Your Guide To Surviving You First Year As AWhite Belt!

You guide to Surviving your first year as a White Belt, I am going toassume that you went thru the trouble of finding a qualified Gym to trainin when you first started training. One that the instructor is as close tothe Source "Has a IBJJF certification and actually trained with hisinstructor that he received his black belt rank from. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsuhas been in the States long enough that there really isn't any reason notto have trained with a legitimate Black Belt.

The first thing to do is to learn the basics. When I say the basics I meanincluding the history of BJJ. I think anytime you learning a Martial Artyou should research where the Art came from and the important peoplethat helped to start it. I remember being in 7th or 8th grade and readingabout the great wrestlers from Greek times in the first Olympics. I reallythink having a understanding of where the Art came from helps you toappreciate what you learning and also help to motivate you to train whenyou are sore and tired or just don't feel like it.

Learning the basics, Take privates or do research learn what eachposition is and what your goals should be. For instance what are theavailable attacks from when you are in the guard. This way when youare in this position you can focus on actually passing the guard insteadof making the mistake of trying to collar choke you advisory.

Learn to tap and tap early. There is nothing like having a injured elbowto derail your training. Training is just that training. If you are injured onthe mat it just takes that much longer for you to achieve your goals.

Make friends with your class mates. After a life time of training, all myfriends at one time or another trained. I am not sure why that is maybe Idon't relate to other people or maybe it is just the kind of people whotrain that I want to hang out with who train.

Write down your goals, I think it is best to corner your instructor and askthem to go over your goals. Hopefully they can let you know if what youare thinking is possible. But the most important thing is writing downyour goals then reverse engineering how you are going to get there. Ihave both personal and professional goals that I review multiple times ayear to make sure that I am on pace to achieve them.

Find a mentor in the gym someone who has gone down a similar path asyou that you can relate to and help to keep you motivated to achieveyour goals. In the beginning motivation isn't hard to come by. Buthaving someone that will hold you to your goals and wants to see yousucceed.

The next thing is to have fun. Remember that we are all in this togetherand that in the end no gets out of this life alive. We all have a expirationdate. Meaning we all die, BJJ should be fun. BJJ has changed my lifeand taken me down a path I never could have imagined all the years agowhen I first started training!!!!!!!