A happy coach

[sapatiero]

Just got back from a local tournament, and two guys I've been coaching (father & son) came back with a gold & silver medal. They've been doing BJJ for less than 3 months & both did very well against much more experienced competitors.

No point to this thread - I'm just proud of them & grinning from ear to ear.

[3mptin3ss]

Just got back from a local tournament, and two guys I've been coaching (father & son) came back with a gold & silver medal. They've been doing BJJ for less than 3 months & both did very well against much more experienced competitors.

No point to this thread - I'm just proud of them & grinning from ear to ear.

thats pretty cool. what belt do you have in bjj btw ?

[sapatiero]

Thanks! I'm a 4 tab blue, but have been coaching since my JJJ days.

[Adept]

I'm curious....

What do you think a BJJ blue belt should know? Just a curious thought, I'm sure eveeryone has a different opinion on what a BJJ blue should or shouldn't be.

Oh and congrats on the coaching. Not a lot can be a good coach as just a blue belt.

[Aaronblue]

Well the "test" for the blue belt is really easy.

You have to show:

the ability to swim your arms for position
A couple throws / takedowns
A submission from the mount
Passing the guard
Passing the half guard
A couple of sweeps from various positions

A couple other things but that's basically it. It's stuff that most people learn within their first month of Ju-Jitsu. When my school holds the test, everyone passes it but the thing is that you can't just take the test, you have to be selected for it so it's determined by your instructor and I'm sure the skill level among blue belts between schools is quite varied depending on the instructors.

They can judge your skill and knowledge when you roll around with other students or through tournaments and that's what is used for progression. When you can consistently beat most white belts, and perform adequately against blue belts you are pretty much ready to be advanced. The skill set you have to get to that point will vary from school to school depending on the level of competition at the school.

A lot of the main differences don't really involve knowing those specific moves but knowing how to properly set them up in a match, and how to notice them to properly defend them. Once you are aware of the various moves you can get a good idea and comfort level with where you can position yourself so as not to be at risk and more importantly, when you can rest. Another area that mainly improves through practice is simply posture.

I'd say more then anything else, it's those things that separate the white belts from the blue belts and not necessarily just "knowing the moves". A white belt might know what a triangle is and can apply it if they see it's available but a blue belt can set it up so that you unknowingly put yourself in that situation.

Basically, a blue belt is mastering the basic moves. The basic throws, sweeps, and submissions.

[sapatiero]

I'm curious....

What do you think a BJJ blue belt should know? Just a curious thought, I'm sure eveeryone has a different opinion on what a BJJ blue should or shouldn't be.

Oh and congrats on the coaching. Not a lot can be a good coach as just a blue belt.

Thanks Adept.

Aaronblue is right, but it's worth noting that there's a big difference between a 3 week blue belts and a 3 year blue belt. The list of techniques is a rough indication of what it takes for a white belt to get his blue, but once you're a blue belt, you're working on purple belt stuff. Agreed, it's not always about what you know - you need to be able to hang with the next belt up before you're ready for that belt, or at least be winning a few tournaments at your belt level, so that means drilling the techniques until you can do them without thinking, and putting together combinations & 'dummies' so that it becomes more of a chess game.

I've been lucky enough to be training full time for the past 2 years, I went to Brazil for four months to train at Barra & Roylers as well as training across the US & Italy. Training in Rio is a good test of your belt - if you can be in the top 20% of your belt there, then you've reached a good standard. My Gracie Barra instructor (an ex world champ) was abroad for 9 months out of the last 12 so my training partner & I took the classes. We both qualified as JJJ coaches before we took up BJJ and have about 24 years of martial arts experience between us.

Coaching is also about having a certain temperament & analytical ability. There are some coaches that will simply teach you their favourite/flashiest move regardless of whether is suitable for you, and there are others who will take into account your weaknesses/game/weight & help you focus on what works for you. I'm striving to be the latter. Don't get me wrong, I want my purple belt in a year & black belt before I'm 45 but watching my guy get gold yesterday was almost as satisfying as getting it myself - so I'm very happy.