December 8, 2009
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I Received My Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt
This weekend I was promoted to Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I had been training for almost a year, though I have had prior training for many years with the Japanese style that I also train in (not that that training has really prevented me from getting my ass handed to me more times than I can count in BJJ). I was actually surprised I was promoted when I was, but advancement is always welcome. This means that I will no longer be training in the beginners class and have now moved onto the advanced class with blue, purple, brown, and black belts. My first advanced class was last night and it was hard as hell. The advanced belts take it real easy on you when you are a white belt and now that you have some color around your waist they step it up a notch. I was utterly destroyed the entire night. It is like starting over. But with these guys you can’t cheat, you can’t use strength to win or get away with sloppiness.
One thing that was bizarre but kind of interesting was having to go through the “Gauntlet” after the promotion. Basically two lines form parallel to each other and the newly promoted student takes off his or her gi and gets down on all fours (some schools allow you to do it standing) and makes his or her way up the line and then turns around and comes back to where they started all the while being whipped pretty damn hard with belts from those students equal or higher in rank. My back was burning after that experience, and I got a bit of mat burn on my knees and feet from trying to make it up and down the line a bit quicker than I was probably capable, but I’m glad I experienced it
