BJJ.org article that sums up my experience as a white belt to date.

This article from bjj.org pretty much sums up what i am experiencing currently as a white belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Therfore I though it would make a good post here.

White Belt

This is the belt of paying your dues. This is the belt where you will spend most of your time being dominated. You usually end up doing most of the tapping as well.

Your ability to grapple successfully will depend largely on three things:

1. your previous martial arts experience, (a grappling background helps a lot)
2. your current fitness level, (a higher level of fitness help tremendously)
3. your ability to learn visually (visual learners adapt and absorb information
more quickly)

Students who come from a wrestling background seem to adapt very well to the slight change in grappling methods. Students who come from an athletic background also seem to adapt quite well.

Those who come from a striking background sometimes have a difficult time adapting. Many have become so accustomed to visually grabbing onto the vertical and horizontal lines of the walls, doorways and ropes to stabilize their equilibrium that they feel very uncomfortable with the diagonal world of grappling. They quickly learn that the ground has not been their friend, and, that they must take some time to acquaint themselves with this new perspective.

The most frustrating part about being a white belt (especially if you have no experience on the ground) is the fact that most of the advanced students will make you tap, or at least positionally dominate you. (I remember feeling frustrated as a white belt.) This frustration usually leads to white belts asking questions like, "How do I get on top of these guys? How do I escape the side or full mount? How do I tap out the blue and purple belts?" Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do right now to immediately change the tables in your favor. Get used to the blue and purple belts tapping you out. Get used to having them positionally dominating you. Consider tapping as a "form of learning", a way of "paying your dues." I remember when I was a white belt. I remember feeling like a rag doll in the hands of the blue and purple belts. I wish there would have been something I could have done to prevent me from feeling like that, but there wasn't. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is just one of those "time in service" things. You simply have to put your time in. There are no short cuts!

The only encouragement that I can give to you is this, "Keep training! Your day is coming. The day will come when you will no longer be a white belt. The day is coming when you will be able to escape from any position with finesse and ease. Then, it will be your turn to watch the frustration of the new white belts that enter your school. Then, it will be your turn to encourage them as I have encouraged you!"

White belts are expected to rely on speed, power, strength and explosiveness. For that is all they know. However, once a person dons the "blue belt", the world of Jiu Jitsu suddenly changes.

Saulo Ribeiro Video Clip

This is a video of Saulo Ribeiro and his brother at various tournaments. Saulo came to our school and did a seminar but I was out with a broken rib so I missed it. From what I heard he did a great job at the seminar and people were pretty amazed with his technique.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Technique Class

Well I really didnt want to go to class last night cause I had a pretty rough day at work but I forced myself to go anyway. I'm glad I went now because it was exactly what I needed to pick myself up off the floor and get myself going again. It just shows how much training can improve your life in ways you dont expect. I really started training in brazilian jiu jitsu just to get some exercise that wasnt boring like the gym but it has improved many aspects of my life I never anticipated. If anyone alse is considering training dont delay like I did and just get out there and do it, you will be happy you did.

This is a question for anyone else who trains.
What are your classes like? The reason I ask is because we have had several guys from out of town come to our school and they say training at our school is nothing like their school. We do 45 mintues of heavy conditioning and then we do either guard passing drills or basic submission drills. Then we finally get down to learning new techniques. This happens three nights a week and then the other 4 nights of the week are 2 hour sparring sessions. The guys from the other gyms seem to tell the same story that they usually work on techniques for a half hour and then spar for a half hour. So if anyone else who trains minds taking 5 minutes to layout their classes I would appreciate the info.