At the very least, it’s not nearly as bad as they told me it would be. While I expect my technique to get better as I climb the ranks, I can’t imagine the overall experience of jiu-jitsu getting much better. What does a purple belt feel when she’s tapped out by a blue belt…or, gasp…a white belt? What goes through a black belt’s head when he doesn’t feel like he’s learning anything new? Do either of them ever ask themselves, “Why do I even bother continuing?” However, at least some people at those ranks must suffer with some of the problems blue belts go through. I am not a purple belt, so obviously I can’t give you a firsthand account about what it or any of the higher ranks are like.
![off white belt purple off white belt purple](https://cdna.lystit.com/520/650/n/photos/theclutcher/ff62423f/off-white-co-virgil-abloh-white-Clear-Rubber-Industrial-Belt-In-Fuchsia.jpeg)
![off white belt purple off white belt purple](https://cdn-images.farfetch-contents.com/17/13/03/68/17130368_34637431_300.jpg)
Seriously, tell me! What exactly will happen when my coach promotes me to purple? Will the gray clouds above me part while the sun peaks through and little Disney animals dance around me? Will I live my life like a rock star, falling asleep on piles of money after beautiful women fight tooth-and-claw just for my attention? Will I have an audience with the pope? Whenever I hear about the blue belt blues, I always want to ask, “What is so awesome about purple belt?” What’s so great about purple belt, anyway? After all, you can still fall back on the “I’m just a blue belt” excuse.Īs far as I know, there’s no black belt level excuse for screwing up an arm bar. You can probably also hold your own against other blue belts, and - on good days - sweep or even tap a purple belt.Īt the same time, most people probably aren’t going to look down on your sloppy basics. You can probably bully most new white belts, even if they’re bigger and stronger than you. If you’re a lower belt, you know that not much is expected of you, at least in terms of understanding techniques.Īs a blue belt, you have the best of both of these worlds. If you’re an upper belt, you can probably control and tap lower belts. I am sure purple, brown, and black belt promotions are as sweet as watermelon on a hot, summer’s day, but they are not firsts, and therefore will never hold the position that blue belt does. You’ve worked your butt off getting kicked around by all the higher belts on the mats, and you’ve finally been rewarded for it with something besides six inches of tape.
![off white belt purple off white belt purple](https://www.dhresource.com/0x0/f2/albu/g5/M01/ED/10/rBVaI1kAHI6AQ0BmAACEnzbELmI159.jpg)
In all of BJJ’s rankings, only one belt holds the privileged spot of being the first promotion - the blue belt! It is the first time you get to experience the joy of feeling yourself tremble as your instructor reaches into her gi, pulls out your new belt, undoes the rubber bands keeping it together, and wraps that cardboard-like stiffness around your waist as you struggle to hold back tears. Even if those firsts weren’t particularly good, we still put them up on a pedestal. First cars and first kisses always hold a place in our heart not usually given to seconds and thirds. Let’s start off by talking about getting the belt.įirsts are always special to us. Of course you want to be a purple, brown, black, and if you live long enough - red belt.īut with all you may have heard about how much blue belt is a test to be survived rather than a journey to be enjoyed, it is easy to overlook all the upsides of BJJ’s second rank.īut there are upsides, and here are some of them, in no particular order: That’s not to say you should want to be a blue belt for the rest of your life. But what so many people neglect is the other side of the coin: the reasons why blue belt is…dare I say… sweet (which you can also say in an Eric Cartman-like voice). I am not going to lie there are at least kernels of truth to these stories.
![off white belt purple off white belt purple](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/69/41/d5/6941d5e6facc55bdd7f4b6075d220206.jpg)
Maybe he just sees the long, hard road to purple belt ahead of him and says in an Eric Cartman-like voice, “Screw you guys I’m going home!” Maybe he’s hit a plateau in his skill set, where he feels like he’s no better than he was at white belt. If you’re not familiar with the blue belt blues, they’re essentially a time in a blue belt’s training when he comes dangerously close to quitting.
Off white belt purple free#
OFF-WHITE OFF-WHITE MYTHERESA INDUSTRIAL BELT (SS19) PURPLE/FUCHSIA OFF-WHITE Mytheresa Industrial Belt (SS19) Purple/Fuchsia PALACE PWLWCE T-SHIRT BLACK NIKE AIR BARRAGE MID RAPTORS BAPE COLOR CAMO SHARK TEE BLACK ASICS GEL-LYTE III SNEAKER FREAKER NEUROTOXIC (SPECIAL BOX) PALACE REVERSO TEE ORANGE/TANGERINE CHANEL BOY FLAP QUILTED NEW MEDIUM WHITE SUPREME PLAYBOY JACQUARD BEANIE (FW17) WHITE ASICS GEL-LYTE III SNEAKER FREAKER NEUROTOXIC (REGULAR BOX) SUPREME RHINESTONE BASKETBALL SHORT WHITE NIKE FREE INNEVA WOVEN SPORT GREY/SPORT GREY-TOTAL CRIMSON-SAIL DR.If you’ve been doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for a while, your instructor or other upper belts have probably told you horror stories about the “blue belt blues.” In fact, if they were like my instructors, they held a flashlight up to their face and told you about them in a ghoulish voice followed by a long MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!.