Within the BJJ community, there’s a running joke about blue belts quitting Jiu Jitsu shortly after being promoted. For various reasons, many BJJ students quit when they reach the blue belt rank.
One of the main reasons for this mass exodus is due to a phase called “the blue belt blues.” Check out our guide for how to beat the blue belt blues and get back to loving training!
What are the Blue Belt Blues?
The blue belt blues is a phase in which blue belts hit a rough patch in their training. For a variety of reasons, blue belts get down on themselves and lose their passion for BJJ.
This disappointment, broken confidence, and loss of passion make many students quit grappling altogether.
Primary Reasons For the Blue Belt Blues
There are many reasons why the blue belt blues can grab hold of a Jiu-Jitsu student. Here are three main reasons why blue belts get in this bad head space and quit.
Broken Confidence
Once white belts earn their blue belts, many start believing their own hype. Many new blue belts believe that they will start beating everybody and going to the wreck shop at tournaments.
In reality, that is not what happens for most blue belts. Instead, they start to lose more in training, and their go-to moves quit working.
From there, a few bad training sessions can snowball into a few weeks and
The Wait Between Promotions
Earning a blue belt is the quickest promotion within the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu system. In just one year of training, a white belt will likely be promoted to the blue belt rank.
Many blue belts fail to realize they will wait a few years for their next promotion. The average time to earn a purple belt is around three years, which seems like an eternity for a blue belt.
For many, the wait is too much, and they get a case of the blue belt blues and end up quitting.
Injury
Unfortunately, many BJJ students suffer their first significant injury at the blue belt level. It feels like you were progressing, but a freak injury takes you off the mat.
That time off the mat often leads to you doubting yourself and coming down with the blue belt blues. It often leads to many blue belts never stepping back on the mat.
How to Overcome the Blue Belt Blues?
The blue belt blues are a bummer, but there are some easy cures for them. Follow these tips below to kick the blues and get back to loving training.
Be Okay With Losing?
Look, I know you want to tap everyone you roll with, but that just won’t happen at blue belt. This may sound weird, but in BJJ, you must set your pride aside and be okay with losing. It is all part of the process in Jiu Jitsu.
Especially at the lower belts, where it is actually your job to lose to the upper belts. You see what works and what doesn’t through losing as you slowly assemble the pieces.
Also, speaking as a black belt, there will never be a period where you won’t lose a roll. It’s all part of getting better and learning from our mistakes.
Don’t Compare Yourselves to Others
An important thing to remember in martial arts and anything you do is never to compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others is a surefire way to lead to self-doubt and destroy your confidence.
Remember that you’re not in a race with anyone on the mats. This is your Jiu-jitsu journey, and you’re only competing with yourself to get better every day.
Expand Your Jiu-Jitsu Game
Expanding your Jiu-Jitsu game is an excellent way to get over the blue belt blues. For many blue belts stuck in a rut, it might be because your game is stagnating.
Expanding your Jiu-Jitsu game and learning new techniques and entries will help you improve your skills on the mat. You will become more versatile in your attacks, which will give you more confidence to keep training.
Set Goals
Setting goals is a great way to get out of a bad headspace and get back to enjoying training. Every week before you start training, create small goals for yourself in training.
It could be anything from trying a new move to only getting submitted by your professor three times instead of five. Achieving these small goals will help build your confidence and keep you training and improving your skills.
Talk to the Upper Belts
Before the blue belt blues make you contemplate quitting BJJ, talk to some of your more experienced teammates. They’ve been exactly where you are right now and have gotten through these bad times.
They’re not only your teammates but also your friends, and they will help you get through these dire times. In Jiu Jitsu, we’re all in this together, and your teammates are there to pick you up and help you succeed.
Final Thoughts
Remember that this is just a phase, no matter how down you get. The most important thing is not to quit and grind through the blue belt blues.
BJJ is a process, and there will be many good times and a few bad times. It’s all a learning experience, and as long as you keep trying, you’ll get better.
Bobby is martial artist for almost 20 years with a BJJ black belt under Professor Sergio Miranda. He is also a karate black and former combat sports athlete, who loves all things grappling.