Principal Andy -If I understand this correctly, the instructor conned his student out of $30 and the student brought him to small claims court.
Yes the article is written like shit. Did the instructor charge students to attend a belt ceremony in which they weren't receiving belts? If thats the case, it's fucked up. It's one thing to charge for belts or the belt test, but to charge people and not provide a "test" is awful.
I trained at that school a couple of times while traveling in Brazil.
The one thing I hate about the belt thing is that, if you ever teach or want to open your own gym, your rank is an important thing to newcomers. I think anyone that's trained a while realizes that a belt is only good for holding your pants up, and mat time, continual learning, and abililty to convey information are what counts, but good luck trying to sell that to some people. They want a "black belt". Best instruction I ever got was from a purple belt and a guy that was a 2-stripe blue that did a ton of no-gi, but you have to be willing to try them out to figure that out.
nek -The one thing I hate about the belt thing is that, if you ever teach or want to open your own gym, your rank is an important thing to newcomers. I think anyone that's trained a while realizes that a belt is only good for holding your pants up, and mat time, continual learning, and abililty to convey information are what counts, but good luck trying to sell that to some people. They want a "black belt". Best instruction I ever got was from a purple belt and a guy that was a 2-stripe blue that did a ton of no-gi, but you have to be willing to try them out to figure that out.
best coaches i've had were all BB...I know a lot of good coaches that are lower but they always have great black belts behind them. I've learned most from lower belts (just because these are the guys that i had access to on a regular basis) but it is always a black belt that gives me that "ah ha" moment on why certain techniques aren't working for me.
fnunderful -nek -The one thing I hate about the belt thing is that, if you ever teach or want to open your own gym, your rank is an important thing to newcomers. I think anyone that's trained a while realizes that a belt is only good for holding your pants up, and mat time, continual learning, and abililty to convey information are what counts, but good luck trying to sell that to some people. They want a "black belt". Best instruction I ever got was from a purple belt and a guy that was a 2-stripe blue that did a ton of no-gi, but you have to be willing to try them out to figure that out.
best coaches i've had were all BB...I know a lot of good coaches that are lower but they always have great black belts behind them. I've learned most from lower belts (just because these are the guys that i had access to on a regular basis) but it is always a black belt that gives me that "ah ha" moment on why certain techniques aren't working for me.
I'd say this is most often the case. However, my overall point is that years training should be the consideration and not just the color of one's belt. More often than not, these things have a strong correlation, but the belt shouldn't be the focus and I'm amazed at how many grown men are concerned with strips/belts vs. learning and self-improvement.
nek -fnunderful -nek -The one thing I hate about the belt thing is that, if you ever teach or want to open your own gym, your rank is an important thing to newcomers. I think anyone that's trained a while realizes that a belt is only good for holding your pants up, and mat time, continual learning, and abililty to convey information are what counts, but good luck trying to sell that to some people. They want a "black belt". Best instruction I ever got was from a purple belt and a guy that was a 2-stripe blue that did a ton of no-gi, but you have to be willing to try them out to figure that out.
best coaches i've had were all BB...I know a lot of good coaches that are lower but they always have great black belts behind them. I've learned most from lower belts (just because these are the guys that i had access to on a regular basis) but it is always a black belt that gives me that "ah ha" moment on why certain techniques aren't working for me.
I'd say this is most often the case. However, my overall point is that years training should be the consideration and not just the color of one's belt. More often than not, these things have a strong correlation, but the belt shouldn't be the focus and I'm amazed at how many grown men are concerned with strips/belts vs. learning and self-improvement.
if you have more years of training than a bb and you are not bb, you are doing something wrong. I know i have more years than some bb but, i've got lots of gaps in training from travel, injuries, etc...and i never put the mat time in that some of these other guys do. coaching years count too, some bb never teach and might be shit at it. however, no one looking for a good gym gives a shit about my problems and if i was going to open a gym i would bring in a bb for sure.
fnunderful -nek -fnunderful -nek -The one thing I hate about the belt thing is that, if you ever teach or want to open your own gym, your rank is an important thing to newcomers. I think anyone that's trained a while realizes that a belt is only good for holding your pants up, and mat time, continual learning, and abililty to convey information are what counts, but good luck trying to sell that to some people. They want a "black belt". Best instruction I ever got was from a purple belt and a guy that was a 2-stripe blue that did a ton of no-gi, but you have to be willing to try them out to figure that out.
best coaches i've had were all BB...I know a lot of good coaches that are lower but they always have great black belts behind them. I've learned most from lower belts (just because these are the guys that i had access to on a regular basis) but it is always a black belt that gives me that "ah ha" moment on why certain techniques aren't working for me.
I'd say this is most often the case. However, my overall point is that years training should be the consideration and not just the color of one's belt. More often than not, these things have a strong correlation, but the belt shouldn't be the focus and I'm amazed at how many grown men are concerned with strips/belts vs. learning and self-improvement.
if you have more years of training than a bb and you are not bb, you are doing something wrong. I know i have more years than some bb but, i've got lots of gaps in training from travel, injuries, etc...and i never put the mat time in that some of these other guys do. coaching years count too, some bb never teach and might be shit at it. however, no one looking for a good gym gives a shit about my problems and if i was going to open a gym i would bring in a bb for sure.
Fair points. The example I was thinking of was a guy that was a purple belt for many years b/c he was in the coast guard and moved around alot.
nek -fnunderful -nek -fnunderful -nek -The one thing I hate about the belt thing is that, if you ever teach or want to open your own gym, your rank is an important thing to newcomers. I think anyone that's trained a while realizes that a belt is only good for holding your pants up, and mat time, continual learning, and abililty to convey information are what counts, but good luck trying to sell that to some people. They want a "black belt". Best instruction I ever got was from a purple belt and a guy that was a 2-stripe blue that did a ton of no-gi, but you have to be willing to try them out to figure that out.
best coaches i've had were all BB...I know a lot of good coaches that are lower but they always have great black belts behind them. I've learned most from lower belts (just because these are the guys that i had access to on a regular basis) but it is always a black belt that gives me that "ah ha" moment on why certain techniques aren't working for me.
I'd say this is most often the case. However, my overall point is that years training should be the consideration and not just the color of one's belt. More often than not, these things have a strong correlation, but the belt shouldn't be the focus and I'm amazed at how many grown men are concerned with strips/belts vs. learning and self-improvement.
if you have more years of training than a bb and you are not bb, you are doing something wrong. I know i have more years than some bb but, i've got lots of gaps in training from travel, injuries, etc...and i never put the mat time in that some of these other guys do. coaching years count too, some bb never teach and might be shit at it. however, no one looking for a good gym gives a shit about my problems and if i was going to open a gym i would bring in a bb for sure.
Fair points. The example I was thinking of was a guy that was a purple belt for many years b/c he was in the coast guard and moved around alot.
I know the types but if you think about it, these guys move every 3 years, and if you can't convince your current coach that you are worthy of a new belt (depending on how long you have been holding on to it already) there is something wrong. Unless you are deployed or in the field a lot, you should be able to be pretty consistent at the gym and make consistent progress in your promotions. One thing i've noticed about some guys like this, and i'm speaking in my own experience, they can be a little resistant to a new coach. I've seen with my own eyes one of my coaches correct a guys technique and then the guy just go back to drilling it his own way (and incorrectly). Sometimes it takes a bit for guys like this to trust a new coach. Trust goes both ways.
R$70 is not chump change anywhere in Brazil. If you're being charged that to attend a regular grading ceremony where you may get a belt or you may get a stripe (and no prior contract has been entered into) then I wouldn't be surprised to see the student win this can get his money back.
I've never seen a belt test beyond getting shark tanked by other black belts here in Brazil and definitely not paid ones. Assuming this is just a ceremony and not even a test then it's bullshit of the highest order.
Yes, yes, getting upset because you got a stripe not a belt is wussy, quitting or going to another school over it is simply defeatest - but dumping out half a week's minimum wage over and over again for a promotion ceremony reminds me of mcdojos - except their your promotion is guaranteed.
vidavaletudo -R$70 is not chump change anywhere in Brazil. If you're being charged that to attend a regular grading ceremony where you may get a belt or you may get a stripe (and no prior contract has been entered into) then I wouldn't be surprised to see the student win this can get his money back.
I've never seen a belt test beyond getting shark tanked by other black belts here in Brazil and definitely not paid ones. Assuming this is just a ceremony and not even a test then it's bullshit of the highest order.
Yes, yes, getting upset because you got a stripe not a belt is wussy, quitting or going to another school over it is simply defeatest - but dumping out half a week's minimum wage over and over again for a promotion ceremony reminds me of mcdojos - except their your promotion is guaranteed.
/THREAD
m.g - I've always had a love hate relationship with belts in BJJ. I do understand belts can serve as inspiration and motivation. Belts also can represent time and effort invested in this great martial art.BUT the reality is… belts are SYMBOLIC… they represent something BUT beyond that they don’t mean much… One could live without the belts in BJJ.
My personal experience has been the longer one participates in BJJ (in terms of YEARS) the less one cares about belts. I’ve been practicing Bjj for almost 15 years. I am currently a brown belt. I seriously don’t care much about getting my black belt. Truth be told, I don’t know if being promoted to black belt would make that much difference in my skill-set/ability. I don’t think I will suddenly be much better or suddenly be more knowledgeable if I was promoted to black belt. If anything, my promotion to black belt would only represent my current ability and knowledge.
In my view, BJJ is very much like wrestling, boxing, and Muay Thai in terms of effectiveness and training. You don’t see belts in any those combat sports.
Sometimes this game be a crutch with this mindset. I’m currently a brown belt and I’m fighting to get my black belt. How? Im’ trying to become a killing machine.
I’m working on my techniques, studying tape, practising the most effective grips. Learning how to be aggressive off transitions and establish the most dominating grips towards a submission.
I believe that motivation of the belt to black is all about investing back into the art. When I become a black belt, I’m putting my mind back into the art by showing people that. I know a BB right now that really emphasized that to me. When I saw him recently, I hadn’t seen him in 5 years.
He told me that when I last saw him he was gunning for his black belt. That’s the mentality I think you should try to change because 15 years is 15 years. But, 15 solid consistent and efficient years are going to be a lot better than 15 "I don’t care that much about getting my black belt. "
Just a word of thought.
I was due for my purple belt beck in 2007 or 2008.... I watched everyone who was due to get promoted to the next belt or stripes.... my coaches never called me up. Well Im no pussy so I dont say shit. I'll get it next time. We wrap up and everyone is in the lockeroom getting dressed. My coaches run up to me "OMG we totally forgot you. So sorry here is your purple belt!".... LOL we are standing in fron of the urinals and toilets. We still laugh about to this day. I got my purple in front of guys shitting and pissing! Good times!