Why the Blue Belt Blues Excuse Drives Me Crazy (It’s Not Real!)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2019
- Blue Belt Blues in BJJ doesn't really exist. I'm going to just start with that. In Brazilian Jiu-jitsu some new Blue Belts get very attached to this idea of The Belt Blues as a reason why they're having trouble being motivated.
And I guess if you put too much focus on the Blue Belt it could be tough. But I think the idea of attaching yourself and identifying with something is dangerous.
If you believe you are something, you're that. So if you think you have Blue Belt Blues, then you have it.
But if you just look at it like a short lived funk in your Brazilian Jiujitsu training that you need to shake off instead of some sort of "condition" you'll probably find it lasts a much shorter time.
In this video I discuss this topic as our friend is struggling with competitions and has become gripped by this idea of Blue Belt Blues.
If you're struggling as a new Blue Belt in BJJ. I hope this video helps!
-Chewy
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If your having a bad day as a blue belt, just promote yourself to purple.
Lol
If you are homeless buy a home.
Facts
Get a new belt, now you are a clean slate facing new, better competition. It should be more difficult.
Can't tell if srs
Jason blahas favorite bodybuilder cause your 13
@@PianoMan5000 no....if someone is already loosing they have to go to purple ? Seems like the difficulty is already enough if you can't win? Obviously?
higher belt get better
100% agree you will always be challenged it's jiu jitsu if It was easy everyone would be a black belt.
You go from winning in white belt to losing in blue belt.
It’s not rocket science. You can beat people that know nothing. And now you’re losing when you’re going against people that understand something.
Like being the big dog on campus as a 5th grader and then going to middle school and being at the bottom again.
I just competed my first tournament as a blue belt and won gold and I still feel down actually
I think blue belt blues is a thing for people that were very physically gifted in white belt. And when real technique starts showing up in the higher belts they failed to adapt fast enough.
Lanky for life bois
I 100 percent agree. It still happens at purple belt to some people. Ego, is why this happems, I think.
People think they suddenly have new expectations to live up to. You certainly move into a new skill tier though.
Everything should thought about in time. How many hours of training.
White belt is like 0-400 hours about
Blue belt is like 400-600 or whatever.
Big difference between 200 hours and 500 hundred, especially since you learn on a curve.
Sin The Demon yup. I’m dealing with that a little at the moment. I’m a strong guy so I came in and could do well by using strength, but now that I’m trying to play the game, I’ve gone back a few steps. Just understanding this has helped me a lot.
I’ve only been doing BJJ for a couple of years, but I’ve seen this happen with blue belts who come over from other gyms that have poorer technique than our blue belts.
Sin The Demon lanky gang
I don't care what belt I have I just like to roll. It's fun and great exercise.
Im sure you have a great mindset
I agree. I ignore the belts. It helps me perform better. The belts don't matter. Just train and improve.
It’s so much fun
I've been a blue belt for around 6 months now and I haven't really gotten the blues. Quite the opposite, I feel like my jiu jitsu is orders of magnitude better than the night I got my belt. Sure, some days I'm the hammer and some days I'm the nail, but an hour and a half on the mat beats most any other place in the world to me. Resilience pays off in spades. Great video!
Jason I agree bro. I'm almost a year in as a blue belt. Good weeks and not as good weeks. Obviously the quality of my week of affected by the week the higher belts are having too 😂😂😂🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻
I got my blue belt 6 months ago as well and I'm pretty much where you are at.
Is the reason you got into BjJ because of Maynard? Haha
@@Gorlami90 Certainly one of the many ways BJJ came into the forefront of my life!
I've had my blue belt for a year and have been struggling with it... don't feel I deserve it as I'm still pushed with those stronger white belts. To the point where I nearly gave up.... but have just started showing up regularly again this past month and have recaptured the joy and I can already see myself improving in that month. For some reason your comment your comment resonated with me even though it was complete opposite how I felt for the first year as a Blue, and to some degree still now. Anyways, thanks for the comment.
Damn i just started in may, i think i got the White belt whites :(
Happens a lot and then just when you don't expect it you'll learn something new that changes everything.
First 6 months are hard
I got my ass whooped everyday, for first 6 months. I went to compete at 6m mark and got 2 wins and 2 loses. I still loose even when I’m training 5-6days a week but I’m on my way to get my blue.
ural wong nah I’m kidding bro, I’ve been loving it so far! Even when I get smashed by a white belt it’s still fun, because I’m learning
PERSISTENCE. Keep showing up, the results will follow. Nothing bad ever happens to people that work hard
Blue belt blues always sounds like an excuse to me from people that have lost motivation or are daunted by the commitment of bjj.
Exactly this.... you go from white with no pressure, to suddenly a coveted blue belt with a target on your back from where you just came from. Then you look around the room at the other blues who have naturally been a blue a lot longer and that also makes you feel inadequate. Just gotta rise above it and dig in.. take a small break, but come back and keep going cause this is the funnest way to get fit... and the blue belt blues can be overcome.
As a musician, I think that term "Blue Belt Blues" is absolutely genius.
By the way, BJJ and contact sports are like Jazz, you have a template but then rolling and sparring is improv. Traditional martial arts are like classical music training, you can perform a kata beautifully, like playing a Bach lute suite perfectly, but improvising will be hard for you.
I am a bass player and only ever learned from tabs. The metaphor on being able to improvise is excellent!
Jazz really is the right comparison. There's always some new angle of attack, even when the track goes for 10 minutes or more. Sometimes simple stuff done well can do the job, but it gets more complicated at other times.
When confidence fades, discipline and grit are the most important determining factors for winning.
This is true in Jiu Jitsu, but also in every other venture in life.
So I don't need confidence? That's wonderful news for me. I can force myself to do things long enough to improve at them no problem.
Unless belts have magical powers. Like jocko talks about, mind control; you're letting a piece of cloth have mind control over you lol
👌
Yup, it's like college basketball. People falsely associate Division 1 players as automatically better than D2 or D3 players. Too many variables.
Which episode does he talk about this in ?
@@PheseantNetsuke I don't know probably an early one. Those earlier episodes are the best.
I needed to hear this up swings down swings thing today!
Been in a bad “funk” and starting forgetting that it always passes!
I’m going to go roll tonight to make it better!
Since as far as I have watched your video, I have learned so many skills from you. Thanks!
This video was so timely for me. I’m not a blue belt yet but I get smashed all the time and even against guys who haven’t trained as much as me. I’m super skinny 6ft (150 lbs) and I have tachycardia so my cardio isn’t great either. I have to mentally fight through these lulls which can be difficult. Thanks for doing this video. I gotta keep on keepin on!
Work on your open guard brotha!!!! I had same issue as a white belt. Coach showers is open guard. But you need a good hips !!
Your vids are so dope bud. Extremely good information you share!!
Great advice for all of us in most every area of life!
Thanks for your awesome advice 👍
The sales analogy was spot on! Perfect comparison
Thanks for the words of wisdom
I moved to a new city and gym after about 3 months as a blue belt and found myself getting absolutely destroyed even by most of the white belts. My ego crushed, I thought about quitting, but now after about a year of sticking with it my game has reached new levels all thanks to the ass kickings from my new team!
This is literally what I needed right now
I am a recent blue belt, and tbh I felt and still feel on and off training. After seeing this video it reassures me, nice video
I always heard the term as "Brown Belt Blues." What in the world is getting a blue belt down? Geez, you're still in your infancy as a blue belt. I learned this term in Judo bc most brown belts MUST compete AND win in succesion to earn their black belt. Imagine having to win 3, 4, or 5 matches in a row to earn a belt you've trained years for.. That'll get a brown belt down.. But at blue belt..? Trust Chewy on this one.. train, train, train..
Damn I didn't know judo was that hard
@@thebladespawn yeah in the UK u either need to win 10 fights against other people your grade throught a number of contests. Or if you win two fights on the day you get given a line up that's 3 other fights who u need to beat one after another. So if u do the line up u need 5 wins, if u do a win at each grading/contests it could take say 10 gradings
Brown belts in Judo can literally win a tournament against 4 black belts and they still might need to enter ANOTHER tournament to get that last win. And if they lose have to start again from zero. It's an insane standard but that's also why Judo guys are so tough. I was lucky to see a training partner earn his black belt at a tournament after going through several attempts. It's a big accomplishment. Different associations/ federations have varying criteria..
@@lima_wawae6283 Back when i was in a kickboxing Gym i was that know-all Teenager and we did some wrist locks and general self defense. Yeah that was the moment I realized Judo-Ka are freaking strong Badasses 😂
Oh man I’m glad to hear you got your purple belt quickly. I did about the same but recently and have been dealing with imposter syndrome. I hear about people being white belts for years and it makes question my belts validity. I know how much I train and it’s abnormally high but the internet has me believing everyone trains 6 hours a day 7 days a week and doesn’t get their blue belt for 4 years or purple for another 4.
I like listening to Chewie talk about his struggles and adversity he's encountered in martial arts and life in general. You'd look at someone like that and think he just coasts through life and everything comes easy. But nah, no one is like that. I like his honesty. It makes me realize I'm not the only one.
We all go through it brother. Glad I can help through my experiences.
Thanks for the motivation 🙏🏽
Makes alot of sense and I'd simple go to people that make u work on the things there good at and ur not as good at thank u CHEW!
6 months into this sport and I’m having my first competition this Saturday. Can’t wait!
Zach Jones did you win?
Hopefully first of many! Do your best Hasan!
Zach Jones so you lost?
Good luck Hassan especially since it’s my favorite cousin’s name 🙏
Hasan Ezzeddine don’t worry bro, you will win the next time easily.
Great video Chewy!!
The blue belt blues is a thing the same way the end of 'beginner gains' is a thing in the gym. If you put sedentary folks on a cycling program, their bench press goes up. They're so crappy at everything that everything gets better from doing literally anything. Same thing with white belts: you get better every class simply because you don't know anything. Once you hit blue belt, that slows down. You have to actually work, and focus to get better. Work on the weak points of their game. Study, learn, practice. It is a lot harder. That's what causes people to quit.. that's the 'blue belt blues.'
I agree. I had a blast as a Blue Belt, particularly during my 3rd and 4th stripe. I had enough technique and knowledge to have fun while rolling with pretty much anyone, I was capable of integrating new things pretty quickly, and I was learning at a very fast rate, both conceptually and by adding tools. But, at the end of the day I was still a blue belt, so if I got caught once and a while by a white belt or just dominated by a Purple Belt, there really aren't any amazing expectations. LOL
I held my instructor off as long as I could in getting promoted to purple.
Damn Chew you just put me on big time with this vid. I’m going to apply this starting tomorrow
Good luck!
be happy for things going bad because they will make you better
I got them purple belt purples man .. help me
I'm so afraid of being promoted and not be at the expected level. I guess I would opt to stay white belt no stripes for the rest of my life. Lol.
Four stripe white belt has been keeping me hungry. Keep me here
I recently got my blue belt. I don't put pressure on myself. If I get tapped I am happy because I have training partners who are pushing me. I just enjoy myself on the mats weather it's at the dojo or competitions. Win lose or draw you have nothing to lose and no one is pointing a gun to your head. Just go to the mats and train hard and just enjoy it.
Thanks Chewjitsu. I've been wondering why the blue belts at my gym haven't been competing much, just one.
I love your videos dude...thank you
mikerosi1 you’re welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Awesome vid!!!
I think one of the biggest factors is people only normally do hobbies for a few years, which is a blue belt for most people.
Back in the days when i was playing pool billard, my coach said an amazing thing to me. Imagine your progress not as a straight line, more like a rising sinus curve (he was a math professor at our university) and that makes total sense. We all have ups and downs, but after a downphase we rise even higher and the next down will still be higher then the previous up
That is a great saying
I also wanted to add that in the blue belt bracket in terms of competition, you have a variety of talent and dudes with skill sets as well as plenty of sand baggers. People typically spend 1 year or so at white, purple, brown, and then to black, but at blue, you have guys who have been blue belts for 4, 5, 6 years even. Imagine being a new blue belt and then going up against a 4 stripe blue belt who's ready for his purple pretty much, in your first tournament as a blue belt.
I'm at 5 yrs blue belt one stripe 2 yrs as a white belt lol 7 yrs in but maybe 4.5 yrs mat time. You eventually quit caring about a belt and just glad to roll.
I kinda like how some gyms are adding stripes to show progression...especially the white and blue belts since you gonna spend some serious time at those two colors and I think it helps people stuck around more.
As far as the confidence thing goes, I've tried really hard over the past couple years to keep the confidence up regardless of my performance in the gym because it becomes toxic to let your confidence go down. You just need to remind yourself that there will be good days and bad days for everyone. A bad week or so for you is just a good week or so for everyone else. The same goes with baseball slumps. Slumps can last so long because people dont actively keep their confidence up. Its hard but I dont feel like you really have to be mentally attached to those ebbs and flows. I guess the trick is to attach your confidence to something other than your performance.
Hey man enjoy the videos! Could you give your thoughts on supplements? Recovery? Joints?
Woolie looks like Stephen Crowder with a beard. Also, much respect, love these vids.
sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust. When you're up it's never as good as it seems and when you're down you never think you're going to be up again, but life goes on.
That is a term made up for someone with an ego and didn’t get checked early on
This past weekend I went to my first competition.. I thought i was decent at juijutsu for only being anovice at it.. but I had this 1 guy who absolutely smashed me, made me look like I didnt know what I was doing. very embarrassing situation for me. The only thing I managed to do to him was get a takedown, pass his guard to a sidecontrol, then he sweeped me automatically.. then I sweeped, got his side control again and he sweeped me the same exact way, and proceeded to sit on top of me for 5 minutes to win the match.. I started saying to myself that it was just the difference in weight since im still not in my natural weight.. but honestly thinking about it now and re-watching my match over and over.. I just idk.. forgot all my training I guess. I still dont know how to feel about it besides embarrassment
Bryan Seijo Please do not be embarrassed. Just learn from your mistake as he stated on video and give it another shot! That is what makes the whole process exciting and good luck 👍
1. It cannot be your weight if you were in the same weight class
2. If he is continuously sweeping you from the same position, become a master of controlling that position.
Be thankful your opponent provided insight into the flaws of your game and move forward. OSS
dude just learn how to defend that sweep.
Being a skater, and now a juijitsu guy, I can say you just have to keep doing it until you’re there
2 yrs white belt going on 5 yrs blue belt with one stripe. My blue belt is looking faded and getting white its so worn lol 😆 I can't go 3 days a week every week
7yrs training but probably 4.5 yrs mat time. You eventually don't even care anymore just glad to still be rolling. I'm 45 too
I'm well into my second year as a blue belt... No blue belt blues here. Just lovin' jiu jitsu :>)
Blue belt made me realize less how far I’d come but how far my teammates have come. They still kick my ass, no matter the belt I am.
People win and loses in life. It's a part of life. Every game is different and live to push forward.
I’m actually in a funk right now. My coach has been inviting me to the advanced classes everyday & I just keep getting submitted every single time. It’s a bit frustrating because I don’t feel like I belong with these higher ranks but I just keep showing up but I understand why some ppl feel discouraged at some point.
I’m a brown belt and I still have the blues. Work 50 hours a week, train saturdays, get my ass kicked b y more athletic, younger grapplers. Sometimes I’m the hammer and sometimes the nail. The journey isn’t easy.
Im sure you have heard of bearded dragons
Well chewy looks like a bearded beaver with that chip
Love your videos man
"Blues" happen at every belt..this isnt a blue belt thing. What I love most about our sport/hobby is embracing the grind when you do get them. By embracing them verses the latter, you will end up mentally stronger and a little better at bjj :-)
hmmm i haven't heard the term blue belt blues until now, and i've been one for almost 7 months. according to chewy, i guess that's a good thing! props to my gym for keeping the strong head game. i have heard ppl say that blue belt is the most common belt to quit at, or that blue belt takes the longest to surpass.
I recommend studying the footage of matches you won, as well. Learn what it is you do that works, not just what doesn't. Build on the successes and improve upon the failures.
Man I would like to have someone like this as my bjj coach
Chewy - Not sure if you'll ever read this. Thanks for all the great content. If you could, I would love a video for my 10-yr-old son who is a gray belt. Is there something similar to blue belt blues (although not real) for gray belts? He competes and lost most matches. He won his last match 2+ months ago, which is also when he last competed, and we are taking a 4-month break before his next comp. Any advice to keep a 10-yr-old kid motivated?
Just started competing against like pupkre and brown belts(still a blue belt) and I'm getting whooped, losing sucks, but I feel like I can literally see the holes and how to fix them because people are so much better, it's kinda cool and awesome
If you are physically strong and you rely more on strenght than prober techniques when things get challenging, you need to accept that good adaptive technique always beat your strenght either into a tap or a countering reset that shuts down your efforts.
He can choose to accept it now and things become easier or dont accept it and learn it the hard way over long time.
Small things like that are big gamechangers.
Chewy I know you give a lot of advice for wrestlers starting out in BJJ and there are many other videos just like that but can you give some advice to those white belts without a wrestling background to deal with those WHO do have a wrestling background? I don’t know if it is a silly question or not or if there is a simple answer but it would be great if you could give us some tips or advice. “Thanks again brother”
I think most of the folks who watch this have an intense hate/love relationship with these plateau. Hate it when on it, but love when we know we are getting by it and advancing to our next plateau.
His purple belt story is currently my purple belt story 😭😭😭
I’ll remember this for whenever I happen to get the blue belt haha
OSS!
Hey chew.Love the videos. I've wrestler for six to seven year's. I just received my first white belt stripe. Any tricks and tips of braking my wrestling habits.
@Grady Whitman thank you
Re: rolling with the guys that are good at what you're bad against.
"What you want is found where you least want to look"
Not my quote, but a good rule for everything.
Ive got a question Chewie. Im about to move to Sarasota, FL from Poland. What aspects should i count while picking a bjj gym? unfortunately there is no Checkmat gym in Sarasota which im actually in right now. Peace brother ✌️
I agree. Although I would say the blue belt blues might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If there were no belts, there would be no blue belt blues.
You win or you learn. In Jiu Jitsu and in life. Enjoy the journey in both.
Chewy is like my jujitsu dad.
When you get a new belt, you level up, and have to start facing higher level mini-boss’s
Thank you
Anyone else notice that when chewys done ready and thanking for the letter he just switches gears
Been six years as a white belt with two missed years for shoulder injuries and I'm nearing fifty. Recently made my return to the mat again after time off due to other commitments. I have to say I'm really struggling mentally and don't know if it was a good idea to come back to the mats. I know the journey is the important thing etc etc but really if I'm never going to get to a blue belt level, other than having fun rolling around there seems to be almost no point continuing this.
I think I'm going to stuck with my white belt for a long time because I cannot train as often as I should to achieve blue belt. One week I train 3 times, then I got busy two weeks without any sports activity because of work, work after work, family and other hobbies (I train bodybuilding since 3 years and don't want to give it up), etc. I noticed that only people who are truly dedicated to jiu-jitsu can achieve new belts (they show up in the gym all the time, stay after classes, etc). I train BJJ since February this year.
Hey chewy i am a white belt about a month and a half in with previous high school wrestling experience I’ve seen advice about not being the over aggressive guy in the gym and I am concerned some may see me that way but how do you go about not going so hard you break partners while not being a total pushover especially with only so much technical knowledge
Hey Chewi i have a question, i need your help please i am a white Belt 4stripes and when i roll with higher belts or even similar ranks im pretty good by keeping the position but im concerned of loosing my position so i rarely go for a submision because it scares me to loose the position. Im doing pretty well is hard for higher belts to submit me but im not submiting no one either. Thanks you are the best. Regards from CR
Can you do a video on tips for keeping your guard from being passed?
They caught up Mr Blue... You had advantage, on a learning curve.. suck it up and dominant at purple. Confidence vs humility enjoy the game
Injuries happen as well. After a year of being a blue I sprained my knee pretty bad. Been out for three months. Just now starting to walk normal.
Smokey McSmokerson
Did you sprain it rolling or competing?
@@aaronsimpson5417 rolling.
Cool
Preach!
Chewy im new to bjj ...i did a little wrestling in high school wasnt great wasnt bad just run of the mill an im trying to train with the right mind set an im noticing when rolling i get caught alot not because im making mistakes but i feel its more when i go to change positions or get into positions im feel im getting caught because im not very flexible or limber ...im working on it stretching an such but was wondering would you say a few yoga classes a week may help me get some of the flexiblity back ....an i remeber i didnt explain im 6'5 220lbs at 28 years old but soon after i graduated i was hit by a car an i broke my leg in three places broke my ankle seperated my shoulder (acromioclavical seperation) broke my neck collar bones an also seperated my brest plate ...so to say the least ive been a little beat up ...after physical theropy i have slowly tested my ablity to use my body an about 3 months ago i got in the gym an have been training about 2 qn a half months ...ps im the largest male in my class but speed wise i can compare to my training partners....i can sub some of the white an newer blue belts in my class about 75% of the time...not all skill more my size an strength ...but im noticing like i said im not as flexible on transition an i feel its holding me back some what ...you opinions an comment plzzzzz
I’ve been rolling Brazilian Luta Livre (No Gi) for 4 years, Two tournaments, and I’m still a yellow belt. They have yellow and orange between white and blue. It’s very discouraging and even though I understand they take their time with promotions, it sucks feeling so stagnant.
Seems like advancing through blue belt requires a change in mindset. It's like something as to click in your head to reach that next level. There's a guy in my gym who has been a blue belt for 5 years. He trains regularly and is in hood shape. He knows the techniques very well, and can demonstrate them with great detail. But when he spars or competes, he has a hard time tapping anyone who's been training more than 6 months. He has 20 straight losses in competition.
Ive been doing jiu jitsu for 2 weeks now going three times a week. My hand is getting abit sore from constantly tapping. I can only dream of blue belt blues at this point!
Got my blue belt and never really went back , this was 8 months ago went to MMA for a while then left there ,🤔 missing the mat , wanna go back to my original gym but feel some shame for leaving in the first place,the grass isn't always greener
Did you go back?
Hi All;
I’m a 7 month beginner at 52 yrs old but I do have 29 yrs in original TKD not the Olympic style.
Any way for that blue in a slump. If in tourneys for BJJ you can compete with all levels of BB and if you are a new BB then you have to except that losses are going to come,
Some BB have 5 min, of experience, and that can be for any level.
So like Prof. chewy said take your lumps and enjoy the ride.
And I’m telling you no one is going to win them all.
Train hard and play smart all.
True love get the blue belt blues bulls$#@ out of your head... I am a blue belt lost 3 comps bit always improving n getting better that's all I ask from my self
What I've noticed with people who start losing in competitions, especially in this person situation, is that they're stepping up in competition. This person might not even be in a funk, they're just facing harder competition so their performance is declining relative to their opponents. This person is a newer blue belt and they're probably facing people who have been blues belts for 1.5+ years, it's almost expected that they lose because they're giving up so much experience. Same thing goes for new purple, brown, and black belts, you're going to lose when you step up in competition, it's normal and it's part of the bjj journey, embrace the challenge, learn from your losses, and improve your game.
its tough having a chip in your game especially when youve been fighting tooth and nail it always buts a chip on your tooth
where i come from blue belt blues is where someone leaves or stops showing up after getting their blue belt
Some people get their blue belt after 1 year of training, some others get promoted after 3 years and stay at blue for another 5 years. Imagine putting a fresh 1 year experience blue belt vs. a 7 years of training blue belt. That's a huge gap.
Yup. I was a blue belt for almost 5 years.
Hello Chewy
Avid Savage hi!!
Purple to black belt when they lose: uhh just have the blue belt blues
Blue belt when they win: uhh got the blue belt blues
There are heaps of reasons why people say they have the blue belt blues, and it’s because they aren’t recognising the true cause. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of reasons; feeling tired, didn’t prepare properly for the event, tougher opponents are in this event vs others, your personal life isn’t going well, you’ve been bumped up in skill category, mentally you didn’t prepare for the event, lack of confidence due to past experiences, lack of confidence in general