Bluebeltitis and Three Home Remedies

Note: I am using blogger Iphone app, Just to see how it works.

I recently received my blue belt less than a month ago, and my technique has suddenly gotten horrible. I had envisioned by being promoted, I would become this BJJ monster and just be consumed with Jiu Jitsu and finishing fights by submissions. I had visions of BJJ grandeur and now I find myself missing opportunities for submissions, matching strength with the newer people, and not moving the way I drilled the techniques. It is as if I am having a allergic reaction to getting my blue belt, Bluebeltitis.


The most two recent reaction of my Bluebeltitis, happened this past week while training. Monday, I rolled with a newer white belt; maybe 2 months training, he was using all strength in his movements. He would muscle my arm down, try to push me off him, so I found myself beginning to suffer technique and replacing with strength. In addition, an observer told me, there were several submissions I could have got, but my timing was off and I allowed my opponent to control how I reacted to him. I walked away that night frustrated with myself and just did not feel like I deserved the rank of blue belt.

Then later in the week, I rolled with Zach, who is a very aggressive 16-year-old white belt. By aggressive, I mean he moves as if he is 175 lbs, and is starting to become dangerous with submissions. He and I rolled several times and this young white belt submitted me numerous times. It actually became so frustrating, I had abandoned technique and was just trying to survive and hope for a submission. Do not get me wrong, I am glad to see him progress, but I am not happy with my performance in the situation. I jokingly told him, I was going to go put my white belt back on, because that is exactly how I felt. I have actually kept my white belt in my gym bag ever since I got promoted, just in case there has been some mistake for my promotion and I will still need a belt to wear.


Here are some home remedies I am going to try:
1) Stop Matching strength with strength- Work the technique and escape if I end up in a bad position. Bruce Lee was quoted, “The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.”

2) Do not force the submission- A lot of times I end up trying to force the submission, instead of waiting on the position to get the submission

3) Capitalize on my opponents mistakes- I have trouble seeing the errors in time enough to react.

In summary, people are advancing faster and getting better, and I feel as if I am standing still. I need to break through the funk I have been in the past month or so. The only remedy is hard work and mat time to get through this wall.