Five Things Every White Belt Should Know (... if you ask me)

The white belt is often described as the hardest belt to earn. It isn't that the techniques are the most difficult, but because it takes courage to walk through the door for the first time and the learning curve is so high. If you've recently started your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey, here are five lessons I wish someone had told me when I began.

1. You Don't Need to Win Training

This is probably the biggest mindset shift in Jiu Jitsu and frankly, I want it on a t-shirt.

Training isn't a competition. Nobody is keeping score. Over the course of a hopefully long Jiu Jitsu journey, imagine you will have 10,000 rolls. Nobody ever cares how many you win or lose.

The goal isn't to beat your training partners - it's to learn from them and arguably, your primary aim should be to be the best training partner in the room. You want to be the person that everyone else wants to train with, because you're switched on, interested and actively helpful.

No one really enjoys trying really hard only to end up tapping out to a choke or a lock - but every tap, every mistake, every time you gas out - they're all just signs that something needs more work.

And that's a good thing. Jiu Jitsu becomes great the more you lose your weaknesses.

The sooner you stop worrying about "winning" in training, the faster you'll improve - because you start focusing on how to fix things.

2. Consistency Beats Talent

Keep showing up and avoid taking long breaks between training if you can avoid them. We all get worn down, we all need to reset every now and then, but getting to training consistently is key to getting better.

I've had the privilege of teaching students who had totally average physical attributes but dedicated themselves on and off the mats to improving their Jiu Jitsu. They went to extra classes, booked private lessons, studied techniques outside of training, ate and rested well. And you know what? They improved, quickly.

I've also had students gifted with fantastic athleticism and things were easy for them early on, but the lack of mat time eventually saw others get the better of them, time and time again.

There aren't any shortcuts in Jiu Jitsu but the more time you spend on the mats, the better you get.

3. Everyone Gets Stuck

There will be days when you just don't feel like training. You drag yourself to the gym, nothing seems to work, and it feels like everyone else is improving while you're standing still.

You spend entire rounds underneath someone. You forget the small details that make the bigger techniques work. You leave class wondering if you've actually got any better at all.

That's completely normal.

There's an old saying in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:"A black belt is just a white belt who kept showing up."

Plateaus are a natural part of learning any worthwhile skill. At first, progress comes quickly. Every week you're learning something new, and the improvements feel obvious. As time goes on, those breakthroughs become less frequent. It can feel as though you've stopped improving altogether.

The truth is, your progress hasn't stopped, it's just become harder to notice.

When you hit one of these plateaus, don't panic. Instead, narrow your focus.

Choose one position and actively look for it during sparring. Spend a few weeks working only on escaping side control, improving your guard retention or refining one sweep. Don't worry about "winning" the round - treat it as an opportunity to experiment and learn.

Let your training partners pass your guard occasionally. Start from mount. Work on escaping instead of avoiding the problem altogether. Some of the biggest improvements in Jiu Jitsu happen when you're willing to put yourself in difficult positions.

4. Ask Questions!

One of my favourite parts of coaching is when students ask questions. It tells me they're switched on and engaged.

Curious students improve quickly because they're actively trying to understand rather than simply copy. They're the ones who go home and look at videos on YouTube and come in with ideas they want to try out.

If something doesn't make sense:

Ask.

If you keep getting caught somewhere:

Ask.

If you want to learn a particular technique:

Ask.

Chances are someone else in the room is wondering exactly the same thing. And I've never thought less of a student for asking a question. In fact, quite the opposite. Some of the best discussions I've had on the mats have started with a simple "Why?" or "What if they do this instead?" It's exciting for me as a coach when students start asking questions because they're engaging with what you're trying to teach.

Jiu Jitsu is about solving problems. The more you understand why something works, the more naturally you'll be able to adapt when things don't go to plan.

Never be afraid to put your hand up, ask for another demonstration or say, "Can we go over that one more time?" That's what coaching is for.

5. Enjoy the Journey

Take time to enjoy being a beginner. Celebrate the small victories. The first successful escape. The first sweep. The first time you recognise a position without having to think about it.

Too often I think students want to rush on to the next level, to move up a belt, or compete at a higher level. Sometimes I think it can be more helpful to slow it down and just enjoy where you are.

This has two benefits - firstly, it makes you a more solid (insert whatever colour you have) belt. I know some blue belts who quit shortly after getting promoted - because they were hot stuff among the white belts, but didn't like the feeling of going back to being the least experienced of the blues. If they took the time to look at their journey overall, they'd realise that the higher the belt, the higher the standard and the fact that they've been promoted means that the coach thinks they're ready for that higher level. More ability means more expectation - that's a solid life lesson.

Secondly, try and think about Jiu Jitsu as an art you'll be doing for life. It's not a race to black belt. It's a longer journey beyond belts and medals where hopefully, one day, you can look back and remember the hundreds of people you got to meet, train with, learn from, and teach. The fact we get to train at all is a privilege a lot of people would love to have. So enjoy it - take your time and immerse yourself in your training.

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Coach Francis' Take:

The students who impress me most aren't always the fastest learners or the strongest athletes. They're the people who keep turning up with a positive attitude, ask questions and leave every class knowing just a little bit more than when they arrived. Play the long game and see the big picture - before you know it, you'll be the one welcoming in the nervous new students.