My Black Belt Story

This was originally posted on facebook - before I quit.

I am now retired from BJJ with a lot of accomplishment, a lot of blood, sweat and tears and a good amount of scars on the body that I'm rehabbing through yoga. Retired as a first degree Black Belt. Back in 2013, I achieved what I thought was an impossible goal years prior of my Black Belt.

I wrote this at the time.
Hey all.... I just wanted to share a bit of my story.... The day I earned my black belt was a normal Saturday training session except for a few small differences and one big one. My wife brought my kids to play, typically my daughter just hangs out and runs around and plays with the head professor's daughter. This time my wife came herself and brought my son too. I thought it was just so they could all have a chance and play. Little did I suspect that after granting some stripes, some blue belts and purples I was given my black belt by Professor Rodrigo Lopes 2nd degree black, Gracie Barra Seattle. I join the ranks. I graduated, I started Saturday a normal student and ended a professor. I got it in front of about 40 team-mates and my whole family.

It feels heavy around my waist. I feel not ready and accomplished all at the same time, I feel proud of how far I have come, hard I have trained, all the friendships I've made all the time I've spent on the matt. I also felt a small sense of loss and nostalgia as I hung my brown belt up in my home gym next to my white, blue, purple and medals.

I've learned through this all that jiu jitsu is an individual journey that differs for each person, yet connects us all through the bond of common experience of challenges, emotional and physical.

I started Jiu Jitsu in my early 30's, never having wrestled, never having fought. A friend who was a Judo brown belt talked me into it. At the time I was doing a tremendous amount of heavy weightlifting, was about 280 pounds and very strong. I knew it would be challenging, but thought I could still throw people around or hold my own. The first time I sparred it was with about a 150 pound purple belt. He kept me on my back, unable to move, and of course submitted me at will, with the ease of a parent holding down a misbehaving, squirming child. I instantly knew there was something to the sport, different than any other I had done. I was hooked soon after. I became a dedicated student and scholar of the sport. I worked hard, competed a lot, was persistent, worked through injuries, some quite serious. I had patience and trained when I could, sometimes 6 times a week, and at other periods of school, business at work or with kids, only 1-2. I spent about 2 years at white belt, about year and a half at blue, 2 at purple, and 2 at brown and now I'm black.

What inspires me in the sport, more than those who have been doing it for 10+ years, and are black belts who are multi time world champions, is the white belt who sticks with it. Who struggles, who persists, who has the faith in the system, his partners and professors, his body and his innate ability and keeps coming back. I remember back to myself at this time, how hard it was, how impossible it seemed to be a purple belt, brown belt, black belt... how untouchable those people seemed, how naturally they moved when grappling, and how awkward and confused my body was.... not to mention the pain. There's nothing to bring the body to a whole new level of fitness like the first dedicated 6 months of grappling. I was barely able to get out of the car after getting home those first days training. It makes me proud and makes me impressed to see the white belts get stripes, to stick with it, keep a positive attitude and work consistently.

I was proud to get my black belt, and it certainly represents accomplishment and commitment, however I think I was most proud and most ecstatic to graduate to blue.

to those just starting out, to those struggling at any belt level, I would just urge you to display commitment, positive attitude, patience, trust in your instructors and training partners, read and study and eventually forge your own path to where you feel comfort and at home with the sport. That black belt will be there waiting for you in time.

thanks, you all for listening, and for sharing the love of the sport!