In a recent episode of The Grapplers Perspective Podcast, BJJ Black Belt Alain Pozo from ZR Team UK shared profound insights about the unique nature of each practitioner’s journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
“You cannot compare your belt to someone else. Your journey is a different journey than someone else,”
Pozo emphasized, addressing the often-discussed topic of belt progression in BJJ.
Recenlty a story of Jeff Glover commenting on the perceived lack of standards when it comes to BJJ promotions went viral. Glover isn’t a fan of older people getting promoted, failing to account for the fact he too will reach their age at some point.
“Black belt in BJJ used to have value,” Glover stated, expressing frustration about what he sees as deteriorating promotion criteria. His criticism particularly focused on practitioners who he believes lack the technical proficiency traditionally associated with the rank.
This debate isn’t occurring in isolation. Several prominent figures in the BJJ community have voiced similar concerns in the past. Andre Galvao and Lucas Lepri have criticized premature promotions, often attributed to financial pressures and student retention concerns. Kron Gracie has publicly expressed regret over past promotions based primarily on attendance rather than skill.
But Pozo illustrated his point with a compelling example:
“There’s a lot of criticism online about not good black belts and stuff like that. You have to understand that this man is 52 years old. He works in, let’s say, Barclays Bank. He’s got three kids. He’s got a grandson. And he trains twice a week.”
He contrasted this with a different scenario:
“And then you have another kid who is 21. No family. No job. I sponsored him in the gym so he can train full time. A completely different journey.”
The experienced black belt also shared insights into his decision-making process when promoting students. When faced with requests from his students about promoting others, Pozo maintains a careful approach. He recounted conversations where students would advocate for someone’s promotion:
“Look, Alan, there’s this guy. He has a purple belt. He’s been training for a while now. He’s a great guy. He spars hard.”
Pozo emphasizes that technical skill isn’t the only criterion. The way a practitioner interacts with training partners of all sizes is crucial:
“Is he sparring with everyone? He goes with, let’s say, a very small guy and he hurts him? No, he’s great with everybody.”
This thoughtful approach to belt progression highlights the importance of recognizing individual circumstances and maintaining high standards while acknowledging different paths in the martial art.
