Being promoted in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

The last time I rolled in one of our branches I tapped out blue belts left and right, beat each consecutive players all higher belts and bemedalled in tournaments in their own rights. It was also the first time that I have to confront three players one after another. The first two I dominated while the last one outpointed me but cannot submit me–still I wasn’t promoted.

Last week I went to the branch again and even though I fought graciously though not submitting my opponents still I wasn’t promoted.

The experience broke me.

I began to doubt myself, was all that training went to naught?

I was almost at the verge of tears, as I see my other teammates get their promotions some younger than me starting a year ago while others like my opponent who was just able to pass my guard was promoted just by passing my guard.

Its heartbreaking, its frustrating and its depressing.

I lay on my bed thinking what have I done wrong, was I not aggressive enough? Was I more lenient? Was I lazy? Three years of training, three years of pain and this is all I get, a meager two stripes since last 2006.

Then I realize there’s a lesson here.

I realize that my original goal when I started playing brazilian jiu-jitsu was to learn how to defend myself and chances are I think i can defend myself better now after three years of training.

That for me is a success in itself if not what one might call an achievement.

Another thing is to be able to be healthy again and lose weight I was once 180 lbs but now I only weigh 165 lbs if thats not an achievement and a success then I don’t know what that means.

But anyway going back to belts I remember what the great martial artist once said, belts are only there to keep your trousers up the next problem you should take care off is on how to save your ass from being kicked.

I didn’t get the promotion, I didn’t get the stripe nor the belt, it was painful and depressing but it was all worth it, the training, the friendship, the camaraderie and the history.

And no amount of promotion could ever change that.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.