Getting a blue is great, but it is also a difficult belt to have. As a blue belt you know a bit, the basics, that's why you've got this belt. For your instructor you've reached a level where you can clearly show a understanding of the basics of BJJ.
Now you have this new colourful belt you feel that you should be tapping white belts left, right and centre. But as we know that doesn't happen. A couple of lessons ago I rolled with a new guy, I was in the gi, he wasn't. So we started rolling and I soon found out what he was going for. Just pure strength, plenty of slamming and yanking on arms. What he didn't have in technique he was going to make up by bulling his opponent around.
So as the higher grade I thought I should have the technique and experience to weather the storm, and apply a good submission once he gassed from all the effort he was taking trying to pull my arms out of its sockets. 1 min later I was tapping to, well save my arm.
Walking to the edge of the mat (we were doing king of the hill) I felt annoyed with myself. And this is big problem with the blue belt for me.
You're at the level where you know something, and you think now I have this belt I can really start progressing in BJJ, you think (foolishly) that you should tap all white belts, survive against the purple belts. Then you roll with a beginner and them slam you about and you feel like a complete beginner again.
People say that the blue belt is where you learn to defend, purple belt is where you start to learn your game, brown is where you are really perfecting your game and black is where you show that you have a strong game.
Being a blue belt can feel like a frustrated toddler trying to walk, but keeps falling over.
Anyway back to mats soon....
