Test season

Our Jiu-Jitsu group is going through test mania right now.

Usually, White Belt people go through their exam for Blue one at a time. A big group is when a pair are ready at the same time.

Last night, two started the process, and another finished the last part of hers. We also have another guy who is done and awaiting his results, and another in mid-stream. There are also several others about to start.

I predict a large number of Blue-Belt-wearing additions to the advanced class.

They'll be in for a shock.

It is nothing like the White Belt class. The material comes in at a pace similar to a waterfall, and assumes a certain level of mastery.

As they are trying not to get swept away by all of this information and technique, they will also be introduced to free sparring.

Let's say it's you. You've been training for more-or-less a year, and are wearing a brand new Blue Belt. You get paired up with one of the old hands. The instruction is given, “keep it light...just have some fun.”

You achieve the mount...”that was easy”...and go for an American armlock...everything is going fine...and the armlock is gone and he's on top of you...it seems impossible to get him off....then you do...”he let me do that”...

Time for a new partner. You get another old hand. The instruction this time is different, “keep it real.” This is explained to mean do it like it really mattered; do it with serious intentions, but nobody gets hurt.

This time you don't have a clue what it happening most of the time. You tap out over and over. This time you know that anything you manage to do is something your partner was allowing.

You might freak out about this, but you shouldn't. Ask your partners what happened and they'll be happy to show you. It can be like private lesson.

In a few months the newby will be just fine. If they had a swollen head from achieving their lofty new Blue Belt, it will be quickly back to size.

They'll also start to see the difference in skill signified by the little white stripes that are on some of the other people's Blue Belts.

They'll also get to see how much fun it can be to roll around on the floor like a bunch of kids.