Life As A White Belt @ RoninTC
Coming into the sport of jiu jitsu with a wrestling background of fourteen years, I thought I knew a thing or two about grappling and could hold my own. Well, there is some truth to that but I learned rather quickly that my inexperience set me up in some bad positions. I will be the first to admit, tapping out is inevitable and very humbling.
Admitting to defeat after getting caught in a submission does not make you less of a fighter. After being submitted a number of times, I learned to suck up my pride, analyze what I did wrong to put myself in that position and figure out how I can prevent that the next time around. Being a white belt at the bottom of the totem pole has been an exciting learning experience for me. Has it been an easy one? Not at all, but that's par for the course.
If I can give any advice to the next newest white belt, I would tell them to be a sponge. Soak in as much information and advice that you can. Don't be afraid to roll with the upper belts. They might beat up on you, trust me I know, but they will also correct you on your mistakes. Think of yourself as the child in the room and the black belts are the adults who are here to teach you and guide you in the right direction. Don't give up after the first weeks due to your frustration and lack of patience. Learn from your mistakes and progress.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. -Apostle Paul, I Corinthians 13:11
One last thing, do not get down on yourself if you did not get a stripe or even a blue belt at promotions. Build skills, not belts. Too many people get caught up in the anticipation of getting that next belt and then wonder why they haven't been promoted yet. It's not healthy as an athlete. Drive that focus towards being the best at the belt level you are at because it all comes back to your skills and how you use them.
Written by Gabe Shirkey, Jiu Jitsu practitioner and member of Ronin Training Center.
