dice. Still a brown.
I had a similar experience. Took me 11 years to get to black. I was a very active competitor, medaled at the Pans 2x at brown belt adult div, choked a world champ unconscious in competition etc. Still stayed at brown for almost 3 years. Don't get me wrong, I felt like the timing was perfect. I just throw this out there to illustrate the point that I definitely was not promoted according to the guidelines and no promotion is guaranteed through GB.
When someone at the gym asks about the timeline and if they will get their belts in that timeframe, I tell them that timeline is the BJ Penn program. Sure you can get your blue belt in 8 months, if you train 2x ad day every day and are already naturally gifted, but it ain't likely.
TalkShowOnMute - It's funny because the guidelines cause so much confusion when before them the promotions were solely based on instructor opinion. <br>They are still based on opinions, only now those opinions can only be expressed with a promotion after a minimum time period.<br><br>It's the difference between telling your kids...<br><br>You can have some cake.<br><br>Or<br><br>You can have cake, but only after dinner. <img src="/images/phone/droid.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
no one is concerned about the theory, they are concerned about what happens in practice
I understand that. But you will .also find that most misinterpret the basic rule structure....I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have seen someone say something like "Promotions at GB are time based, attend so and so classes and you will get promoted."
I guess they are confused about the difference between minimum and maximum...???
mjm345 - When someone at the gym asks about the timeline and if they will get their belts in that timeframe, I tell them that timeline is the BJ Penn program. Sure you can get your blue belt in 8 months, if you train 2x ad day every day and are already naturally gifted, but it ain't likely.
Honestly, why does everyone worry about how everyone else trains? What should matter is the quality of your own training. Who really cares if one school is "easier" than another - you personally know the quality of your academy - and...if it isn't up to your personal standard, go elsewhere!
By the way ---Looking at GB Canada (Vancouver) I don't see Tim Shears? Is he at another academy?
Hello gracietraining, Crazy timing in reading this post. I'm not on this site often. I'm still apart of GBVan but in a background role. I basically sold my school to Rodrigo and Eddie. I live in Tsawwassen which is 45 min away from Vancouver. I'm going to open a school down here in the next few months. I'm still at the Van school 1-2x a week helping teach and get in some rolls with the crew. I'm also in the process of setting up the CBJJF to get Canada more organized for the IBJJF. When your in town, lmk and we can hook up to train.
I'm a GB bb who competes regularly,worked for them and was there everyday and i put in close to 10 yrs(probably 10-12 w/injuries) to get my black!When i worked for them you had to have a bb instructor to be an''official''school anything else you were a''associate''school.
I live in SoCal and we are starting to see tons and tons of GB schools. I had the unique experience of getting to train with Master Carlos and Marcio who both taught every class in the beginning. They are both world class teachers.
This is my opinion. In the beginning they held the very high "old school" standard. But as their schools grew they adopted a newer standard. Here is what I mean. They have a "competitor standard" which is the standard used to create champions, which they are very good at. And they have the "soccer mom" or "middle aged man" standard, which seems to be based mostly on time and not skill.
I am not a GB student, but I really have a lot of respect for Carlos Gracie Jr. and Marcio. I am worried though that the standards are being lowered by their current practices.
gracietraining - Honestly, why does everyone worry about how everyone else trains? What should matter is the quality of your own training. Who really cares if one school is "easier" than another - you personally know the quality of your academy - and...if it isn't up to your personal standard, go elsewhere!
By the way ---Looking at GB Canada (Vancouver) I don't see Tim Shears? Is he at another academy?
I guess it's not far off from caring about having fake BBs and fake self promotions in general. You care what that belt says about the quality/level of your bjj within the bjj community as a whole.
mjm345 - was the time at brown a humbling experience for you??? I'm past it now, but it was definitely frustrating/humbling to have everyone asking if you're getting it, or suprised to see that you didn't get one. Mixed feelings on that I think....Telling each person ,that I don't know why. It's not up to me. However, appreciate that the guys that I roll with, including the other BBs, feel like I should've been promoted. Just using it as motivation now.
It is a fact that the day you are promoted, you are not yet competent in that new rank. You were promoted into the new rank because of your potential, not because you were expected to perform flawlessly from the outset. Work hard to achieve your personal best. Make becoming as proficient as possible in your new rank -- in the shortest possible time – your number one priority.
Shears - Posted in Facebook awhile ago from GB HQ:
It is a fact that the day you are promoted, you are not yet competent in that new rank. You were promoted into the new rank because of your potential, not because you were expected to perform flawlessly from the outset. Work hard to achieve your personal best. Make becoming as proficient as possible in your new rank -- in the shortest possible time – your number one priority.
Sure...At best, you're only 1 day better than you were yesterday when you were a belt lower in rank. There's a growing into it and a growing out of it.
Shears I think that's a great mentality actually. Everyone grows and matures into each belt nothing wrong with that. If you feel like you are ready or overdue a promotion you are probably not mentally where you should be. I have been a black belt 2 yrs and I still don't feel like one. Not sure I'll ever feel deserving of it. All I can hope for is to continue to develop and grow into it. Same should go for every rank.
