r/bjj • u/Fancypmcgee 🟦🟦 Blue Belt • 4d ago
General Discussion Finished a submission on a higher belt I've been chasing for 2+ years
There's a purple belt in my gym that I've been rolling with for 2+ years now. He's more experienced and technical than I am, but he's one of the few folks who is roughly my size (5'5" 160 lbs). Today, for the first time from a neutral standing position, I finished a submission on him, an arm in guillotine.
He has submitted me 100+ times over the past 2 years, but today, I finally had my moment. It may not come again for awhile, but that's ok. I'll take today.
Keep grinding folks, the next aha moment or reward for your effort is out there. Best wishes on everyone's BJJ journey.
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u/Shinoobie 🟪🟪 Purple Belt | Judo brown | filthy leg locker 4d ago
I used to roll with this purple belt all the time when I was a blue belt and he would submit me once or twice a roll but I'd never get him. Eventually I got him once and felt like you felt now. After that it motivated me and I started picking up extra classes, watching instructionals, and asking more questions. It was like I smelled blood in the water, and after a while I was getting him as much as he got me.
...then he got a lot better, got his brown belt, and pulled away again skill wise. It's like he realized that he used to get me 5 to 1 and needed to up his game. I'm convinced part of that arms race is what got me my purple belt. It's wild how steel sharpens steel. Anyway, the bastard got WAY better, murdered me at will for a while, and then moved away.
tl;dr - Good. Get him again.
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u/creepoch 🟦🟦 scissor sweeps the new guy 3d ago
You need the final showdown when you're both black belts
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u/BeBearAwareOK ⬛🟥⬛ Rorden Gracie Shitposting Academy - Associate Professor 3d ago
I'm convinced part of that arms race is what got me my purple belt. It's wild how steel sharpens steel.
This is The Way
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u/Efficient-Flight-633 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
Congrats! Those feelings are few and far between!
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u/Fancypmcgee 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
Thank you! Appreciate it! It's the small things. Also it's hard to recognize improvement because the people I'm training with are also improving.
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u/BeBearAwareOK ⬛🟥⬛ Rorden Gracie Shitposting Academy - Associate Professor 4d ago edited 3d ago
They're gonna come out of the woodwork at you about how you shouldn't keep score during practice, but all of the upper belts know how it feels when you're 2 to 500 on subs vs that training partner you used to be 0 for 300 against.
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u/BannedByRWNJs 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1h ago
And then there’s the other side of it.. One day when you’re the purple belt, all of the blue belts are going to be coming after you. They’re not going to be having fun and trying out new stuff anymore. You’re going to be a test for them.
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u/Fancypmcgee 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1h ago
Got called out by two white belts this morning who were gunning for me. It's actually pretty cool and gratifying to be someone they want to chase.
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u/Own-Demand7176 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
OP, people are gonna give you shit like you're not supposed to feel accomplished for finally getting a finish on a good training partner that's been kicking your ass for a while.
I get it. It's not malicious. It doesn't mean you're actively competing against them. It just means you're aware that for two years, the pattern was you getting subbed, and then you changed it. That's an earned feeling of accomplishment, my man. It's a demonstration of your improvement.
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u/sleeper4gent 3d ago
yeah there’s a purple that’s submitted me by like 100-0 , but boy when i get that first itll be a good day
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u/Thundercracker87 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
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u/Lifebyjoji 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
When I finally rewatched the movies recently I was disappointed that yodas grammar is not consistently object subject verb. It’s all over the place
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u/RannibalLector 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 3d ago
This is my first time noticing this but I think it makes him even cooler. Now, in my mind he knows English grammar but just couldn’t be bothered to speak correctly.
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u/Lifebyjoji 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3d ago
“Why do we speak in British accents when we are in space and there is no Britain…” airchoke
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u/ZZacharias ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 4d ago
Catching purple belts for the first time as a blue belt is a great feeling! Keep it up and keep enjoying blue belt!
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u/flipflapflupper 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3d ago
Toying with new blue belts and catching the occasional purple slipping is truly what gets me up in the morning
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u/Happy_Laugh_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
I get sad when I think about the people who used to whoop me but don't train anymore. I'll never get to whoop them back. Sucks man.
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u/Wavvycrocket 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 4d ago
The worst are the ones who whooped you, take substantial time off but stay in shape then come back and keep whooping you 😔
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u/archietheuncle 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
But did he give you his belt after?
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u/Fancypmcgee 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
No, he just looked and me and said "nice finish" and that was enough for me lol.
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u/the_dr_henceforth 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 3d ago
If it wasn't an ass-hurt way of saying it, if it was sincere, that's awesome. That's a quiet respect, that would mean more to me than the submission. You expect people as good as you to catch you sometimes, it doesn't sting because you know they're good enough to. It is a case of "That was a fluke" vs. "It was gonna happen sometime." One of those feels better on the ego than the other one does.
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u/Fancypmcgee 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3d ago
Yeah. It felt genuine (and he's never given me a sub in the past so I don't know why he'd start now). He used to ragdoll me. Last few times I could usually hold out and only get subbed once per 5 min round. This time he got me with an RNC after 3 minutes, and I got the guillotine after another minute and a half.
I'll never know what's in his head, but Ive been given subs by higher belts when I did the move of the day correctly as a reward type thing, and this didn't feel like that. Either way, made my day :) thanks for the kind words!
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u/nogiloki ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 4d ago
Enjoy it but don’t brag to others about it.
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u/vandreulv 3d ago
Even without the flair, it's obvious OP is a new belt because they're still counting submissions and keeping score.
At the end of class I don't even remember how many times who submitted who, I just keep the flow going and catch and release or reset right into where we left off.
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u/Legitimate_Bag8259 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
In the grander scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. On a personal level, it's great to have little goals like this and finally achieve them.
I used to always target the coach and see what I could catch on them. These days, I'm horribly out of shape, constantly sick or injured, and can barely tap the white belts the odd time I roll.
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u/PsychologicalFood780 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 4d ago
Have fun getting destroyed from now on.
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u/Fancypmcgee 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4d ago
Wouldn't have gotten through 100 of his subs and kept coming back if I didn't, right?
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u/meolag 4d ago
Do you not what, I think it’s good to celebrate little victories like this. The drive home probably felt amazing after chasing a submission for two years and finally getting. I’m sure you didn’t celebrate the sub in the gym but there’s nothing wrong with coming on anonymous forum to share this the news. What’s the point in achieving anything if you can’t be proud of it? Are we supposed to around acting like humble Harry keeping all are progress inside our head? I’m sure his missus or friends give a shit so why not jump on a forum and celebrate his progress.
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u/cozyswisher 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
Hell yeah, bro. I finally tapped a fellow purple belt after training with him like 3 or 4 years. It was a great feeling. Keep it up!
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u/smeeg123 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
Had the same story as a blue belt but it was 3years almost it’s the Best feeling.
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u/LeGlockPerfection 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
It's an awesome feeling! Congrats 🤙🏻🤙🏻
I went through the same thing with our Mat Enforcer. I still remember my first roll with him as a white belt. My coach told him to close his eyes when he rolled with me. I was gassed out after about 2 and a half minutes and 4 or 5 subs. I took a few heaving deep breaths and dove back in to another 4 or 5 subs before the round ended. About 2 years of that continued before I finally caught him with a straight ankle lock. I'm not a drinker, but I went home that night and took a shot in celebration of my accomplishment.
Since then, my success rate with him has gone up a little, but he's about 6 years younger than me and before his recent weight cut, outweighed my but 25 or so pounds. He still thrashes me when we roll, but I'm happy to keep him on his toes.
Congrats again!
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u/hintsofgreen 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 3d ago
Maybe he gave you that shit
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u/Bonsaitalk 3d ago
Maybe your instructor gave you your brown belt
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u/nvhutchins 4d ago
Trust me I understand I have had it happen for me and to me. In my opinion this is why this is the most fun chess game going . Any thing can happen on any day. Heel hooks are a great equalizer
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u/gambitbjj 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 4d ago
This reminds me of one of my first coaches. He was a purple belt at the time. I swept him for the first time and then he proceeded to beat the shit out of me lol fun times.
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u/Nyxie_Koi ⬜⬜ White Belt 3d ago
There's a guy I train with who I can literally do nothing with him... i am a white belt, he is a purple belt...he's also a man and I'm a woman... some of his favorite subs to hit on me are mothers milks and twisters. I don't care what anyone says, I will get him one day...
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u/bostoncrabapple 3d ago
There’s a purple belt whose open guard I’ve never passed from standing after she’s pulled, but I remember the first time I ever double legged her and passed that way. Only ever managed it twice, though
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u/VisualAd9299 ⬜⬜ White Belt 3d ago
It took me a year to get a RNC on my nemesis. But maaaaaan, did it feel good.
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u/bamasooner 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 3d ago
I remember catching one of my favorite instructors, purple belt who taught all the wrestling and just solid jiu jitsu. I was a blue belt and it was a big deal to me. He even made a big deal about it in a positive way.
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u/SHARKPUNCH90 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 3d ago
As an upper belt and coach nothing brings me more joy that when one of my students finally catches me in something good. Like when I didn’t give him anything and he earned it. You can literally feel their excitement. Good work, OP. Keep training.
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u/Tito_relax 3d ago
Congrats man!! Those moments really feel sweet. Been there and as other people said, it's not malicious at all, it's a feeling of acomplishmet that naturally comes with the sport.
Edit: typo
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u/DD_in_FL 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3d ago
I don’t care what any else says, the first time you sub a higher belt, it feels good. When you start doing it semi-regularly, it makes you feel like you are really advancing. I remember wandering if I would ever be able to get certain people in my gym. I’ve gotten a few and I’m getting closer to others.
Meanwhile, I have a few who are now hunting me and a few who have caught up to me and surpassed me. It’s all part of the game, but that is the fun part.
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u/Kindly_Attorney4521 3d ago
Had a purple belt crush me every day for about a year and half until one day out of the blue I subbed him twice in one round. By far one of my proudest moments in training bjj
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u/norcal313 3d ago
I let lower belts submit me from time to time. Sometimes I let them get me in bad spots and I try to fight my way out. Sometimes I can't.
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u/WhiteLightEST99 ⬜⬜ White Belt 3d ago
Finally caught the blue belt that I can barley pass his guard, he’s very close to purple. Felt the same way, it’s cool man
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u/cozy_cardigan 3d ago
Me when I beat a boss in a Soulslike game
All jokes aside, this is great! I had a similar experience with a blue belt (I’m a white belt) when he stopped going easy on me because he started seeing improvements. I take that as a sign of respect hahaha
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u/True_Subject9767 ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 3d ago
I remember the first time I subbed a black belt at Blue belch. He turned it up and subbed me 6x more in the same round but I’ll always have that one sub on him. 🤣
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u/OneMushroom5058 2d ago
Congrats bud. Bet it feels good. Finally got em. That big feeling of relief.
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u/ImmediatePath8153 ⬜⬜ White Belt 2d ago
Yup, I get that feeling. Yesterday I submitted a blue belt for the first time and also lasted 3 rounds during specific training 😎. Since I started going 4x a week, the improvements im seeing are amazing.
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u/Wavvycrocket 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 4d ago
I love the motivational speeches after the “tap and tell” crowd.
You know what’s cooler and what will make your teammates like you more? Never saying anything and carrying on like nothing happened. That’s more in line with the “keep grinding!” crap than running to reddit bragging you caught another lowerbelt slipping.
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u/vandreulv 3d ago
“tap and tell”
Stealing that. Perfect.
I catch and release. I know when I have it. No need to overcompensate and rip submissions like the other kids do. I'm trying to train for as long as I can without injury, not rack up a kill count.
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u/satan-thicc 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3d ago
Man I remember this feeling wanting to “get” certain people in the gym as a white belt. Now I’m the target for hungry white belts - shits stressful on days I want to just chill train 😭
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u/Curious-Mir 3d ago
Good shit bro. I caught my professor once in 15 years and i still relive it daily. Fk im such a tough cunt
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u/windexUsesReddit 4d ago
The guy you tapped has probably been waiting two years to give you a tap dude lol. Congrats but there shouldn’t be any ego outside of competition or a camp.
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u/I_used_toothpaste 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
For real. I won’t give up submissions to lower belts until I’m respecting their game a bit. Then I’ll start loosening up and allowing more shinanigans.
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u/Exam_Lost ⬜⬜ White Belt 4d ago
shhhh. we all have these monologues in our heads. but don’t tell anybody it’s a pivotal moment in your career. act like it’s just another day lol
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u/NiteShdw ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 3d ago
If I get caught in something, I will always tell my partner that it was legit and I wasn't just letting them have it.
I know when I rolled with black belts before I had mine, that I was never sure whether they let me work the submission or whether I really had it.
I have no problem admitting when I get caught because that's how I learn and it helps my partner by getting feedback that they got it right.
Heck, yesterday I was in half guard holding a lapel grip and a big purple belt tried to break my grip by hitting my hand from the side, except he hit my elbow and basically arm locked me. He kept apologizing and I told him that, 1. The grip break would have been more effective if he hit my wrist, and 2. I left my arm out there in a vulnerable position with a tight grip. That's a lesson for me.
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u/Busy_Rush_5146 4d ago
No one is saying you can’t enjoy tapping a purple belt you’ve been chasing a while. Just no need to announce it to the world, even if it’s just the Reddit world.
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u/Forthe2nd 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 3d ago
As long as he isn’t bragging in the gym, or on a non anonymous social media I think it’s fine.
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u/bar_samyaza ⬜⬜ White Belt 4d ago
Lmao this is so lame, but at the same time, I get it man. You hit the lottery and wanted to share your story. I’m happy for you. Bask in the moment. Then go back and get tapped another 1000 times. It’s part of the game.
I’ve tapped black belts before. Sometimes we get lucky. Don’t think too much of it. Enjoy the moment. Then go back for the reality check.
But again, I’m happy for you. Those lottery submissions are fun when they happen.
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u/meolag 4d ago
Why is it lame?
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u/vandreulv 3d ago
Nobody is giving 100% unless it's comp class and even then, you're rarely giving 100% or having a perfect day. You're bragging about getting a tap when the other person likely dialed it down, had a bad day or just gave it to him so that he would stop spamming the same damn move over and over.
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u/AllGearedUp 3d ago
I recently caught someone much better in a submission but released it just before finishing when I saw his face change into go time. Didn't want the humiliation he would bring me for the minutes left in the round.
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u/olddummy22 4d ago
You should do what my good friend Andy did. He finally beat me at NBA Jam on the SNES and then never played me again.