



Will I Live Up to My Belt Level in Brazil?

You know the feeling… You’ve just been promoted, and your brand new belt is tied around your waist ready for it’s first outing. You’ve been training for this for months, sometimes years, and this step up is the result of countless hours of rolling and drilling, innumerable injuries, hardships and pain.

You step out onto the mat, full of confidence and energy – this is your moment! You’ve arrived! You’re ready to represent your new self in front of everyone, to show them how much you deserve your new rank…

And then you get smashed by everyone.

It’s a tough moment and one we’ve all been through. It’s a horrible feeling when the belt weighs heavy on your waist.

The Brazilian Blues

This experience tends to happen to people who arrive in Brazil. Training with full-time athletes of all belt colours and people who have been training since they were kids or teens can leave you asking the question:

“How am I the same belt as these dudes?”

First off, you need to remember that belt colour is not 100% indicative of skill. Some people are hobbyists who maybe train a few times a week. Some guys are hardcore competitors and are held back for tournament success. It’s a harsh reality but one we need to accept.

When Anxiety Holds You Back

The fear of not living up to your belt can make you much more defensive and tight when rolling. This is a natural response to being in an uncomfortable situation, and you’ll definitely find yourself in plenty of uncomfortable situations while rolling in Brazil! But it shouldn’t stop you from playing your normal game and enjoying yourself.

If you’re a purple belt for example, and you’re rolling with a sharp blue belt, you might not want to give him any room in case he catches you and makes you look bad. This kind of training can prevent you from trying out techniques you’ve just been taught.

Also, as a lower belt you may be afraid of trying out moves against the black belts for fear they’ll just pass your guard and crush you. The logic here is that they’ll probably get you eventually, so you might as well try because the end result is almost always going to be the same!

Having a lower belt tap you or not putting up a decent fight against someone of the same belt colour can be a real kick in the nuts to your ego, but it shouldn’t stop you from doing what’s most important – learning BJJ and HAVING FUN.

How to Overcome the Anxiety and Enjoy BJJ in Rio

People will tell you to relax and just train, but this is an incomplete answer to the problem. It doesn’t address what happens when a guy is putting you under pressure and you’re starting to second-guess your jiu-jitsu. How do you relax when there’s the threat of getting tapped out?

1: Relaxing is not the thing to do, as that means you run the risk of becoming passive. BUT you should remind yourself that it’s no big deal if you tap out or not, as after all it’s just training. Train hard, fight hard, but don’t get stressed out if you come up against someone better than you – no matter what colour belt is around their waist.

2: Keep training with this in mind: every grappler is different, and belt colours don’t mean everything. The difference between a guy who just got his blue and a blue belt national champ is enormous.

3: Not all belts are created equal. An athletic blue belt champion can tap out a tired, part-time black belt, but that doesn’t mean he’s a black belt yet. So if you get caught by a lower belt, there’s no shame in it and it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve your rank.

Stop Worrying, Learn More and Progress Faster

You’ll learn more and progress faster if you stop worrying about the colour of the belts and just train. Focus on what YOU can do and how YOU can get the most out of your experience. You may even learn something from that 17 year old killer blue belt you just rolled with, or the grizzled old part-time black belt who isn’t so tough to beat but has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to certain things.

Article written by Hywel Teague

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