Should I Be Disheartened When I Get Tapped By A Lower Belt?
The Day Will Come. And It Could Sting A Bit. Don’t Let It!
The day will come. Maybe you are a blue belt, or a purple belt, and you will get submitted by a lower belt. He was just able to catch you, maybe in a moment of laziness. Or maybe they are just better than you! It hits hard, and can get you down.It can be rough on the ego, and it can sting for a while.
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Here is a quick story. The guy who took 3rd place in the +99kg of the most recent ADCC North American Trials, is a WHITE belt. He got his blue belt on the podium. But, think about that. In a field of the best grapplers, guys that have been black belts for years. And a white belt goes out and beats a bunch of them.
How do you think these guys felt? Well, maybe they were disheartened. Maybe the did have a freak out in the car on the way home. My bet is, that they took it in stride, and are going back home to train. Because, guys at this level do not get hung up on these types of things. They just train and get better. And they take their losses in stride. And this is what we all need to do.
We like to get hung up on ranks, and belt, and stripes a lot. Is this what really shows us who is better than the other? No, not really. What it really all boils down to, is how much time you put on the mat. Not the belt, not anything. Just mat time. I know many lower belts that give brown and black belts many issues when they roll or compete. And most purple belts do not stand a chance against them. If you were to look at the lower belts that possess very high skill, I bet they are some of the hardest working people at the gym. First in, and last out at the end of the night. Again, it is how much time you put in on the mats.
And, to be down-right honest, the only way to not let this happen is to put in the work. The people at the top are the people that work the hardest. The focus, they fix, and they spend the time honing their skills. So, if you are there, make some more classes. Fix your game up. And you will start to take your game to the next level.
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Do not get hung up on your belt. On who is tapping who. On who beat you yesterday. Just train. Enjoy your taps, because this is when you learn the most. Enjoy your good days also. They let you know you are doing a few things right, at least. Enjoy your time. But, we cannot get hung up on this. It is not a reflection of your jiu-jitsu. It is just one roll, on one day, of many rolls in the future.
And do not forget. You are still winning the battle. You are getting off the couch, going to learn, and improving your life. And, that is a lot of what jiu-jitsu is about.
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