Belt Behavior

Gracie University in Los Angeles is a great place, full of great people.

Stay there long enough, and some patterns start to become noticeable. What I have been looking at recently has been behavior off of the mat.

White Belts come to class, and seem nervous. I guess the whole experience is somewhat intimidating. They seem serious, and quiet, as if they don’t want anybody to notice them.

The next rank up are those folks who’ve completed the basic course, and wear the Blue-and-White Combatives belt. They train with the higher belts now, and are generally very grateful to any higher-belt partner who helps them along. Some call me, “sir.”

The biggest group by far are the Blue Belts. They seem to have the widest range of mannerisms. Some are brash, and act as if they really know something, which they don’t. Some seem intent on proving themselves. A lot just act like themselves, and many smile a lot.

Purple Belts are much like the Blue Belts, and are also a smiley bunch. I have yet to see any who acts like they think they are experts, as by this time they understand that they are not.

The group that seems the weirdest to me are the Brown Belts. For several days I checked every one I saw. None smiled except for one guy. The rest all looked super serious, and might flash a grin at a friend, but it would instantly fade back to serious. I find this very weird, as that isn’t how the rank below behaves, nor the one above. Were they different as Purple Belts, and will they be different when they receive Black?

Black Belts seem the most comfortable both on the mat and in the halls. They are generally very welcoming; smiling at people and shaking hands. That is part of their role, but they also genuinely seem to want to behave in that manner. The detachment that the Brown Belts display is in no way evident.