So you are a blue belt?
Congratulations, you are now at the level where most people quit.
To get to this point everything has been difficult, monotonous and laborious; most people set their sights on achieving your current position. To them, this is their accomplishment, this is their achievement, this is their black belt!
Where you go from here will determine whether you continue your journey or forever be the individual that tells everyone they “used to do Jiu Jitsu”…
Whilst the white belt was considered the most important of all – where you had the fortitude to begin – it is also learning to hold the pen, pen to paper and the creation of dots. Your blue belts represents abstract formation of line drawings and shapes – 2D shapes, your sole concern is now to create tangents and vectors. Recognisable stages, checkpoints and accomplishments.
Expectations.
As a blue belt, realise that you now have a target on your back, you possess something that all white belts are desperate for and in that there must be a level of proficiency attached. You are able to handle a novice, with no training (even with limited martial arts training) of the same age, and weight with little effort.
You should be tapping peers often. You should be a difficult roll for the higher grades and by difficult I mean technically not athletically.
Why?
Because your game is based on non-attribute Jiu Jitsu movements and with an average of 12-24 months of study under your belt, your skills should demonstrate this. In order to have achieved this level, you received four technical standards – stripes, these technical stages denote fundamental proficiency; proficiency over a prolonged time.
Fundamental positions should be dialed in, your escapes should be exact, no wasted effort and by now you are comfortable in [normally] uncomfortable situations.
Why?
Because you breathe, you have no broken positions or transitions for people to exploit in a round, you’ve learned from mistakes over the last 12-24 months, you’ve journaled those lessons and you’ve rationalised. In essence you became the Perfect White Belt.
Requirements.
You are considered a “safe” roll now, there’s no longer a frantic nature to your Jiu Jitsu, everything is measured and accomplished, you’ll ‘win’ more than you used to and survive longer against higher belts. However, “win or learn” is not a phrase you should attach to, once, twice, yes but not as an excuse every time. Leave that for the white belts.
White belts should consider you a reference point on attitude and behaviour just as you reference the purples on technique and by now, you should be training at least three times per week – you’ve got skills to keep on top of. By this stage you should have at least three solutions for every problem: from standing, the top, from bottom, involving your guard and to deal with a guard, all-encompassing; sweeps, passes, transitions and submissions.
All techniques at your disposal are underpinned by concepts and principles and your success is based on a thorough grasp of these markers. There is a firm understanding of grips, base and posture, angles, pressure and space. You turn frames into levers and levers into frames, aware of the value of each and the perils of losing them under relative circumstances. You’re not a novice anymore, purples should be complimenting you on your abilities and this should drive you to be better.
You’ll now receive stripes less as the leaps in technical proficiency are greater, these stripes do not represent how close you are to purple, blue to purple is the hardest leap, but you’re not bothered; you’re past that stage – you have embraced this feeling.
Understand supplementary training will take you further: strength and conditioning, yoga, nutrition – this is a lifestyle choice. Right now, your Jiu Jitsu is creating ripples in every aspect of your life but there is still room for improvement – find it. There should be a desire to learn more.
Breadth of knowledge is now your goal, be inquisitive about technical nuances, learn subtleties, develop your Jiu Jitsu vocabulary and look for a means to draw those tangents and vectors. Be sponge-like, this will ensure you start recognising stages, checkpoints and accomplishments.
Obligations.
Now as a blue belt, you understand the measured hardship that comes with Jiu Jitsu, your patronage and its relative worth is best served to the Kohai or junior grades. You understand what they are experiencing and your guidance, support and encouragement goes a long way. Their struggle is your struggle, if not now, it once was.
Act like the Sempai (senior) you are supposed to be. You’ll now be used in demonstrations, there is a reason for this. With a sure subtlety you will know where the material is leading at least at the fundamental level and any mistake will be corrected via a subtle modification – you know ‘why’ and, to a certain extent the ‘what’, now concentrate on seeking the ‘how’.
You will probably be entrusted with partnering the ‘new guy’, back in the day, a blue belt denoted a level of proficiency, a level of comprehension, resiliency and expectation – there is no reason why this shouldn’t still be the case.
Do not slow down now you have reached this point.
More expectation, more obligation, lean in.
It’s tangents and vectors remember? Turn those into new shapes and find a way to go from 2D to 3D.