Rich Guy

Let's just say that I make my goal of earning the first, cute little stripe to put on my Gracie Blue Belt before the end of this year. I'll be 57 years old.

My next milestone birthday will be 60. When I hit that, my Jiu-Jitsu rank will still be Blue Belt Stripe One. I might be getting close to the second of four stripes, but if Helen and I have traveled much I probably won't be.

If I had unlimited money to spend on my training, could that make a difference?

For about half of this month I've been going through the curriculum at over three times normal rate. It isn't overwhelming, and I actually quite like that pace. It's a kind of freak spurt to complete one chapter of my current level. I can't maintain this rate as the private lessons cost quite a bit. They are worth it, but not cheap.

At that speed a level can be completed in under 6 months. Travel doesn't disrupt things very much, as private lessons can be done in any order. Missing something doesn't mean you have to wait a year and a half for it to roll around again.

At such a rate, by the time I turn 60 I wouldn't be wearing a Blue Belt at all. I'd have finished all four Blue stripes, earned a Purple Belt, and added a first stripe onto that.

Quite a huge difference.

At such a rate, at age 65 I could be either a Brown Belt Stripe Four, or even a new Black Belt.

In the real world I'll still be somewhere in the Blue Belt ranks. It is quite likely I'll never make it as far as Purple.

This blog isn't either whining or complaining. It's an intellectual exercise. I like figuring out stuff like this.

I am perfectly content with what it is possible for me to achieve in the real world. Jiu-Jitsu is fun at any level. There is plenty to learn, and the rate doesn't matter.

In Karate I've been a Purple Belt already, and Brown, and have a Black Belt.

Don't need two of the things.