Shawn's Level Two Exam (Part 1)

People seem sceptical when I tell them that the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu online curriculum exams are the hardest I've ever been involved with.

So far I've only done the first exam. Right now our instructor, Shawn Phillips, is working his way through the second in the series.

Keep in mind that he already knows the material really well. He's been teaching it to all of us.

Last night we did the first of the six videos required.

There is a 20 minute limit on the first video, during which 67 techniques need to be performed correctly. It must be done as one, single, continuous shot. They don't want any funny business with creative editing.

Shawn has been going over this one part of the exam for the past month. His son Scott has been working on it with him.

Last night I was the technique caller, Shawn the candidate, and Scott his opponent. We tried and tried, with 9 failures. In fact, we didn't even make it half way through.

At that point we only had time for one more attempt. Success. They made it all the way through. Shawn wasn't excited about it, but a certain number of minor errors are permitted. Even if we had more time, there is no way there could have been another trial, as both of them were physically and mentally exhausted.

Shawn got home and received an email from headquarters. It informed him that so far 4 instructors have submitted their second-level exams, and that only 2 passed, and those just barely. The email was an admonishion to get everything as perfect as possible. Shawn decided to keep trying for a better performance.

Tonight, he made another attempt at the end of training. About a dozen people stayed to watch.

One attempt, and the test recording was significantly better than the one produced the night before.

Shawn's plan is to study for another month before trying to record the second of the videos. This sounds realistic to me.

The only good part about these tests is that they are optional for everyone other than instructors. For them they are mandatory. So far, only the first two exams are available. Level one was released early in 2013, and level two came out at the end of 2014. This might just mean that a new level will be ready every two years or so. The big plan is that there will eventually be 12 such exams.

The Gracies certainly look at the future in a long-term sort of way.