How I gave up my Purple Belt at a New Gym (And Why You Shouldn't) 

Im primarily a boxer and its like saying "Ohhh your ammy boxing record is 20 wins and 2 losses. You haven't fought in 2 years so im gonna have to ask you to wipe those last 10 fights off your record." Your belt is a record of your accomplishments, nobody has the right to wipe your record.

I took three stripes off my purple belt when I went to my current school. I hadn't rolled in 2 years, and I wasn't consistent prior to that. I figured I'd be happy to just have them let me wear the purple. When my instructor found out he told me, "you never lose rank. You earned those stripes and that belt. Maybe you're not back to where you were, but you still earned those."

Plot twist, his real name is "Bob"

I say put on the white belt and then ask him why a white belt keeps choking out his blue belts! LOL

never never never give up a belt you earned legitimately

If you earn your rank from a legit professor you should keep it. It would be disrespectful to ask someone to demote themselves. I would say just let them know what the knew requirements are to get promoted

My coach told us all to wear our belts with pride in new gyms. Fight to prove we earned them and fight to keep them if someone wants to de-rank you.. so that's what I will do.

Never give up what you allready achieved, if you have earned your rank - this is disrespectfull to the former teacher.

Wow, I didn't know Dan Blizerian did Ju jitsu.

New bjj gym asks you to lose your belt, tell them to get a premission from the person who gave you that belt.

I have started to take up Judo again after a 25 year absence. I was brown belt prior to leaving. I've decided to start my 3 children at a club and start beginning class with them. The sensei doesn't know I was ever in Judo. In the class I'm considered a white belt and like my kids haven't even started to wear a gi. I admit I'm very rusty and have forgot many names of throws plus my body just doesn't move like it use to. One day I will tell my sensei but right now I'm just enjoying watching my kids play.

I wouldn't want to start over, I've been training for over 7 years (3rd degree purple belt) I've earned some IBJJF medals at large tournaments (Pans, master worlds) and I'm 52 years old. It's not like I have all the time in the world to spend on the mats trying to be the next Buchecha, I do this for fun not to "win." While my focus is not on belt colors I do plan on earning my black belt someday. I don't want to train for 20 years as a purple belt.

Hi Chewjitsu, Thanks for sharing your story. I started BJJ last November and am new - I don't dispute that at all. Your story spoke to me because I have had this experience outside the martial arts world. And before I get into that I want to express my sympathy for you and Bob experience poor leadership. I served in the U.S. Army and deployed for a full year and a half before electing to try out for the 75th Ranger Regiment. I crushed the fitness and technical standards in selection and graduated at the top of my class. I was assigned to a Battalion on the East coast and was sent to a leadership school. Again I graduated at the top of my class. The day came when I met my platoon sergeant and the first words he said to me were, "Your kind usually doesn't make it here." By 'your kind' he meant Rangers who are 'imported' from having prior service in other units. There is a big attitude of 'if you didn't do it here, it doesn't count.' So after having proven myself in a combat battalion for 15 months, in country, in an active war zone, I had this guy with a superiority complex tell me I was no better than the green kids who just got out of basic training. I tolerated it for as long as I could but I never got out from underneath that leader. He made sure I was the last to get any relevant training opportunities after that and he made sure that I got the weakest privates assigned to me. We live and we learn. Because of the experience and feeling completely hopeless under my leadership I gave up on my aspirations of becoming an operator at a higher tier. I got out of the Army and got on with my life. It's by far one of the worst experiences and feelings of betrayal I have had to this day. Empathetically, A

Going from a blue belt in no-gi to a white belt in gi was a 100% necessity. I had no idea how the Gi worked, it changes the entire game, you can't brute force anything technical, and people can catch you slipping really fast!

You encountered a Narcissist (Brazilian guy).

I would just tell my coach, "cash me ousside how bout dat". Problem solved....

As an instructor I would honor the belt level unless he does not hang in there with other belts that are the same size, age, and physical abilities as him. I would let him know the next belt requirements and award him when he is capable. I personally woud not give up my belt and would request to hold me in rank until I "caught up" to my peers.

Great advice. Very well put.

"Next time break fall?" A proper instructor would have gave warning and give you a pull up, any judoka would.

This is the first video I've watched of yours, but damn. Your and humble and motivating and I guarantee it helps people grow. That's probably why so many people come to you for help because they know you will lift them up.

I wouldn't give it up. When we have student's from other schools come through, they remain the rank they are at until they are caught up, unless it's obvious they bought the belt on-line and are a complete novice...

I think that you handled those situations perfectly. When you were asked to surrender rank, you did so even though the instructor in question was just making a power play. And when it was in your hands to make the same call, you built your new student up. Giving him the chance to live into the rank. Train to gain skill, not rank. Rank can be given or taken away, skill can’t. I would also advise you to go back and learn those Judo throws. Not because you need them necessarily, but because you’ll learn things that will make your technique better in other areas. I learned that the hard way about skills that I ignored in my first 20 years of training. You don’t have to forget how to wrestle to learn something new. Just advice, and like nostalgia, it often means more to the person giving it than the person receiving it.

Man, I really dig your bump music. Sound providers is so chill.

this is awesome. great to see someone really into the art and enjoys what they are doing. the excitement about the mats were cool.

Yikes. I think not giving up a belt is even more important as a blue belt than any other. To me, the first earned belt (blue for BJJ, yellow for judo, whatever) just means "I know what I am doing and know how not to hurt myself or my partner". I am a blackbelt in judo and a blue belt in BJJ but I would rather demote myself all the way to yellow in judo than white in BJJ. I don't need a blackbelt to help someone improve a technique I can do well, but no one really knows how much mat time you have put in and to me, a colored belt shows just a little bit of that. Where I did BJJ for a while, I came in as a judo brown belt but no "actual" BJJ experience, but that white belt bothered me. I didn't really think I "deserved" a blue belt, but I wasn't allowed to roll because I wasn't high enough ranked (they wanted you to have 2 or 3 stripes to roll) and that really bugged me. It also bugged me how they awarded belts- if you came consistently enough ( I think 2 classes per week), you got a promotion after a certain amount of time. No skill requirements, no rolling/mat time requirements, just "show up for x months". I don't think I'm even close to being on topic anymore, so tl;dr: Unless it keeps you from training all together, keep the belt.

Rank DOES mean something...... if it didn't we would even have rank. Rank is like rank in military it represents knowledge and skill level. It also gives a structured order of things. I agree with Chew, don't give up the belt you have earned and be respectful of those ranked above you. While at the same time it is only respectful to direct questions as to" how to this or that" to the instructors unless they trust the lower belt enough to answer those questions.When it comes to fighting, I agree with Helio because nothing matters in a fight there's only one victor..

This is just great advice for any social scene, Chew. Don't let people who haven't given you something just take it from you.

Chewy, your videos are the best. Thanks, man.

Thanks for the advice Bilzerian

This has been a very long time ago, but I can relate to this issue. I tried for several years with an instructor that I really respected and he was tough and would not advance me to another belt until I absolutely deserved it. Anyway, long story short, I was a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do when he had to relocate. It took me a month or so to find a new gym and when I joined the instructor said I would have to drop back one belt and when I asked why he said because he does not believe that new students that join his dojo are as good as his students. I dropped the belt and stayed. A month later he told me he was wrong, I was very good and I should take the Black Belt as soon as we could get it scheduled.

I love your 'make him a real blue belt' approach. Working with him and building him up gives a guy confidence. Telling him he sucks and taking his belt away cuts him down. Nothing is worse in a fight than doubting yourself and thinking that you suck. If I went to class, and was told, you suck you need to start over. I would doubt everything I know until something else happened. Think about being jumped in the street after that, or having your boss give you the business after that. I'd probably cave in or give up after a self-esteem blow like that. You're totally right. Let people keep their accomplishments but quality control is just as important. Thanks for the video

Chewy you are the man! my Professor and I were having this conversation a few days ago because he saw a guy get stripped of his rank and that made him furious, he said exactly what you said that it is his job as an instructor to build the guy's game up and make him a solid purple belt. I was of the same opinion being that I have taken many beaks in training and was demoted a few times, three to be exact, although it was few stripes each time and not a full real rank but I know what it feels like. Great vid, awesome info and insight... I need that shirt btw, lol!

I took the stripes off my blue belt when I attended a new school, but the teacher promoted me to purple belt just a few months later so I guess it didn't really matter.

For the record, that is one epic T-shirt. :-D

Thank you for being my coach!

Thank you Chewi for being the voice for us all in this sport.

Nailed it. There isnt a single instructor who could demote me. If I dont hold up against their standard, so be it, still not taking my belt. Hold me there until I meet the standards.

I feel this talk is so awesome. I train in a gym where I totally understand the judo talk. I have one goal to grow and learn. So now I am coming to the end of my 3 months of this place where Im doing too well. So I need to change because of your story thank you man.

Chewy, you're such a legend. Just wanted to say that. Cheers.

Subscribed man. Really entertaining, positive guy. Some good advice too. Totally respect your approach of allowing the student to keep their belt as they no doubt rolled well against your own blue belts, but focusing on strengthening key areas you think should be strong for anyone with a blue belt in your gym. Best of both worlds.

Too many guys out there focus too much on ranking. The belt. You should be in any school or gym to learn. So what belt one has around their waist shouldn't matter at all. Philip Rhee's "coach"..."Sensei"....when he started learning a new style put on a white belt. Yet I think he was already a "master" I think in TKD/Hapkido. Belts. Some schools hand them out like coupons. Giving kids black belts at age 10. :) Other schools you have to be at least 18 to even go for testing. Standards vary too much in the US.

Some people are puny, they do that because they feel insecure that you soon would surpass him. Kid mentality.

Good guy. Nice to know there are people out there like you. Excellent story.

Uff thanks God you brought up this issue. I went through the same thing but after beating every blue belt for over 4 months and not being tap by any of them I was recognized as a purple belt who just came out of training 7 years of judo in Japan 🥋🙏

No one should ever demote themselves or others. Here's why! If you get a black belt, take a vacation for 5 years, and feel like you don't remember anything and it's been too long since you fought and decide to demote yourself to yellow belt(or any other belt for that matter) and enter a tournament, you'll fucking wreck everyone because even if your mind doesn't remember it, your body still remembers how to fight. I've seen this happen, and when you see a yellow belt beat every brown belt at the "under black belt division" at a national tournament you know something is wrong, and everyone that was there looked at this guy holding the trophy at the top of the podium and thought either that he was fucked up in the head for getting any satisfaction from this, or they thought it was amazing that a yellow belt could win, because they didn't know any better, which just made it more disgusting. Now for the reason that someone else cant demote you is simple, there isn't any organization that determines who's worthy of what rank, the coaches are given this power for good or worse but that's how it is, there are guidelines for what you need for each belt, but in the end there is more than one curriculum and if you pass in one, the other's cant demote you even if they want to because they don't have the authority to do so, if the coach feels all his students that have certain rank need certain skills that's his problem not yours, so if you are lacking in his eyes he should just make sure to teach you what he believes you need for the next rank and every rank up to it. Where I'm from when we go up in rank we need to show that we also can do(remember) all of the things required in the ranks below the one we're aspiring to.

I'm a purple belt myself and think that too many school or BBJ practitioners focus too much on the belt. The belt only represents the time you put on the mat. Too many people get caught up on how good your are supposed to be just because you have a certain color dye on your belt. BBJ is mainly for self defense, health, and fun.

You touched a great point, the environment the coach creates does impact your drive in class, my coach is moody at times and temperamental with his delivery, I found that focusing on me and not relying on him to be part of my motivation has helped a lot and I stay at my gym because the other people in class are awesome so take the good with the bad, pushing extra hard to move to blue belt and change coaches.

Man that was some awesome advice. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Chew, you are a good dude!

I earned my bluebelt from my master that I respect and got a really god relationship with. He is a brown belt. I would say a really high lvl brown belt. I moved to a different city to go to university and I now got a really good black belt couch. But, if a new couch told me to take of my belt and go back to white i would never done it. I earned that belt and would look on it as disrespectful against my old couch that gave me the belt to give it up.

You always give good advice. Well done.

Chewy I enjoy your talks, thanks for your stories and advice.

BELT = Competition. Don't get demote and bully the competitions... Belts lives matter !

I have also been on both sides. As a student, I transferred as a 2nd Dan black belt in taekwondo, I just kept at my rank until I learned the new curriculum and tested for my 3rd. As an instructor, I have had color and black belts transfer in. I follow a simple rule, I recognize prior ranks, but they will need to meet my requirements to test. Bottom line, I agree with him, NEVER GIVE UP AN EARNED RANK! Be respectful about it, but be firm.

Wow, that is the best way to go about a student who u feel is not at a level u feel comfortable for a belt. Great work man!

Thanks for this advice!

This sounds like an episode of Seinfeld lol

another MMA fighter who loves sound providers👍

This sucks... I’m super sorry that you had to go through this.

Good video/message, Chewy.

Belts keep your pants and Gi together, nothing else. Train and learn.

I have had a similar experience in TKD. Not that TKD compares at all with BJJ (which I love and trained in for some time as well), but the situation itself was identical. YEARS ago, I had trained under a TKD organization and left when I was a green belt - simply due to the location of a nearer school. I trained and earned my black belt under an instructor who taught the exact same system, only he added more to the requirements. He passed away, and I then went back under the previous organization. The master instructor visited the class that I was training in, pulled me aside and told me that, in his organization, I was still a green belt. Back then, I was young, in shape, flexible, etc... I could do all the cool jump spinning kicks, flashy kicks, etc... and people noticed that AND also new that I had come from another school. And again, similar to this story, I think he felt threatened from a business stand point. That is, I feel he wanted to be able to say that I earned my black belt under his academy, so that he could take claim to what was accomplished in my training under my previous instructor. I'm not claiming to be a badass by any means. The techniques were just flashy. But I think this can be a huge factor in situations like that. I think for some instructors, it's about them wanting to repackage your abilities with their brand on them. If you think of it in those terms, it is a compliment.

Great advice!

Good advice, thank you Chewy

I’ve a question and would appreciate advice. Been a blue belt for 4 years. Missed my purple belt promotion due to an injury. Then had to move and started training at a new school about 3 months ago. Former professor invited me to test for my purple belt but idk if current coach will accept and honestly I’m embarrassed to ask. I feel my skill level is at purple level as I kill every blue at new school but I can’t promote myself. What’d you think? Any suggestions? Help appreciate it.

great video. even getting one stripe on your belt takes lots of your time, its all time driven as well as experience and skill driven, and you can't get the time that you've spent back, so I would never give my belt up. it's a stupid thing to ask someone to do and that instructor should have known better.

I was fortunate to have a great instructor who allowed me to keep my TKD red belt rank after eight years of blood, sweat, and tears at another school when I changed Dojangs and started to learn the nuances of his system. I have often said a great instructor is more important then a certain style. If a teacher is to insecure to recognise my prior efforts I would question their discretion. Interesting video. Thanks! Peace from Minnesota. DB. Ps; at the same time, I do not get hung up on rank, and asked my new instructor where he wanted me to start.... Its just fun to train with people that care about the process more then testing out! Hopefully I can train in BJJ some day... My rural area does not offer many options.

Solid advice as usual!

You are a gentleman and a scholar

I have a 3rd dan rank in japanese jujutsu where i am the head instructor under the shihan, and just recently took up bjj for new skills, meet people, and challenge myself. When i was signing up the guy offered to let me start at blue belt bc if my previous experience but i decided to start at white (obviously wasnt there for long) bc to me its a matter of respect. I may kniw exactly what im doing in my style but to come.to a new school i aim to learn and i cant let my ranks elsewhere cloud that mentality

Great advice Sir

I can understand the frustration and confusion about a belt rank. As you said, a belt doesn't mean everything, but it does mean something to the person that earned it. I have been practicing Taekwondo for almost 25 year and am currently a 3rd Dan black belt. However, for the last 4 years I have lived overseas in China. For the first couple of years I did not realize how popular Taekwondo was in China and sadly did not practice like I should have. However I did manage to meet an instructor in Beijing when I was living there. He's a really nice guy and I consider him a friend. He let me train and practice for free in exchange for occasionally helping to teach some of the younger kids. However even though he never said anything, I could see that he was bothered when I wore my belt from my previous school. So When I would train I stopped wearing the belt and he was visibly more relaxed. However now I am living in Dongguan China not too far from Hong Kong and found another good Taekwondo school, and I had the opposite happen. I didn't want to bother anyone so when I went to my first class I put on my Gi but not my belt. At break time the coach asked me to put on my belt simply because I was higher rank than most of the students there and he thought I should stand out a bit more. (Not that being the only white guy in the group didn't make me stand out enough.) But it really all depends on the instructor.

Weird story. I got some guys in my gym who don't really like me due to my being kind of playful ( cause that's who I am). I figure as a white belt, who cares? But I wish they'd get over it.

Demoting someone when they come to your gym is pretty disrespectful to their last coach, especially it seems like, for a blue belt. At my current school, rank, especially for white belts, is largely a product of coming everyday, working hard, and using technique when you roll. If you do the right things consistently for long enough, you get promoted. I'd see it as an insult to my last coach if someone said I was so inadequately prepared that I needed demoted, especially if rolling was going fine.

first time i've watched your channel and would like to say great vid!!!

awesome video. i think my fav one yet. If I were in the area, I'd train with you. Mostly because of your mindset and humbleness. keep on it.

I think once you earned it, it's yours and a good coach will bring out the best of you even if you are not up to there level in terms of skills. There is a huge difference between BJJ schools all around.

no belts, no ranks, no problems with egos.

dude you are a bad ass keep up the great work

It was awesome meeting you and training with you @ Team Shawn Hammonds Training in Nashville! Big fan from Auburn MMA and JJ

Funny that a BJJ practitioner thinks he could set the standards for throwing. I'd prefer wrestling throws over BJJ throws at any time. Sincerely a judo coach

belt belt belt. thats all anyone cares about anymore. i have my black belt, and i wear anything i can get my hands on when i train if i forget my black belt. it is what it is. if you're good, you're good.

thanks chewy! good advice man

Great Advice!!

Belt just means time invested in the gym Skills really mean everything In a fight, no dudes gonna ask your belt rank

Hmm.. I have a very mixed feeling on this. - See.. When I was fourteen I started to take Taekwondo (It was the only thing in my area) did if for a year and moved. (Military family) Took Jujitsu for three years and then moved. (College) In college I took Judo (Judo Team) Wrestling (College) Kendo (Jude Team) Fencing (Umm your seeing a pattern) In military I took combative. I took some Shotokan. Took some Aikido. Arnis. Took martail arts in Japan. And in China While working over seas. - And... I never once carried over a belt. - But I never really knew a reason to. I have seen yellow belts that can run brown belts off the mat. I have a brother who is a phenomenal fighter with no REAL training. And I'm not really comparing or saying that some things are not worth it. I'm just saying that belts are more or less a measure of "Progress" not really much else. Its kind of like you can find two Lawyers who are very different in skill. But they both passed the bar. I know a great deal of Black Belts. That are all very talented. but there are some pretty marked gaps in skill/ability. _ I don't know that I would ever say "I wont go to this gym / judo" because I don't get to keep my belt... but.. There are gyms that 100% are not worth that. - Note on author: After twenty years of martial arts. In what ever I had around me in the area I was. I have a brown belt. A few blue belts. a BUNCH Of yellow belts. A wall full of training equipment. And no black belt. I might at some point. (Most likely not, but only because I have leaned away from forms that give belts. Mostly because of health problems) And.. I don't really mind. I know a pretty good about most anything you can run across. (Not great at anything) But some people can be better in 5 years then other in 20. Some people never learn to fight. (There really is such a thing as a killer/fighting instinct.) - AND Now I"m rambling. But what is a one eyed internet pirate to do I suppose. Great Response to the question Chewjitsu. And if you don't mind me saying so. That... Is a Damn fine beard...

Great advice.

Great topic and video .. I have also noticed a thing in the BJJ community that some are concerned with everyone else's rank or the belt they are wearing .. It appears to be a type of jealous thing .. I also notice it is also among the millennial crowd .. You do not know if the guy you are judging may have a physical disability or it may be just age itself .. It is not your place to decide on whether the guy is up to the belt he is wearing, it is your place to focus on your game and mind your own .. Just focus on being better than you were yesterday both in the gym and out ..

Great video and advice. In my Dojo, I will honor the belt someone has earned from a previous Dojo...however, in order to progress, they must learn all of the kata, weapons, self-defense, etc. leading up to their current belt, and rank test for each one under my curriculum. Osu!

Reminds me of a Karate school I walked into many years ago. I was a black belt in both Taekwondo and Hapkido yet they demanded I wear a white belt which I did. One day during sparring class, a brown belt told me that he wouldn't kick because he didn't want to hurt me but I can do whatever. Well I'm sure you guys can guess how the rest of the story goes.

I had this same issue in karate but in BJJ since the belt progression takes SO damn long, I feel like it applies double. Lots of respect to you though for being humble enough to give up your purple belt under those circumstances.

Well spoken.

Belts needed to hold the pants!!!! That's all....

I was a purple belt when I moved to a new city and gym. I went in as a white belt an told the coach that it is his gym and his rules, if he sees fit to promote me to his standard so be it. I trained as a white belt an just kept showing up it didn't matter to me. That was 6 years ago and I am now a brown belt an still there. I guess what I'm trying to say is it's their house their rules.

It would be awesome if we had guys like this in Muay Thai. This dude is cool and his stories are stories you really want to hear.

Great Video!

curriculums in bjj is always highly suspect

I had a black belt in a different martial art, went to a new gym and they started me out as a white belt at first. About a month later they let me wear my black belt.

totally agree with you on this subject brother....I've known some dudes that have encountered this very predicament and it definitely seems as though it is generally about domination and pride when it comes to new instructors striping their students of rank

Interesting story Sir. Thanks for the insight. OSS!