Because I’m a happy new BLUE BELT! 4 days shy of my one year BJJ anniversary.
Me, my instructor & my NEW BLUE BELT! Higher resolution photo to replace this
It was a surprise to me! There were so many people at our gym that night because my friend Roy is leaving. (Goodbye, Roy!!!) Roy was the guy I played “Strip BJJ” with several months ago. 🙂 My instructor had us circle up and he walked around with tape and gave several people stripes. Then he walked into the back and came out with a blue belt and asked one of my teammates to take off his blue belt and give it to the instructor. I was curious as to who was getting promoted. He called out one of my teammates’ names and my name! Shocking!
He untied my belt and tied my teammate’s belt around my waist. So yeah–I joked that I went from a 4 stripe white to a 4 stripe blue. But really it was just a plain blue belt 🙂 He told me he will get me my very own blue belt on Monday. Woot! Surprise promotion is a surprise! Then he gave a fairly long speech in Korean. The short translation was: we’d been working very hard and the journey is just starting. 🙂 I am thrilled–I’m the first woman my instructor has promoted to blue, and I’m the only female blue belt at my academy. I worked hard for this and I am so proud of myself for what I have accomplished.
Fancy new icon for a fancy new belt
Sadly, When I posted the picture of me with my instructor, one “friend” wrote: “wow i want to be his student i might get my purple tomorrow then at that rate he promotes people. anyway congratulations.” Thanks so much for your wet blanketness of douchiness. UNFRIENDED! Only internet strangers get the freebie douchebag card, not my “friends.”
Me and my teammate, both brand new blue belts!
And yes, Slidey, we had our GAUNTLET! And yes, I made a VIDEO FOR YOU! 🙂
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDIXUwclnY]
Melodramatic for YOUR pleasure!
Interesting timing: I had recently read Georgette’s post about promotions, as well as her post about her friend’s position that men’s and women’s BJJ is not on the same level. Of course it made me look up Slidey’s position on belts in general.
To be clear, I am EXCITED for ANYONE (including myself!!!) who gets a new belt. I am EXCITED for ALL PROMOTIONS. I LOVE the feeling of public recognition and of being able to congratulate someone who has stayed in this game long enough to BE promoted. That said, I feel that ultimately, belts are there to keep your gi closed. There is a danger when you rely too much on what color someone’s belt is. Under or overestimating someone’s skill, feeling like you SHOULD be able to do XY or Z against random person, or even developing too much of a hierarchy and belt worship. I’ve decided that in “Jiu-Jiu Jiu-Jitsu” you can be any non-standard belt because they don’t matter.
For your photo-chop pleasure: In Jiu-Jiu Jiu-Jitsu, an "orange" belt is just a little different. I'd be a daisy belt.
This concept is similar in a mixed-level language class. We’re all there to learn from one another, regardless of language level! I equate a black belt with someone who is an advanced speaker of a language. Just as someone who reaches advanced levels in German is not “finished” learning German, neither is the black belt ever finished learning jiu jitsu.
Sorry, but a black belt doesn't mean you're done!
Additionally, different schools have different standards for belt testing. You have Roy Dean who created “the standard”, called “Blue Belt Requirements.” Gracie University requires 36 moves (log in to see them–registration is free). Draculino has an iPhone app with his 51 blue belt requirements. His include:
Americana from mount, Ankle sweep going to mount, Arm bar from guard (standing opponent), Arm bar from knee on belly, Arm bar from mount, Arm bar from side control, And so on
I love the autonomy that BJJ affords its instructors. Some schools promote when they feel the person is ready. Some schools have stripes, some don’t. There simply is no standard. Georgette’s article discusses the good and back points of lack of standardization. But it doesn’t stop there. One of my Brazilian readers, Abrandao, wrote this comment to me:
For me the belt doesn’t represent skill, but will power, perseverance, and dedication.
That makes a lot of sense to me. With a colored belt comes some respect. A blue belt publicly acknowledges SOMETHING. Whether it is SKILL or DEDICATION, it is investing in that student and says “I believe in you.” Because blue is just the first step, even if is symbolic rather than skill based, there is still TIME to get your game up to speed.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hkcZilKChI]
That lack of standardization and consistency is precisely why I say belts don’t matter. A blue belt at school A is NOT the same at school B. This is true for English programs as well–“Intermediate” at one school is not the same at another. Just as I don’t care what someone’s TOEIC score is before I have a conversation, I don’t care what color someone’s belt is–I just want to roll! What I like about nogi is that you CAN’T tell just by looking at someone what their level is.
Me with a fake purple belt. It's my YEAH I'M A DOUCH-BAG PURPLE face.
Funny story–while in California I forgot my white belt one day. My friend DR loaned me his purple belt. I wore it for about 2 hours–there were only 5 of us there. I made a joke about purple belts having magical powers and some guy online wrote “I’d never feel proud wear a belt I didn’t earn.” My feeling=LIGHTEN UP! It’s a piece of cloth, not Dumbo’s magic feather! Plus, I’m practicing my aggressive purple belt face in that picture. I just look badass! No? Okay…I’ll stick to blue for now.
I leave you with a few questions:
1. How does your school do promotions?
2. What are your thoughts on standardizing belt testing?
3. Which belt would you be in Jiu-Jiu Jiu-Jitsu?
4. What are some of your favorite BLUE things? 😀
Blueberry-cheesecake ice cream and blue belts top my list! I also offer you a VENN diagram of awesome blue-ness:
I'm missing a ton of stuff, but here are some highlights
Big congrats on your promotion, Jiu Jiu! Very pleased and proud for you. Really enjoyed reading your thoughts on promotion and particularly the analogy of a black belt as like an advanced language speaker. Similarly, I think of it like a PhD. Another qualification that (too) many see as an end rather than a beginning or as a badge of special powers, when the truth of the matter – in my eyes – is that it is a recognition of that a person has a attained a very strong level of creative and individual thought (their own ‘game’) and they have done so through consistent and hard word. Moreover, a PhD is a beginning of being really badass, not the end of a jounrey, but a start of a much more sophisticated phase.
I celebrate the lack of standardization and agree that a belt one place isn’t the same as a belt at another, and it is about an individual’s journey rather than about setting every person against an imagined prototypical practitioner. At my place, which has tended to have a very slow progression, especially for the first generation of students, we are promoted based on attitude, attendance and ability, in that order of priority, and in light of our personal achievements and challenges.
I love Concord grapes and I miss them terrible living overseas.
Congrats again mwah x
I love your thoughtful comments.
That said, what will your JJJJ belt be? You don’t have to choose from the above.
All that and I’d still choose a black belt boyfriend over another color belt any day. Because that’s how *I* roll. 🙂 Black BELTS don’t matter, but they do receive special magical powers when they are promoted.
I feel like I need to write another post, this time saying why belts ARE important. After all–how else should we know who to date? Clearly black belts jump to the head of the line. 🙂
we are promoted based on attitude, attendance and ability, in that order of priority, and in light of our personal achievements and challenges.
Very cool. I can see that. My instructor has remarked on my attitude so many times–I’ve brought so many people into our gym because of things I’ve written about it publicly, I greet new people, am positive. My attendance is consistent and constant, and I have grown so much in the past year. My BJJ vacation was a big growth period for me. Everyone noticed a big difference in my rolling when I got back.
Yes! Congratulations and many hugs! I am so happy for you.
Dag
Please describe your JJJJ belt for us, please! It does NOT have to be one of the photochopped ones above!
Thank you! I’m still killing myself that I didn’t get a picture of you. Can you send one to me and I can photochop us into a picture together?
CONGRATULATIONS JIU-JIU!!!! That’s so awesome-sauce! I’m very happy for you and you should be very proud of yourself.
Here are my answers to your questions:
My school promotions based on how my instructor feels you are doing and how much time you put on the mat. I don’t know of any Jiu-Jitsu school in the area that does it any other way. Some promote based on the number of tournaments in which you get a medal.
As to the matter of belt testing, I think it depends on the type of jiu-jitsu school. My school teaches self defense BJJ. My instructor abhors tournaments and does not teach anything other than the basics. So I think not having a belt test makes sense. However, if the school teaches tournament-type BJJ than I think a belt test makes a lot of sense given that it affects your strategy and the type of tournament you’re going into, meaning a regular tournament or submission only. Ultimately, I think it’s OK to have either because it all really depends on the quality of your instruction. If you’re getting good instruction, then you’re learning good BJJ.
I would be the brick belt because my Brazilian nick name (even though I’m born/bred Portuguese is Tijolo, which means “brick.”
Favorite blue things:
Blue Belt, blue gis, blue rash guards, blue “Alavanca” BJJ T-shirt, my car is blue, blue icing, blue sky, blue ocean, Smurfs. I’m sure there’s more, but I can’t think of any others.
Anyway, congratulations again. Looking forward to your new perspective on BJJ now that you’re a BB. Good luck!
-Jaime
Oy! You like blue icing? That stuff tastes nasty! Blue is the worst tasting color–well, besides green. Green always tastes the worst. Red and pink and orange always taste the best.
MMMM a blue ocean and white sand. Beautiful combination. Even better is when the water looks totally transparent. Some time in my future I will spend an entire summer in that environment.
It’s interesting–even just one class after getting my blue belt I felt much more confident helping my partner. She’s a 16 year old girl, and even though I wasn’t able to do the moves terribly successfully, I was able to remember the steps well enough to confidently say “first do this, then do this, etc.” 🙂
Also, you’re smurfing kidding me that you like the smurfing smurfs. Really? 😉
I think if I were running my own school that I would want to have some level of consistency as far as basic ability/curriculum. HOWEVER, I think it’s much better for a teacher to observe the students in their “natural” state rather than in a “testing” state unless like you said, they are a competition school. Testing dates builds pressure which can be good or bad. I love the idea of a teacher promoting when they feel the students are ready, not only promoting once or twice or four times per year. HOWEVER, the benefit to that is that you can set dates and make a big deal of it.
I’m not smurfing kidding you. I love the smurfs. I even watch them in Portuguese and Spanish. That’s how much I love them!
Good points on belt testing. Like I said, at the end of the day it’s about the quality of instruction.
Congrats Julia! I’m so very proud and happy for you!
Congratulations Julia on your belt promotion! What an awesome accomplishment, I know that you are on top of the moon!! 🙂
I’m going to take a shot at your questions…here goes….
1. How does your school do promotions? – we are asked to belt test when they think we are ready, so everyone’s journey is different (I’m at twelve months of training, a white belt with three stripes). I know that I must master certain things before I will be promoted to a blue belt, and I am OK with that. I do not want to be promoted before I am ready (physically or emotionally) to handle the belt. I’m not sure about the formula they use for promotions, but it seems to be based on mastering certain technique and time spent on the mat training. They may factor in competing, but I don’t think so.
2. What are your thoughts on standardizing belt testing? – I think it is hard to standardize belt testing. It’s very unique to each school. Every instructor has their own ideas about promotion and belt testing and how it should be accomplished. Plus, how in the world would you ever police something like that? We could form a new super hero organization – The Brazilian Jiu Jitu Belt Promotion League – defenders of standardized belt testing.
3. Which belt would you be in Jiu-Jiu Jiu-Jitsu? – definitely the “Daisy Belt” because that is my favorite flower!! 🙂
4. What are some of your favorite BLUE things? 😀 – blue oceans, blue skies, and bluebonnets!
As your Mom, I am a fuschia belt with purple and blue flowers all over it. Don’t know exactly what it means, but it’s pretty. Congratulations on your accomplishments!! This is indicative of your life, always reaching for the next level of learning and teaching others along the way. (Doin’ the wave for you.)
I like blue pansies, the blue ocean waves at the beach, blue butterflies (in honor of Aunt Ronda), blue eyes of my children and granddaughter (Vivian), blue quilts and more. I always reach for my blue ink when rubberstamping.
Again, congratulations! Wear your blue belt proudly. You deserve it. ~ Mom
Nice! Here is your belt 🙂 I’m sad you never got to go with me to see me do BJJ. Perhaps next time I visit!
Congrats, again!
Gotta say, I love your blog!
I also noticed the TARDIS in the Venn Diagram. Umm, can you say, WIN?!
Yes, I CAN say WIN. I can also spell it: “T-H-E D-O-C-T-O-R” 🙂
Parabens, faixa azul!
I’m a rattered/tattered blue belt with 4 stripes of now-grey athletic tape. I like the 5 color belt system that’s currently in place and don’t really want to train in a world with random belt colors. But I’ll be blogging about that soon enough 😉
In the meantime, my favorite blue things:
My blue belt.. blue roan horses..blueberry lemonade.. October skies.. forget-me-nots and lilac and irises! 🙂
Nooooooooo I want a Georgette in my JJJJ!!! ^_^
Just in case you ever decide to come to the dark side, I will give you a belt that looks like cookies.
Blueberry lemonade? Say it ain’t so! I want some! Also, if I visit you can I ride horsies?
Congratulations! I’m very happy for you Julia!
If your instructor believes you deserve a blue belt then that’s it. Who cares what some internet “friend” thinks? Who made him a belt inspector?
I agree. Actually what made it worse is that I know this guy in real life! Can you say SOUR GRAPES? ^_^ Thank you so much.
Many, many congrats, Julia!!!
Thank you!
Julia…this post was amazing, but I have to say, I’m a little offended that the blue M&M didn’t make it into the cross section of awesomeness.
Sorry, Megan, but you’re wrong. Blue M&M CANDY falls into the overlap, but the blue M&M CHARACTER is full of teh suxor.
We’ll have to agree to disagree on this, but for your inclusion of the Tick, you are forgiven.
Spoon!!
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Congrats! I’m so proud of you! BTW, blue is my favorite color. 😉
Congratulations! Sounds like your US trip really made your skills explode. Or maybe some of those purple-belt magical powers stuck? 🙂
I love blue, it’s the dominant colour in my house and wardrobe. I love the ocean and how one single wave can contain all the hues from deep night blue to ice blue and every shade of blue and blue-green in between. I can watch that for hours when I’m sailing.
Yay Julia! Congrats on the promotion. 😀
As to the questions, I guess I’ve kinda answered some of these already in the posts you linked, but I’m never one to pass up an opportunity to babble. So:
1. How does your school do promotions?
In terms of my current school, I’m not actually sure as I haven’t seen one here at Gracie Barra Bristol yet. However, given they’re part of the Roger Gracie team, I assume they follow the process I’m used to at the main Roger Gracie Academy in London (which is where I got my blue) and the RGA affiliate where I got my purple. That is to say, your name is called at the end of class, the instructor takes off your old belt and ties on your new one, gives you a hug and a handshake, then everyone claps.
From what I know of the instructor, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be keen on belt whipping: GB Bristol maintains a lot of the formalities you see at Gracie Barra schools in the US.
2. What are your thoughts on standardizing belt testing?
It makes me nervous, as that would seem one step on the road to the dubious place many TMAs have now reached. E.g., paid gradings, lots of different coloured belts, compliant technical demonstrations, lack of resistance.
I used to do one of the numerous styles of kung fu, and I got very disillusioned with the standardised belt testing there: I didn’t feel like I was getting any better, but because I’d learned the necessary forms and fixed spars, I still went through the ranks up to brown belt. The strange thing is that they did regularly do full contact sparring, but for some reason the gradings only seem to have become meaningful when you went for black, involving a free spar against a few black belts (IIRC).
One of the great joys of BJJ is that the ranking system is meritocratic. At most schools, your instructor observes your sparring over a long period, then gives you the belt when they think you’ve reached the next level. That also fosters a close relationship between teacher and student, and ensures people have to be able to apply their skills, not simply drill them while somebody watches. Everything works in drilling: that’s not a reliable indicator of somebody’s ability. I can land a flying armbar every time in drilling, whereas I’d get crushed if I ever tried that in sparring.
On the other hand, the typical ranking structure of BJJ does lead to variation between schools. A blue belt at, say, Carlson Gracie may have reached different criteria to a blue belt at Gracie Barra, Alliance, ATT etc. It can even vary between schools within the same team, as it depends entirely on the instructor’s subjective opinion. That blue belt may also be lacking in various fundamentals: perhaps they almost never pass the guard and just have an awesome bottom game, or they might smash everybody in competition through great judo so never play off their back. A standardised belt test at least means everybody has to know a certain set of techniques, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
As ever, the key is resistance. So long as sparring is the deciding part of any belt test, I’m less concerned: e.g., the kind of format Roy Dean uses, which begins with a technical demonstration, then lots of sparring (though I should note, he doesn’t do tests, as they are optional: he already thinks the participant is at the level of the belt, as per this).
3. Which belt would you be in Jiu-Jiu Jiu-Jitsu?
In the interests of total non-blinginess and my general desire to fade into the background most of the time, probably a transparent belt. 😉
4. What are some of your favorite BLUE things? 😀
Blue Adept by Piers Anthony, and the associated Apprentice Adept series. Although I liked them less when I re-read a bunch of Piers Anthony books a little while ago: lots of stuff that seems much dodgier now that I’m an adult. 😉
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. Blue Monday by New Order. The Blue Nile. Blue Note.
Blue cheese. ‘Woman in Blue Reading a Letter’ by Vermeer. Sir Cedric. ‘Waking in the Blue’ by Robert Lowell.
OMG Slidey! I didn’t think anybody else had read The Apprentice Adept Series! I love that series and Piers Anthony! 🙂
I loved that series when I was in high school. I only like the first three of the Apprentice Adept books. I also loved the Incarnations of Immortality books, but only the first 5.
I loved Piers Anthony when I was younger. Or rather, my big sister did (possibly my mum too: she has walls full of fantasy books,so definitely the person responsible for my love of the genre :)) and I read all her books. Started off with Xanth, then went on from there. Battle Circle was my favourite out of all his stuff, although re-reading it, Anthony does seem to have some dubious bits in there (and other books) that make me a little uncomfortable.
Hahahaha you and Allie–the CLEAR BELTS! 🙂
Once again, I love your thoughtful and well written comments.
I completely agree that instructors should roll with their students. Can you imagine a language class where the instructor only listened to you but never actually spoke to you in the target language? Strange.
OM NOM NOM I FORGOT ABOUT BLUE CHEESE! OMG! Blue cheese + avocado FTW!
Beautiful painting! I’d never seen it before! Thank you for sharing!
Congratulations Julia, I honestly am jealous.
I think the animosity towards some people who get promoted quickly does stem from the informal promotion process in BJJ. Whenever the promotion is subjective, someone’s feathers are going to get ruffled, guaranteed.
awesome, awesome, awesome!!
The “friend” can suck it as far as i’m concerned. I was so lost in your u.s. adventures it had completely flown from my mind that you weren’t blue. I guess i dont focus on the belt so much as I do the quality of the rolls.
How we test– We do both. Last thursday by instructor said as plain as day, in the tone as if it were everyday conversation that I’d be getting promoted to blue this june (this month)…and he said it while rolling with someone else haha I was the last to know as I had stepped out to get a drink of water. But there are cases where the purple belts and above must take the purple belt (or black or brown) test. He has a funny way of looking at things. He always says, “It’s only a blue belt, you all still suck.” He doesn’t mean literally but you get what I mean. In many ways being a blue belt means still having just one foot in the door.
Oh and my belt would be made of little kid’s hopes and dreams…i’m kidding. At the depths of my imagination i’d say that i’d prefer one that was scarlet & grey in honor of The Ohio State University (yes i’m a big college football fan).
Congratulations Julia!!! 😀
Congratulations! You rock!
Where are you?
No new posts in days…
What will I do?
How will I survive?
I have nothing to read…
Please tell me that you are OK! 🙂
You will live! I promise! 😉 I am okay. Dealing with more job stress stuff. My current job ends TOMORROW! Ack!
I would like to preface this post by offering my sincerest congratulations. I put up a blurb congrats on JJF, but really there is more to say than just “congrats”.
Because you are such a frequent poster on JJF, yours is a story that I am more familiar with, and of course your blog here is also pretty revealing regarding your journey in BJJ. I honestly believe in the current “schedule” of promotion being left to the instructor. The instructor knows his/her student far better than the student sometimes even knows himself/herself- they have a much more objective point of view regarding the students progress. With that said- you’re a blue belt! It wasn’t up to you- it was your instructors decision, and I am sure it was based in a very clear understanding of where you stand in your progress. My Professors have always said- getting your blue belt doesn’t mean you have to be able to tap out every white belt in the room, or that you “win” every roll in class or comp. Blue Belt is a way point in the journey- It means that you have embraced and understand the fundamental aspects of the art (moves), and you understand what it is to “train” as opposed to “fight” when you are on the mats in the school. A blue belt should have the mentality of a professional student, and a teacher/facilitator.
Even knowing as little about you personally as I do, I think it has been clear for some time that you had reached latter requirement of that way point.
1. How does your school do promotions?
Easton has a formal/semi-formal type of promotion. We DO have check sheets for each strip on the white belt, and those check sheets are signed off on by our Coaches and Professors during scheduled Randori for Checklist sessions. There is also a standardized number of classes a student must attend to be eligible for their next stripe. That would be the “formal” methodology, but the “informal” is the part where a Professor is watching, and rolling with you in class- he knows where you are, and sometimes even though your check sheet isn’t fully signed off- the Professor promotes anyway. It goes the other way too though- sometimes even when the check sheet is fully completed, and class attendance requirement is met a student still doesn’t get promoted. I can only guess that their head just isn’t “right” yet. I have seen at least one example of this in my school. The guy has been a 4th stripe for 9 months, He knows his stuff, but he is terrible to train with. If we run a full speed drill- like a reversal, or replacement from half guard- he will set himself up to succeed before the drill starts so he can “win”. I think we both understand the problem with that mentality. He doesn’t- hence, no promotion. This guy has taken the longest road possible to get to his 4th stripe- and the road to his Blue Belt has been. will continue to be equally arduous. He was a 3 stripe when I started over a year ago, and now we are both 4th stripes, and I have been signed off on my Blue for about 3 weeks now- I’m just waiting on the Belt Promotion ceremony to tie on my blue. I think it also counts for something that the Black Belt who runs the school seems to have a high opinion of me, and the way I participate in class. I show up to learn, and to share with my fellow students. I have no anger in my practice, and I respect my teammates. This is the beginning.
2. What are your thoughts on standardizing belt testing?
I dislike this idea for the very reason I stated above. I like that the Professors have latitude to promote students who are “worthy”, while holding off on promoting students like the one I mentioned above. a standardized “test” removes that subjectivity- and while that might lead to faster promotion for some students, or more clarity of expectation- I don’t think it makes for a “better” school environment. Even having only trained for a short while I can say I understand it is good that some students “wash out”. Sometimes it is better for the whole school that some guys get frustrated and quit- whereas standardized testing might keep them around.
3. Which belt would you be in Jiu-Jiu Jiu-Jitsu?
I think yellow with a black stripe would be pretty awesome. or a Blue and Orange belt since those are my 2 favorite color combos.
4. What are some of your favorite BLUE things? 😀
My Navy Blue Yank Gi
the mats at Easton Denver
my 1989 Dyno D-Tour
SGR I appreciate your comments and support so much. Thank you! And thank you for adding such a thoughtful comment!
A blue belt should have the mentality of a professional student, and a teacher/facilitator.
I realized that a blue belt is also a way for an instructor to designate some leaders in the academy. I remember when I was starting out, looking at the blue belts I KNEW they could help me. 🙂 I feel like now I need to be slightly less selfish against the newbie whites. Instead of trying to dominate them completely, to let them get some positions or to not ALWAYS work at 100% of my ability. That is going to be hard to do, but it’s so necessary!
I need to get myself a checklist. Hrm. Part of my gameplan. It WILL come together.
Nice belt! You can be a BUMBLEBEE belt! Aka a Hufflepuff belt! DANG IT I WANT A RAVENCLAW BELT! The awesome thing is that in jjjj you can trade out belts WHENEVER. You can even change them out between partners!
Right now my blue toenails are my favoritest thing in the world. Besides my belt.
hey congratulations, hadnt read your blog for a while. just noticed your blue belt. well done lady. !!!
Thanks!!!!
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Congratulations on your job, your blue belt, and for being kick ass. You have come a long way in a year, and I am looking forward to seeing your progress for many more years.
Gene
Thank you so much, Gene! I appreciate your feedback! I’m hoping to compete in an upcoming tournament in September, so once that happens I’ll have to put the videos up side by side 🙂 Now to get some new video of me rolling with my instructor.
[…] Julia Johansen was promoted to blue belt! […]
How is Barney Stinson not on the right side of the Venn diagram, being awesome?
Cool article, thanks.
Duh–because his awesomeness TRANSCENDS Venn diagrams.
Hahahah, that is does! Nice…
it*
Lurking until today.
Wow, I think my school is different, as most of the guys who have been white belts for almost two years all just have one or max two stripes on their belts, seriously. I don’t expect to get a purple before I die, as I am already rather old! So I have given up any ideas of stripes, belts or anything else and just set modest pathetic goals like not gassing out before 4 minutes are up, or passing the guard of the biggest guy in class just once before the end of the year, or not yelping next time something gets banged hard, hyperextended or sprained, and stuff like that.
I loved the Gauntlet, put a big grin on my face. 😀 Congrats!
I love your candidness, your willingness to show us all the embarrassing, hard and emotional bits. Makes me feel a lot better that someone else “feels like that too” and makes me more determined to just keep training. All the more important when you are unlike other people in class. I wonder how many people you will never get to meet, for whom you are nonetheless doing a great service. Keep it up!
Thank you so much. It was actually one of the things that inspired me and helped prompt me – was reading other women’s emotional responses to things. It made it feel like it was OKAY. Like because they had cried now I had permission to cry.
How old are you? You say you’re rather old…I’m 35. Hmmm…if I were a purple belt for the rest of my life would I be happy? Maybe so…maybe so. Good thing to think about.
You are very welcome. Yours was exactly the type of comments I long to get. 🙂 Keep it up, too! Thanks for joining in the conversation!
[…] received a comment from Sandy on my blue belt post that read: I don’t expect to get a purple before I die, as I am already rather old! So I have […]
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