As mentioned from our previous TRUJITSU blog discussion regarding “What is a Blue Belt”, we also will dive into What is a Black Belt?
So.. here it is.
This topic is a tad more stressful to discuss because it involves differing opinions. However what I will mention is sincerely based on what I have noticed over 30 years of observing different Jiu Jitsu organizations and incidents. What has provided good fruit, and bad fruit. I hope this can be helpful to those wondering what most established Professors look at.
People often say Jiu Jitsu improves their life. That statement is a good indication of what a Black belt should intel. Jiu Jitsu is an exceptional art that involves critical thinking, solution finding, and physical application. After years of daily training, If the process is truly done, there is no way a person can submerge themselves in the art and not undergo a major transformation as a person. The transformation goes beyond just their physical ability.
There is a noticeable difference in the way they approach life. Again, It’s not just physical skill they have developed, but also a mature demeanor and ability to critically think. This manifests due to a long process of consistent refining and critical thinking.
Moreover because “Fighting” has become a common everyday routine, a Black belt doesn’t rush for opportunities to beat up their training partners. On the contrary they feel more inclined to help the less experienced students improve. They strive to improve the whole room, not just themselves or their favorite training partners. Their passion for Jiu Jitsu enables them to work with everybody and anybody also while being confident enough to explain technical details while helping, which is why the term “Professor” is fitting.
Long story short..
The process is not quick, nor the same for everybody. Your first belt acknowledges your physical ability, however Black belt acknowledges more of a person’s character and personal transformation, if the process is done legitimately.
The word legitimate is important to emphasize because The standards across the board have changed for various reasons, and that’s also why occasionally you may hear a bad story about an instructor or person in high authority misusing power or involved in unethical behavior.
Thats what happens when a person is labeled a professor just because of their physical ability, while their character may still have needed more growth. It’s not just about tournaments.
If a person can submit everyone in the room it is very impressive, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have characteristics for a Black belt, it just means they are very good at Jiu Jitsu. Which is a great accomplishment, but Newsflash.. There are a lot of Juvenile blue belts that are also capable of the same thing, and again that doesn’t mean they are Black Belts. They have just discovered how powerful Jiu Jitsu is.
With this all being said, A Black Belt is the full package. A person with extensive knowledge and ability to utilize Jiu Jitsu, accompanied with a mental capacity and maturity to effectively address life issues in a proper way.
How long does the process take?? Again everyone is different. However to be helpful to those wanting guidance, here are a few helpful notes worth mentioning.
What helps the process..
Be consistent and show effort to learn.
Enjoy Jiu Jitsu regardless of whether you win or lose. The best players appreciate challenges and don’t get upset if they lose in training. They smile and get better from it.
Roll with everyone. Don’t hide from challenging training partners, and don’t strive to beat up less skilled training partners. That doesn’t impress most professors.
Know your Professor and organization. Don’t be a stranger in the gym. This is funny to mention, because it should go without saying. However people often don’t realize how important it is to understand the values of the organization they represent. When a person is acknowledged as Black Belt it is assumed they understand the values, curriculum, and overall message being presented. How can this happen if a person is distant and uninvolved?
Be a good representation for everyone to follow. This applies to your behavior, hygiene, appearance and character, not just Jiu Jitsu skill. A Black belt is a position of influence that newer students use as a template to follow. If a Black belt walks into class smelling like alcohol, that can be misleading to newer students that think that is kosher behavior. Especially if there are younger students present.
Be supportive to everyone. Good leaders think about their community, not just themselves.
What hurts the process..
Being inconsistent in training.
Having a bad attitude towards others in class.
Asking to be promoted. Ouch. Instead of asking for a belt, ask your professor how to improve. Showing an interest in improving is more appropriate and will be noticed and appreciated. However when you ask for a belt, you ruin the sincerity. Awful mistake.
Not learning your organization’s curriculum and being set in your own ways. How can you represent your organization if you never learn their approach to Jiu Jitsu? Be coachable at all levels.
Having poor behavior in public. Remember a Black Belt is supposed to be a good example for others to follow.
Constantly self promoting or displaying phony behavior. Both character traits push people away. Although they are not always related, they are both equally concerning to most people. It’s hard to feel connected to someone that always promotes themselves or seems disingenuous and fake. Your Professor wants to know the real you, and have confidence that you are a good representative of the organization.
Now that you have read all the suggestions listed, it is obvious that not everyone holds the same standards. Some organizations have different values and character expectations. But that is also why some organizations have declined and may tend to have more drama and less overall Success.
As mentioned at the beginning, this information is based on 30 years of observations from various organizations across the board as Jiu Jitsu has grown from a rare activity to a mainstream martial art.
Some observations are from outside sources and some are from personal experiences of what I have seen work well, and not so well.
Coaching is a learning process, and it would also be fair to say that almost every Professor running an academy has at least one belt that they might regret caving into.
Belt promotions should be for acknowledging a person’s legitimate level of skill and training, however now they are in some cases gifts, or a method used to retain student memberships.
Unfortunately the more that this pattern continues, the less prestigious a Jiu Jitsu Black Belt or any color belt will be.
In conclusion..
Jiu Jitsu is a very honest art. When you roll it is obvious where your understanding and skill level is. Here is a secret for success. Rather than focus on your belt, just focus on getting better and improving your overall quality as a person. By doing this, the belts naturally happen faster and your efforts will be appreciated and applauded by others.
The excitement of a new color belt around your waiste lasts about a week. But the challenge of representing it well lasts indefinitely. Nothing is more discouraging than having a belt that you can’t represent well, and constantly feeling challenged by people who are lower ranked. That is one of the common reasons that people quit, or narrow down their scope of training. Both of which are a loss.
Make learning and improving your priority and this will never be your problem.
Be real
Be True
