BJJ Belt Promotion

[Jiu Jitsu Monk]

So if you are a white belt for 16 months and tapping out blue belts and you dont go to this, you dont get a blue belt, ever, till the next "belt promotion day"

Good point Oma. Do they really not give a belt unless you attend the promotion day?? and if you pay your $100 does that mean you ae garunteed your belt? It would really piss me off if I paid and did not grade! But then if it's garunteed what is the point in doing it????

[cronin]

Good point Oma. Do they really not give a belt unless you attend the promotion day?? and if you pay your $100 does that mean you ae garunteed your belt? It would really piss me off if I paid and did not grade! But then if it's garunteed what is the point in doing it????

I haven't seen anyone get a belt since I started and from what he's (my instructor) told me, promotions happen only once a year.

And you're not guaranteed a belt, even after you're out $100... which is really cause for concern and makes me think that it's more of a belt testing fee (as pstevens mentioned earlier in the thread). However, a few I spoke to that are in fact going, have been told they're going to get promoted.

[SamuraiGuy]

I'm not sure about your whole situation... but the only thing I've heard about belt testing in my BJJ place is that we are flying Jacare in to test because a few guys are getting promoted.... specifically a brown belt to a black belt, not sure if the brown gives out belts when Jacare is not there... its his school though.

I dont think theres a fee... you just have to purchase the actual belt... and you dont neccessarily have to buy it at the school....

[JaredExtreme]

Even if the guy has credentials, it's still a lousy way of doing business. At my school someone is promoted after we are done rolling during a normal class session. My instructor gives the person the belt, and we shake the guy's hand and congradulate him. There is no "fee" at all and my instructor personally pays for the belts.

[FJJ828]

IF you want to buy a black belt, go see Carlson Gracie sr,, he hands them out to the highest bidder, after all, Vitor Belfort jumped from purple to black just like that !

That comment was completely uncalled for. Who has Carlson sold a belt to? He is arguably at the top of the food chain based on the number of Black Belt Champions he has coached. Ricardo Liborio, Amaury Bitteti, Mario Sperry, Marcus Soares, Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo DeLaRiva, Andre Pedernerais, etc. all trained under him.

The case with Belfort was a case of pride overriding judgement. Vitor was an exceptional grappler at the Purple/ Brown Belt level when he went into MMA. Carlson, being very proud of Vitor, distinguished that the Black he wore was for Vale Tudo based on his competition performance. Agree with him or not, Carlson Gracie Sr has contributed more to BJJ and the sport of MMA than you might realize and deserves better than to be slammed and accused of selling belts.