The more I think about this idea, the cooler it gets to me. I know sometimes people worry that they’re not keeping up with their teammates, that they might get stuck “forever” at white belt or blue belt, that they’re just not progressing, or that they’re a sucky blue belt.
To those people, I say “Awesome – IF you stick with it.” Given enough time, everyone will make it to black belt. I firmly believe this, and have been told by my instructor’s master. Let’s take that as a given for this blog post, regardless of your personal feelings about that. And that means that the longer you take, the worse you are now, the more epic your story will be. The two ends of the bell curve flat out make for a more interesting narrative.
Length of Time
Memorable black belts are those who earned them either extremely fast or extremely slow. I’m equally as impressed with someone who got their black belt in 4 years as I am with someone who got their black belt in 20 years. No, strike that, I’m more impressed with the person who took 20 years.
This is my black belt of awesomeness.
The 20-years-to-black-belt person stuck with it despite the odds. This person wasn’t naturally gifted or didn’t have the time that those around him did. As others were getting promoted, he was just slowly plugging away at it. The 20-years-to-black-belt person is the one I look up to because I feel like they’re a role model to me – someone I can personally identify with, and someone I would feel honored to know.
Amount of Suckage
The suckier you are now, the more people who tap you, the longer it takes you to learn, the more impressive your story will be. I mean, how many times have I referred to the fact that when I started I couldn’t do a forward roll, I was 205 lbs, etc. I have a really cool starting story – far more impressive than the guys who were somewhat athletic, normal weight, were decent at learning jiu jitsu.
The envelope of suckiness – created by Jiu Jiu
As you can see, those who are super, crazy athletically gifted will shock and amaze everyone at white belt. “Did you see that white belt? Look how amazing he is!” And those with little to no talents get stomped, no respect, and work for everything. By the time they get to black belts, those who are super athletically gifted – it’s absolutely no shock they got their black – it’s expected. The guy who’s been eating paste all throughout white blue and purple, is now much more impressive and shocking that he made it all the way to black.
Final thoughts
After you get your black belt, NO ONE will care how long it took to get your blue or if you were a sucky purple belt. If you say “Yes, I was a blue belt for 5 years” they’ll say “wow!” not “holy crap – what was your problem.” My college professor said “Grades only matter when you’re trying to get into graduate school.” His example: Have YOU ever asked your doctor what her GPA was? I sure haven’t. It doesn’t matter. Jiu jitsu is the same way.
So yes, right now it feels sucky if you’ve been “stuck” at your belt level for however long you’ve been there, that everyone is better than you are, that your jiu jitsu stinks. Take heart that the worse you are now, the more epic your narrative will be.
Here is to your epic narrative, my friend!
How epic will your narrative be? Are you on the path to a mediocre story, by way of getting your belt on time? Or are you on one end or the other of the black belt curve?
Are you a phenom on the mats, or are you still eating paste in the corner? Please share!
His example: Have YOU ever asked your doctor what her GPA was? I sure haven’t.
————-
What do they call the lowest-graded guy in the entire graduating class at med school… the one who just barely squeaked through the minimum scores? “Doctor”.
EXAAAACTLY!!!!
I love this!!
I semi recently did a blog about my epic suckiness upon starting BJJ. However, I didn’t mention that I started BJJ with two friends. One young athletic male, and Allie who took to BJJ like a a fish to water.
I was over weight, had ZERO athletic ability, and pretty severely uncoordinated. So, it was extremely frustrating to watch them get insta-awesome while I was still trying to figure out how to go straight while doing forward rolls. If I tried to match their pace, I would have quit in my first month, but thankfully during one of my many early on I-am-so-awful-at-BJJ-boo-hoo sessions, it occurred to me, that I am running my own race, and I loved BJJ far too much to quit just because I was quite literally the one man special ed section of our gym.
I stuck it out, eventually graduated from special ed, and I am proud of myself. I may still be further from the goal line, so to speak, than some of my teammates, but I feel like I’ve come further, and I am really really happy about the race I’ve run so far.
I wholeheartedly concur with this post. Suck, and be epic!
Hahahaha -the one man special ed section. Love it. What people don’t realize often – is how hard we have to work to get where we are, and how much work it took.
PROUD OF YOU, WOMAN! Thanks for not washing out!
Wait. People go straight while doing forward rolls…?
Another inspiring story! I literally JUST learned how to do a forward roll and it was so mortifying to me that I had never done one in my life. I felt like everyone thought I was so out of place there. But the teacher spent literally 1.5 hours with me to teach me how to do forward and backward rolls (I had some fear issues to get over, due to a back injury from 3 years ago). Thank you for the encouragement, because the hardest thing about this whole process is letting go of what pride I had when I walked in that door! haha
I’m so excited for you! I totally get you. We do these side rolls where you essentially are on the tops of your shoulder, and the first few times I could NOT do them – it felt like my neck was going to snap. Now – no biggie. But yeah – I felt like a silly person most days when I was starting.
Its not just letting go of pride, its getting over abject humiliation. I started “stand up” Martial Art at age 51 because Ms. King wouldn’t stop pestering the moms who were watching their kids taking classes. Even though I had been practicing push ups when my son was training for his black belt, I could hardly walk down the spiral staircase from the dojo after my first class clutching the hand rail the whole way down. So, I went back the next day because I figured if I didn’t I would never be able to walk again because my muscles would have permanently seized up from lactic acid poisoning.
So after four and a half years of just plugging away at it (and graduating from “special ed” as Stephanie called it), my instructors dogged me to try the jiu jitsu classes as well. So I did. By then I could keep up with the warm up but found all the movements incomprehensible – like trying to do origami with my body and I’m not too swift with origami. The ONE time I didn’t feel like such a slug was when we did the side rolls over the top of your shoulder. None of the guys who were all bigger and younger than me could do them. I think my big butt helped balance it all out.
That is a totally fair point. I know I’ve a few times felt that humiliation – and it’s HARD. I try to remind myself that it’s coming from ME, rather than others, but it doesn’t make it better while I’m in the middle of a FEELS.
I’m excited you stuck with it!!
I have a lot of admiration for people who have physical disadvantages, yet stick with BJJ.
A lot of people get bummed out about their perceived lack of progression or skills and fail to realize that their belt color really only represents their instructor’s subjective opinion about their grappling ability and commitment. There are tons of variables. Also, a lot of people tend to compare themselves to others instead of focusing on their accomplishments. I’ve been guilty of that, too on occasion.
Being extremely small (I was only 57 kg when I started), the black belts I look up to most are the little guys who smash their opponent no matter what size he/she may be. I also have an affinity for older practitioners who may not be as athletic as the younger guys, but gut it out and train regularly.
I heard somemone say once that BJJ isn’t about who is best, but about who is left.
Agreed – people admire those who have persevered and triumphed over adversity – and not so much with people who quit.
I Sarted BJJ at the age of 18, in my group there was a man who just started that was closer to 80! I thought he was the coolest guy ever!
I look up to anyone who sticks with BJJ to purple and beyond, no matter how long it takes to get there. I’ve noticed a lot of people have their interest wane at blue belt – even the young, athletic and naturally talented people. I’m impressed by people that earn the later belts whether they do so at average speed, or unusually quickly/slowly.
[…] post on Why It’s Cool to Suck at Jiu Jitsu got me thinking on my own journey through jiu jitsu. From an objective standpoint I feel I’m […]
Very inspirational (for a 5 and a half blue belt bearer 😉 ).
Very inspirational (for a 5 and a half years blue belt bearer ).
Thanks!! And awesome epic story you’re building!
Great post! So much fun to read. I have was stationed in Pyong Taek in the 90s. I visited Seoul in 2003. I’m a purple belt and didn’t start Jiu Jitsu until I was 39! I’m working every day to get better and eventually become a black belt. I hope to make it before my 50th birthday. Keep up the great BJJ progress and the awesome blog!
Excellent! That’s very cool – you’re an inspiration!
Thanks for the post,I’m 39 and just starting BJJ!! Can b very frustrating but I love it!!! Hope I stick with it!!!!
I hope you do, too! I hope to see you around here more as well. Keep us updated, Keith!
[…] wrote about this a while back in a humorous manner, but this is done in a much more serious, statistical way with things like actual timelines […]
I know this is an old article, but it’s exactly the motivation I need right now! Love the graphs!!!
Excellent! I’m glad it proved helpful for you!
[…] articles, and having a few one offs that are not “bjj is all hearts and flowers and love and omg” is absolutely normal and natural. ANYTHING you do has ups and downs and mediums. Simply put, […]
[…] is that I never expected ANY of this to be easy. I expected it to be hard and that I would always be worst, so I haven’t gone through a lot of the negative self-doubt […]
[…] why I try to encourage people who are discouraged to change their thinking. I encourage people to embrace the suck rather than bemoan […]
[…] is that I never expected ANY of this to be easy. I expected it to be hard and that I would always be worst, so I haven’t gone through a lot of the negative self-doubt […]
[…] Mi s-a părut straniu să am această frică și sunt sigură că vine de la sentimentul de a fi insuficient de bun. Este vorba de ego și a fost destul de ușor să înnăbuș senzația. La naiba, chiar dacă voi […]
[…] world champ, or even to be awesome, but instead to get my body moving. That meant that even though I was absolutely the worst in my gym, I was still winning because I was achieving my goals. My legs and body were so fat that I […]
[…] You WILL get better It may take much longer than your peers, but it will eventually come. I promise. Just not any time soon. That tortoise and the hare – you’re the tortoise, and the inching along will pay off, but it may literally take years. But your story will be epic. […]
[…] world champ, or even to be awesome, but instead to get my body moving. That meant that even though I was absolutely the worst in my gym, I was still winning because I was achieving my goals. My legs and body were so fat that I […]
Thanks for the great article! I’m currently a novice/white belt in Japansese Jitsu, while i’ve been here a while and honestly has been a bit depressing some of the time I’ll keep trying my hardest regardless of what anybody thinks of me. I’ll get to black one day, and until then I’ll enjoy this journey I’m on. So thanks for giving me the inspiration to carry on! I’ve actually got my first grading this Saturday the 14th so hopefully I won’t be a white bely for much longer haha
I just had a similar experience, JiuJiu. I am taking salsa classes in Korea. When I lived in So. America, I started doing this fabulous dance and fell head over heels in love with it. People are free flowing and sloppy and dance from their heart there. It is very spontaneous. I never laughed so much! When I danced, I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world… despite weighing about 200 pounds.
Now I am here, and dancing is more like the ballroom contests you see in movies. People dance routines, everything looks perfect! Heck they buy dance shoes in the first couple of weeks! I think all my shoes are dance shoes… and so are my socks! The way I learned does not work with the fellows here. So what to do? I can choose to grumble and be frustrated, avoid dancing, or suck it up and learn another way. I am embracing the suckage.
I am basically in the beginner class, I struggle A LOT with remembering the routines, and after losing a bunch of weight, my center of gravity is different and I’m not as coordinated as I used to be. So I suck at this kind of dancing. But you know what? I am having a ball! I’m meeting really sweet people, we are all in the same boat together, and I can be a Struggle Princess with the new folks and a Spontaneous Princess with the people who are advanced and have learned to dance more from feeling than from routine… which they get as they have advanced.
It’s humbling, but I get my beloved salsa.
Great article!
Haha .. I got my blue in feb ’06 got my 4th stripe in ‘ late in ’07 ( after losing 100lbs of fat ad gaining about 15lbs of muscle ) since then I have had 2 kids ( well wife did) I taught and trained off and on . Was told I could have my purple if I came back and trained the hours I used to . Impossible with 2 kids . since then my school and instructor are gone so here I am working 6 years at 4 stripe blue and with no affiliate no chance of progressing soon.
Woo hoo! Congratulations!
Out of curiosity, have you checked out Bullyproof? I can’t recommend it enough! I should have a review up next week, but it’s so completely worth it. It’s BJJ games you play with your kids, then it has the full set of Junior Combatives. Completely worth every penny.
That sucks when a gym can’t “update” its view about a person and their training habits. Are you still doing BJJ at another gym – obviously at much fewer hours?
A couple of people at my school posted this article this week and it couldn’t come at a better time. I just got promoted to blue belt after FOUR YEARS at white! I’ve never been an athlete and part of the journey for me has been trying to keep up with the more athletic/athletically-gifted/coordinated people at my school. There was a point this summer when I got visibly frustrated with myself at school and walked out. I contemplated quitting. 3+ years on the mats and I had yet to really submit anyone and just felt so frustrated at my progress. One of the purple belts noticed my frustration and reached out to me. I came back a couple of weeks later and just stuck at it. Over the last few months I noticed my game improving and was actually able to submit people once in a while.
Anyways, blue belt now. It’s weird how proud and happy I am with myself (does everyone feel that way when they get their blue belt?) – prouder and happier than when I finished university. But with uni, there’s a definite path whereas with BJJ, everyone takes their own path, I guess.
I was a 4 year white belt too! Took me 1.5 years to legit submit someone! I am now a purple with 7 years in……keep at it…improvements come in spurts 😀 Kelly
Paste-eating white belt here. I am about four months into my journey with BJJ, & I’m hooked. While I admit it was a huge honor to earn my first stripe, advancing to the next belt level is of secondary importance to me. I’m loving every minute of mat time I get, even if I sound like a metronome with my constant tapping. BJJ class has become the thing I look forward to after a long day at a thankless job. More than that, it’s become the thing that gives me the confidence to think that maybe I can do better than said job. Thanks for this post. It helps to have encouragement against the ever-shrinking voice telling me I’ll always be a white belt. In 20 years, I hope to have one hell of an inspirational story to share.
I’m “that guy.” 5 yr blue belt with a purple belt nowhere in sight
Great read !!!
I’m 41 and started BJJ 8 months ago. Well that’s a bit of a lie, I actually started in 1999 when I was 27 but only lasted a year or so (got injured way too many times 🙁 . I’m one of the oldest students in our academy and there are a lot that are 25 or under. I feel great about learning with these younger, fitter guys and the fact that I’m going on the same journey as them.
I’m in no rush to “upgrade” my belts, I just want to learn and grow as a person and stay in good shape as I get get older.
One day I hope I’ll be good enough to get a black belt, but until then I’ll just continue to enjoy the good rolling days (minority) and learn from the bad ones (majority)….that’s what life’s about 🙂
Wow, I just asked a friend bjj instructor if I should quit because I feel like a fraud, an old out of shape fraud with no game. And then this post. Thanks. Will weigh my decision in light of this new “suckiness is cool” approach.
Oh Susanne! I hope you continue going. If you ENJOY doing jiu jitsu, regardless of the results, I think you should keep at it. Why give up something you love because you aren’t the best at it? It’s got such good health benefits, and think of this: you’ll be able to say to new folks – “Hey, if I can do it, you surely can!” and you can be such an inspiration to folks.
Awesome blog post! I shared it on my dojo Facebook page. Thanks for the inspirational attitude. I look forward to reading your review of my book. 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m looking forward to getting it!
i am forty, and am taking my first BJJ lesson tonight. Feeling old and extremely out of shape I am very apprehensive about starting but figured there is no better time than the present, So at least now i know no matter how much i suck and fail, hopefully my story will be cool, especially in my son’s eyes.
Jim that’s so very cool! How did it go? I’m not sure if you also saw it, but Flossie wrote a guest article for me about rolling when you’re older (though she’s much older than 40). You may also enjoy the group Old Man Jiu Jitsu on Facebook if you like BJJ.
That is really amazing that you’ve decided to put your health at the forefront, and BJJ is a great way to do that. I’m not sure if you saw this article, but Meg from GroundWorks just posted some articles about starting jiu jitsu, and there is a LOT of support out there that both she and I are willing to give!
Here is More Information about BJJ and also her article about A New Approach to Fitness with BJJ. TOTALLY worth your time to read. In it, she offers this:
Megan is super cool and she’d be a great resource to help support your new hobby! ^_^ I’m glad you checked in with us! Hope BJJ was amazing.
I started my Bjj journey in 2007 financially couldn’t afford it so I quit. Picked it back up in 2009 for 6 months. I’m in the Army the hours sucks,I didn’t have the time to spend with my family or was to tired to roll and I felt like I was the guy everyone gets to beat up. So I quit again. In 2013 I trained under a Sifu who was a black belt in Kung Fu and a Brown Belt in BJJ. I picked it up and was inspired by the way they treated everyone with respect the old traditional Chinese Masters taught school. While I trained there I didn’t feel challenged because they will drill a technique for a month. So I left to join a lot more competitive school and my first roll was horrible. I once again felt like the practice dummy once again, but this time I would take each tap and learned from it. Instructions in class I’ll take notes and every time I rolled I would try to land what I’ve learned. Then I would take it to competitions as my finals. I don’t even care about promotions wining tournaments but to truly learn the art at my pace.
That’s interesting – for me, I’d LOVE to be somewhere where they drill a technique for a month – it would be such a fantastic way to get it down SOLID. That’s definitely a case where different people are attracted to different aspects of jiu jitsu and desire different things. I’m really glad you figured out what was important to you and found a class taught in a manner you can appreciate and enjoy!
JiuJiu, I am noticing different strategies in training have different results. The first time I tried BJJ, the instructor (who had been a student of our current “Professor”) had us drill a technique for a week – and really simple techniques for the white belts. Since I only went once a week, I learned only 2 things the entire time I worked with him and I half forgot them. Then he got stuck in Brazil and the other instructor was too intimidating so I dropped it for 9 months.
The “Professor” starts a new technique with about 3-5 variations on early in the week building up to about 10 variations by the end of the week. Every now and again he will separate the white belts and have us work on 3 – but mostly its 10. So of course this can be very overwhelming – but has a “no white belts with no while belts” rule. So, actually I have been finding that while I may lose track of 95% of the details I am starting to get the bigger concepts of why these moves work. When you work through one set of variations and then see that when you are in a different position — you can go through a similar set of variations — it moves away from being Step 1 – grab their gi in spot x, Step 2 – put your foot in spot y, etc. and more — “what variations can I use if the other person twists this way or that way”.
The “Professor” also has a brown belt “assistant” who teaches the kids. I adore his assistant because he makes drills fun. He does a speed dating version of BJJ. For the starter drills you have to do a single move a whole bunch of times very fast over and over and over. He’ll do a few of those and then you have speed submissions. About a third of the class is selected to take the base position and then everyone picks someone to attack. If you submit the base you trade places if the base sweeps you the next person in line attacks. So you are quickly moving in and out with all sorts of different people. I ONCE got a submission much to my surprise. I like this because it is a relief from all the brain work.
Whenever the “assistant” picks me as a partner he makes me do things a bunch of times in a row without discussing “did I put my hand in the right spot”. It actually really ends up helping me get the placement faster than discussing it.
I like the combo of different styles. So, I’m not sure I could put a name to any of the concepts I have learned – nor am I anything but a slug at this point. BUT with this approach I have a much better understanding of the underlying principals of what makes a good move.
I liked it when someone compared jiu jitsu moves to a drawer full of cooking tools. You don’t even know how to boil water, yet on the first day of class they may show you a whisk and a melon baller and you might think “what the heck are you showing me this for? I don’t even know how to boil water! I will NEVER use a melon baller! How stupid!”.
Instead of thinking “I’ll NEVER use this” to change your thinking to “It’s totally possible to use all these tools some day.” So you keep your mouth and brain shut on the OMG WHYYYY and you just observe. Then one day you’re in the kitchen and you realize – “Whoa – my recipe calls for a melon baller – I’ve seen that before!”
So yeah – so many different approaches. Personally, I would likely take a “This month we are learning butterfly guard” approach for regular classes, but I like the Gracie way of teaching beginners – have the set curriculum up, and upper belts are welcome to join for a refresher.
Awesome post. I was also a white belt for four years. I was so bad that people trying the class for the first time would tap me out. Anyways…stuck with it. Now, as a purple belt I suffered a stroke about 2 weeks ago. My movements have been somehow compromised. I know that I’ve got a few challenges ahead of me in and out of the mats. As soon as I am cleared to roll, a new saga begins. We are all heroes.
Wow Leo! That’s an incredible story! If you’re interested in writing about that for my blog, please let me know. That’s something I know I would be very interested in reading about. If you’ve already written it, would you link it here?
OMG I just wrote a novell and it just dissapeared because i tried to tick “Notify me…” as i was sending! Well to cut a long story short then:
I started BJJ when i was 18, I’ve allways been athletic and a fast learner and,a lot of people have been impressed by my skills yet i’m still a white belt at the age of 31! WHY?
About a year after starting my training i got a knee injurie at an MMA competition so couldn’t train for 4 years (my doctors said i could never do martial arts again which is bullshit, you just have to be wary of what you can or can’t do)! I move a lot, where there is no BJJ I’ve done MMA or other sorts with BJJ as part of it but no grading. When I finally got to a club with pure BJJ training I was there for about one year, I was close to a blue belt but think my teachers wanted to hold me back untill i got some more experience in competition since i was a bit scared of it since my previous injury. Then it was time to move again. Now i live nowhere near a BJJ club and cant afford to move closer to town. So i’m stuck!
Still i LOVE BJJ and as soon as I get a chance to start again I will! And as one of my teachers said, the belt is only there to hold the gi together, the colour doesn’t really matter! 🙂
Hi BJJina! cute name, by the way! Thanks very much for commenting – you’re now approved, so from this point your comments will be auto approved.
May I suggest to you that you check out some of the Gracie videos? Do you have someone at your home you can practice with? That’s literally what the Gracie Garage program is for – helping give people nowhere near jiu jitsu the chance to do it. That’s what I would do were I in your shoes – but yes, you need someone to practice with!
That’s exciting that you’ve kept up your enthusiasm! Is it possible to get into town 1-4 times per month? Perhaps you could find a club and train once per week? I’m not sure of your situation, but it could be possible! Thanks again for joining us here – thank you so much for adding your voice to several of the conversations!
Great article!
But is it weird that when I’m in class, the only time I ever think about belt color is when I’m putting on or taking off my belt? I was just always more interested in the techniques/theories that were being taught. I wouldn’t mind staying a white belt forever, as long as I got to learn and practice my skills.
@ sumochris, Ive been a white belt for many years but I to enjoy the art n I have rolled with blue belts n tapped them out Some purple. But I luv I learn some thing new every time I get submitted or submit someone else. Good luck on ur journey OSS
This is an awesome article. I found it today when I was feeling down on my own progress. I’ve been a white belt for 2 years now and just had the crap kicked out of me during class this morning. Sometimes we all just need a little bit of motivation, and this helped me. Thanks!
I’m so glad it was helpful! I think that’s the first thing that pops up from my site if you type in “Why do I suck at jiu jitsu” ^_^. Yeah – lately my coach has been coaching me against the big guys. During sparring he will say “Jiu Jiu take mount.” Then my partner quickly tosses me aside. “Jiu Jiu take side.” We reset, he tosses me aside. “Jiu Jiu, take his back.” We reset, he quickly escapes. Ah sigh. Though I DO recognize I need it.
I love your blog!
awwww! Thanks!
I will for sure be a 20 yr + blackbelt. I have a family and they come first, but my passion for the art will last forever. …I am on yr. 10 now 😉 and yes the forward roll was by far the hardest technique for me to get.
Good luck to you!!
Thanks mate. Was despering due to life o have been white belt for 8years. Finally gave it up 6months ago. Going to keep going now.
Hey Ken, at this point, it’s NOT unreasonable to talk to your instructor about your blue. Here were the talking points I had about my purple belt with my instructor (I’ve been a 4-stripe blue for 3 years now):
* Is it realistic that I could earn my purple within the next year?
* What do I need to work on to get to that level?
* Can we put together a gameplan for me to work on toward my purple?
* What do you need to see from me?
One of the things he said was “You need to train more consistently.” I absolutely have zero idea why you’ve been a white belt for 8 years. Is it because you were super sporatic with training, or you moved a lot, or you’re an ass on the mats? No clue. Only your instructor knows. Please note the difference between what I said and this: “Why don’t I have my purple yet?” One sounds very complaining, the others are proactive.
If you love jiu jitsu, keep with it.
I would be wary of specifically asking about belts, but it will vary with the instructor. I’d suggest that rather than mentioning belt levels, just ask what holes there are in your game that the instructor feels need to be filled.
However, that’s coloured by my opinion that belts really don’t matter very much. They’re a nice byproduct of getting better, but unless you’re competing or teaching, I don’t think a new belt changes things all that much.
Yes and no. I think the biggest concerns are belt chasing, only concerned about progression time, and frustration with not having been promoted.
Compare these two statements: a) Why haven’t I earned my purple yet? b) What do I need to do to earn my purple?
I also think that when someone has been at 4-stripes for a long time and have been putting in the mat time, it’s not an unreasonable question to ask what they need to do to be promoted. I think that so many folks do skirt around the word “belt” because of fear of that, but the reality is that if you are a 4-stripe, you are on the cusp of the next belt, and caring about progressing is a red flag in and of itself.
In a practical sense, purple belts matter more for women than men, in my opinion. I’ve met only a handful of purple belt women, and I consider them folks I look up to. It helps legitimize them, especially in the eyes of others.
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Eating paste white belt for life.