If you’ve been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a few years, you’ll start to see patterns develop that indicate whether a student will quit or stay. That is, when people newly sign up, there’s a good chance you’ll never see them again or they barely last 6 months. Whatever the reason, this happens and many white belts come and go in life. So, what are the signs that hint towards people quitting BJJ at white belt? Read on for more information.
Training lessons slowly deteriorate
This is probably the biggest sign that a white belt is going to quit BJJ. In fact, it’s a good sign for any belt in all honesty. Let’s say someone starts and trains 5 times per week, this is a high volume of intensity and is difficult for most people to keep up. Then the next month they train 3 times per week, then the month after it’s down to once per week.
At some point, there’s a good chance they’ll leave BJJ altogether. Of course, some people may have legitimate reasons such as a change in work or schedule. Without judging these people, and whatever the outcome, the likelihood is that they’ll quit.
Perhaps the reason for this is that as they get closer to training only once per week, financially a monthly contract seems less justifiable. We’ve all been there and seen white belts who claim they’re committed for life only to quit weeks later. It can be frustrating but it happens.
Cowardly sparring habits
One of the main ideas of BJJ is that little can defeat large under any circumstances. It’s also a bit of a right of passage to get smashed by bigger opponents and learn how to utilize a size difference. However, completely avoiding tough rolls altogether is not good and hints that you don’t have the heart to train BJJ long term.
It may be easy sparring smaller people, women, and newer people as you’re going to win and feel good about yourself. But what about training against bigger, more experienced opponents who aren’t going to go easy on you? This is a good test of your mettle and some people just straight up don’t like it. As a result, if you see someone ducking tough opponents, or just sparring in general then it can be a troublesome sign.
Over the top dedication to BJJ on social media
These kinds of white belts give others a bad name, and although it’s a cliche, this sort of behaviour genuinely happens. That is, you may see someone with ‘BJJ’ in their Instagram name and they’re big on social media with corny metaphors about how they’re a warrior and how training is so tough.
Often, these people are doing BJJ for the wrong reasons and that is to look cool. In fact, whilst being on social media isn’t a crime, most people that last a while aren’t sharing their every detail online. Sometimes this behaviour also spills into gyms too, where these people won’t shut up about BJJ.
We get it, starting BJJ is very exciting and can grow into a life changing habit. Nonetheless, as the saying goes ‘all bark and no bite’ applies here. Often in life, those who have to shout the loudest are usually the most insecure. Instead, it’s those who stay quiet who are more likely to stick around as they’re not as emotionally invested. Like a passionate but brief love affair, these relationships with BJJ rarely last.
Injuries
One of the biggest signs that someone’s going to quit early on is an injury. If they can’t cope with a sprained finger or a sore arm for a few days, then it means they’re not cut out for BJJ. Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with this but it shows that you’re better off quitting and finding another hobby.
This especially applies to those who constantly moan about small injuries as if they’re life threatening. As mentioned above, this shows insecurities and softness that BJJ is probably too much to cope with if that’s you.
Further, if a new person does get a genuinely big injury then it’s another reason for them to quit. Although rare, imagine getting a broken shoulder a few months in. This means that person is more likely to quit after believing BJJ is simply too dangerous. Especially if you’re not committed to it, then it’s completely understandable. Regardless, if someone gets a big injury and is new, there’s a good chance that you’ll never see them again.
Obsession with stripes and promotions
It’s a cliche, but most people who stick at BJJ genuinely don’t care about stripes and promotions. Of course, it’s fine to get excited about belts, especially as a newcomer. However, the real focus should be on skill acquisition and not the status that a belt brings.
The issue with this is that at some point, you’ll either get disheartened by slow promotions or realize that they don’t mean a whole lot other than symbolically. Remember, whilst a shiny new belt may sound nice, it doesn’t naturally improve your skill either.
Therefore, those who obsess over belt and status within the gym will rarely make it to blue belt because of the reasons listed above.
Being the best in the beginners class
At first, this concept may be difficult to grasp. However, the more you train, the more you will see this is the case. For some people, they may have a small background in grappling or have a natural ability. These people are more likely to dominate the beginners class for obvious reasons. The issue with this is that these people often enjoy winning during sparring, a little too much at times.
Then comes the day they start sparring harder opponents and suddenly they realize they’re not the best in the gym. Maybe they compete too, focusing on gold but lose their first match. This stings and some people don’t like it and end up quitting. In some ways, this is a concept similar to the point of dodging tough spars.
In some cases though, these people may not even make it out of the beginner’s group. Imagine being the strongest in the group by some way. Logically, you may believe that BJJ is simply too easy for you and isn’t worth pursuing it or spending time training. Therefore, you end up quitting. This does go on and happens more than you’d expect. If you’ve ever taught a beginners class then you will see this happen.
Conclusion
Overall, there are various signs to look out for when looking at whether a white belt will quit. The reasons listed above are probably the most common ones too. Having said this, sometimes in BJJ, newcomers will simply quit for no reason too.
With this in mind, sometimes there are no signs to look out for. Because of this, it’s best not to get attached to your favorite white belt too quickly either, as there’s every chance they end up quitting before they’ve even begun.
