Time-based belt promotions are always a point of discussion among BJJ practitioners worldwide.

Should someone be promoted to the next belt level simply because they have been training for an x amount of time?
Or should they be promoted solely on the skill they possess and display?

Various people think different things.
And when it comes to the black belt – given the skill level often attributed to it – the discussions often take another level altogether.

Which is why it may come as a surprise to you that Craig Jones does believe that people should be promoted to BJJ black belt based on time spent on the mats.
Here is what he had to share in a recent AMA session on Reddit:

100%, that little bit of cloth validation has the ability to keep people physically and psychologically on a healthy path for over a decade.
We can’t rob them of that.

In other words, Jones is in favor of time-based promotions because it helps people stick to the sport, making them healthier.

He also explained a reason why he travels so much nowadays:

You rob yourself of many experiences in life as an athlete.
Trying to get some of that back.

And he is enjoying the charity work he had been doing lately:

I consider having the luxury of doing charity work the most rewarding.

Growing up a middle class Australian kid, hanging out and trying to help struggling kids around the world through jiu jitsu is more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined.

Really puts things in perspective of what matters and what is just white noise.

Check out Jones’ new travel series on the video below: