So, I’ve been doing this Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu thing for a while. Finally, I got my black belt. It’s been a wild ride, let me tell ya.
For those who don’t know, a black belt is supposed to be a big deal in this stuff. Some folks get it in like three years, some take ten or more. I’m somewhere in between. I started this journey just wanting to learn to defend myself, you know? Got tossed around like a rag doll in those first few classes. But I stuck with it, kept showing up, kept getting my butt kicked.
The Grind
- Countless hours on the mat: Drilling moves until my muscles screamed. Sweating buckets.
- Getting choked out: More times than I can remember. Sometimes seeing stars, but always tapping out before anything serious happened.
- The injuries: Oh man, the injuries. Tweaked knees, sore shoulders, jammed fingers… you name it. Part of the game, I guess.
Then there were the competitions. I did a few local tournaments, just to see how I stacked up. Won some, lost some. Learned a lot from each one, win or lose. Every single match, I tried to improve myself. Those experiences really pushed me, showed me where I needed to improve.
The Test
Finally, the day came for the black belt test. Way more intense than any other belt test, that’s for sure. Had to demonstrate a bunch of techniques, show I knew my stuff. And then there was the sparring. Had to roll with some high-level guys, really put my skills to the test.
After all that, after years of blood, sweat, and maybe a few tears, I finally did it. I earned that black belt. It was tough but the feeling of achieving it was cool.
Now I think about a guy, Sean Strickland, who tossed his black belt in the trash. People say he’s a UFC fighter, a middleweight champion even. I don’t know much about him, but from the perspective of a guy who just went through all this, it’s kind of wild to think about. Over 10 years he spent just for a piece of fabric. Maybe that belt meant something different to him than it does to me.
Anyway, that’s my story. It’s been a long, crazy journey, but I’m glad I did it. Now, I’m just another guy with a black belt. Time to keep learning, keep training, and see where this thing takes me next. Maybe I’ll even try to teach others someday, we’ll see.
