Jeff Glover recently sparked a heated conversation in the BJJ community, with a critique about the perceived decline in the standards for black belt promotions.
Glover voiced his concerns, lamenting what he sees as a shift away from the technical rigor traditionally associated with earning a black belt:
Black belt in BJJ used to have value.
Now we are giving black belts to 50 year old women who would get destroyed by a teenager with zero grappling skills.The days of the black belt are gone and not coming back.
Let’s just give everyone a black belt who trains long enough, right?
What a joke it’s become.
Obviously, the topic of premature promotions isn’t new in BJJ circles.
For example, Andre Galvao had attributed the problem to financial pressures and efforts to retain students…
Which can sometimes lead to promotions based on attendance or time rather than demonstrated skill:
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…But what denigrates the sport must be neutralized.
I do not agree with the way they belt promote people for nothing today.
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