Belts without an instructor

If you’re independently learning and not part of an academy do the belts even matter?

Benny_the_jet, post: 64048, member: 22463

If you’re independently learning and not part of an academy do the belts even matter?

If you have aspirations to teach one day, yes. Otherwise noone puts credence to you as someone to learn from regardless of how good you are as an instructor or how much you know.

If validation is in any way shape and form important to you, yes. Because as humans validation from others, especially those we respect, is important for mental health.

You could flip the question. Just because you're in an academy why do belts suddenly matter? There's arguments to say they matter less because the base of people you train with are the same, and everybody knows what level you're at regardless of what is around your waist. Whereas if you're visiting gyms as a rule the belt is far more useful as an initial gauge of how to roll with the person etc.

I think belts matter more in an academy as it is a sign that academy and it's instructors have deemed you to be at that level. At home you could have someone overestimate their ability or just never correct poor form. That BJJ globetrotters option sounds interesting though

Pred500, post: 64047, member: 33377

What are the options for people who are competent for their next belt but are BJJ nomads or orphans where they can't benefit from a consistent instructor to grade them?

It's mainly find another place or person to oversee you or stay at the belt you have and just get better. Focus on no-gi grappling more and do events that don't ask for rank if competition is a thing.

All fair points Pred. Competing, teaching, validation do all matter, but they’re part of the same social structure as learning from an accredited teacher / coach and being part of an academy of some description. From my knowledge there’s very little scope for one side without the other. So if you want the gradings side you at minimum would need to have a relationship with someone that can provide that. Even if you’re a wandering jiujitiero, you’d need to have some sort of home base that you regularly return to imo

Pred500, post: 64049, member: 33377

For competing, yes. Otherwise you'll never compete at your level.

If you have aspirations to teach one day, yes. Otherwise noone puts credence to you as someone to learn from regardless of how good you are as an instructor or how much you know.

If validation is in any way shape and form important to you, yes. Because as humans validation from others, especially those we respect, is important for mental health.

You could flip the question. Just because you're in an academy why do belts suddenly matter? There's arguments to say they matter less because the base of people you train with are the same, and everybody knows what level you're at regardless of what is around your waist. Whereas if you're visiting gyms as a rule the belt is far more useful as an initial gauge of how to roll with the person etc.

Ouraboros, post: 64074, member: 36664

I attend a very successful no-gi no rank gym (not MMA). Couldn't even tell you if the coaches are black belts (sure they are) but I've seen them roll with several black belts from different schools and that told me all I needed to know. Just depends on what you want and need from the arts. For me, my past experience was always in more eclectic systems, so rank isn't a big deal. I'm sure that it's more important in gi schools and competition.

Pred500, post: 64047, member: 33377

What are the options for people who are competent for their next belt but are BJJ nomads or orphans where they can't benefit from a consistent instructor to grade them?

BJJ globetrotters will happily consider you for your next belt without prior knowledge of you. They do this via their camps where, at request, as many black belts that are present will observe you for the camp duration and come to a consensus on if your skill is up to the next belt. I love this approach because it takes all the politics out of the scenario and grants you a grade purely based on your skill as assessed by competent black belts. The barrier of entry is your availability in both time and cost to be lucky enough to attend one of their events.

What other options are out there? Should there be any other options?

belts only matter for IBJJF competition, and should only be awarded by a consistent professor.

I was introduced to a group of guys training at someone's garage. They just have fun no belts given, but there is a gentleman there who is pursuing his belts through Gracie University where he is required to submit videos to the Gracies
of him demonstrating techniques and I believe rolling.