BJJ Belt Promotion ceremony
Earlier in the month I attended Easton’s BJJ belt promotion ceremony at our Denver location. Hundreds of people were in attendance, many of whom were getting promoted. It was a very exciting moment for a lot of people and I was honored to take part in such a momentous occasion. It was awe-inspiring to watch and participate in.
Higher standards
Among the newly promoted was me, a fresh purple belt. Leading up to the event, I had heard I was eligible for promotion. As is normal for newly promoted BJJ students, I felt unworthy of my new belt. I also felt held to a higher standard. I think this lends itself well to the martial arts credo of constant improvement. The work is never done.
From a technical standpoint
In terms of technique, getting a new belt for me means tightening up every aspect of my game. It means committing to a technique and seeing it through, not giving up halfway because you’re tired. It also means sharing the knowledge I’ve gained with other people and constantly pursuing more knowledge from all sources.
In life
I think the mantra of constant improvement present in martial arts encourages a desire for growth in other aspects of his/her life. In martial arts, attention to detail is extremely important, with each detail serving a very specific purpose. Jiu jitsu has taught me not only to strive to be a better martial artist, but a better worker, friend, hobbyist, etc. More on this can be found here and here.