Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Dominique Bell did not hold back during a recent appearance on the Jits and Giggles Podcast, sharing an observation about a practice he witnessed firsthand early in his jiu-jitsu journey: Brazilian instructors showing up to seminars, handing out belt promotions, and leaving without ever setting foot on the mat to roll with the students they just promoted.
Bell described the moment that shifted his perspective on what a seminar could and should look like. While training in South Carolina during his time in the military, he attended a seminar taught by competitor Sean Roberts.
“I remember I had never gone to a competitor seminar. It was always these old Brazilian dudes that would just promote a bunch of people and then leave and not roll with anybody,” Bell said on the podcast.
Bell then offered his own experience as a perfect example of exactly what he was describing.
“That’s how I got my blue belt. I didn’t even train in the gi and he’s like, ‘You’ve earned this.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t even know how to tie this, dude,'” he said.
The contrast Bell experienced with Roberts was significant enough to stay with him. After the seminar, Roberts rolled with everyone in the room. Bell, who was competing actively at the time, went all in on that round, and Roberts handled him with ease. Two weeks later, Roberts reached out personally, telling Bell he had potential and inviting him to train in California.
That interaction lit a fire under Bell and gave him a clearer picture of what genuine investment from an instructor looks like. It was not just about teaching techniques and collecting seminar fees. It was about showing up, getting on the mat, and actually engaging with the people in the room.
For Bell, belt promotions should reflect real knowledge of a student’s game, and that is difficult to assess without ever getting on the mat with them.
