just got promoted to purple belt last friday and im still riding the high. wanted to start a thread for DFW grapplers to share their promotion stories.
my story: started training at 29, walked into my gym as a completely unathletic software developer who hadnt done anything physical since high school PE. first class i got submitted 11 times in 6 minutes of rolling and almost threw up.
four and a half years later my coach called me up at the end of class. i genuinely thought he was going to correct my technique on something. instead he wrapped a purple belt around my waist and the whole gym clapped. i cried. not gonna pretend i didnt.
what made it special is i EARNED it. there were so many times i wanted to quit. the blue belt blues hit me hard around the 2.5 year mark where i felt like i wasnt improving at all. two separate rib injuries that kept me off the mat for a month each. the temptation to skip class every single day.
but i kept showing up. and slowly the techniques that felt impossible started becoming automatic. the positions that used to terrify me became comfortable. and one day i realized i was tapping blue belts who used to smash me.
to any white belts reading this: the path is longer than you think and harder than you expect. but its the most rewarding thing ive ever done in my life. keep showing up.
DFW grapplers — who got promoted recently? i want to hear your story. every belt from first stripe to black.
i love these threads because they remind you that everyone started from zero. the purple belt who just demolished you in rolling was once the clueless white belt getting armbarred every 30 seconds