22/04/2026
Hey guys, just something I’ve noticed after a long time around jiu jitsu.
Every belt level has its rough patches. White belts feel lost, blue belts often hit a wall, purple belts get frustrated, brown belts get busy, black belts get injured. Everyone at some point questions whether to keep going.
I’ve also seen plenty of people step away over the years for different reasons: motivation dips, injuries, life gets busy, progress feels slow. The one common theme I keep seeing is that nearly all of them eventually regret stopping.
Sometimes they miss the training, sometimes the mateship, sometimes the structure it gave them, sometimes they realise they were closer to a breakthrough than they thought.
If you’re in a rough patch right now, don’t confuse a temporary bad period with a permanent decision. You don’t always need to quit. Sometimes you just need to adjust. Train lighter. Train less for a period. Just show up and move. Come watch class. Rehab properly. Focus on learning instead of winning. Come help coach kids or fundamentals classes and develop that part of your skills
Progress in jiu jitsu isn’t linear and neither is life.
The people who last aren’t the most talented or the most motivated every week. They’re usually the ones who keep a foot in the door through the hard periods.
If you’re struggling, talk to me. There’s nearly always a smarter option than walking away
I’ll get off my soapbox now