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Lucas Lepri, Kron Gracie & Andre Galvao On Selling Belts in Jiu-Jitsu

Lucas Lepri, Kron Gracie & Andre Galvao On Selling Belts in Jiu-Jitsu

 

As a leading martial art that is constantly growing, Jiu-Jitsu is spreading throughout the world. With the departure of Brazilian black belts to other countries, it has been disseminated to all corners of the world, with seminars, training and even competitions. Despite the great advances also comes much criticism of the method applied by many BJJ academies.

Recently, respected BJJ instructor Roy Harris has announced that he will be offering to grade and promote students that he has never seen in person all the way to BJJ brown belt 2nd stripe by email and video.

To comment on the evolution of Jiu-Jitsu and also the recent controversies involving the sport, TATAME interviewed 3 BJJ legends: Lucas Lepri, André Galvão and Kron Gracie who highlighted the changes in Ju-Jitsu, but criticized the way Jiu-Jitsu athletes are getting promoted nowadays.

Lucas Lepri stated about belt promotions:

“It’s a delicate situation (promotion), but it is something important to discuss. There are many teachers today who give belts for fear of losing students, just thinking about business, several others who hold the students for a long time, afraid of the students open gyms near them. There are many interests at stake, it is hard … it’s a lack of confidence from the instructor. I think there’s room for everyone, and it depends on whether you do a good work or not. The lack of trust creates this problem, and the way that many promote as well, it’s complicated … To get a black belt in three, four years, means that you are selling out Jiu-Jitsu. If everyone start selling the sport that way, it will end. It will not be a martial art, but a product that can be sold online, and even that happens. you lose the desire to go to the gym, do an exercise, meet people and everything. That’s why with online promotions, it is the way to lose the essence of Jiu-Jitsu.”

 

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Andre Galvao stated:

 

“I think that change is already happening, all this is a change. And always where there is change, there will be criticism. I think if the changes are positive to sports, then great. I think competitions with different rules is nice, I see no problem with that. But what denigrates the sport must be neutralized. I do not agree with the way they belt promote people for nothing today. That I do not agree, but if these teachers want to have more students and think that’s the way, what can you do? What will count in the end is the knowledge of each. Without knowledge there is no credibility. The more this happens, the better for my students.”

 

Kron Gracie ensures that there are teachers that facilitate belt promotions to avoid losing students:

I’ve already lost students in the past because I didn’t promote them. I’ll promote them when I think I should. It has nothing to do with asking for a promotion. It does not change anything, it’s just a demonstration of their progress. In my gym, there are guys with blue belts for five years. There, when an athlete comes from another team, he wears a white bar on his belt until I think he deserves that belt. This is to show that the belt can not be treated as a sandwich, that you pick up and drop when you want.”
It’s a shame the way the Jiu-Jitsu is being sold. I am ashamed to say that Ryron and Rener teach classes online, and that you can get a belt from a Gracie over the internet. I am sad to know that it’s happening now. Unfortunately, I can not do anything. I do not own the world, I can only control what I do. Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art. You need to put your blood in the gym, hang out with your teacher and earn the belt. It’s something you do not get with time, experience for money and friendship.”