Welcome to the land of delusion, where BJJ practitioners claim to not care about belts, but secretly obsess over them more than their ex's Instagram stories.

As someone who can't stand the constant "belts don't matter" comments in BJJ groups towards anyone who dares to post and share their belt promotions, I've decided to expose the absurdity of this statement, while discussing the importance of belts in BJJ, the hypocrisy of those who deny it and the reasons behind the facade.

Buckle up, folks, because this ride is going to be a wild one.

The thesis of this post?

Belts may not define us, but they sure as hell give us something to strive for.

So, why do belt ranks matter?

Let's start with the obvious, belts are the backbone of the ranking system, providing a clear path for progress and accomplishment.

Without them, we'd be lost in a sea of white, black and blue gis, unable to distinguish the newbies from the veterans.

Promotions and belt advancements are milestones in our BJJ journey, marking the progress we've made and the skills we've acquired.

They are a tangible way of measuring our growth as martial artists.

But it's not just about the ranking system, belts also serve as a source of recognition and motivation.

Imagine walking into a gym and not being able to tell who the higher belts are or who's been training for longer.

It would be like going to a party without name tags, awkward and confusing.

Belts also give us something to strive for, something to work towards.

It's the "I'll be a black belt one day" mentality that keeps us coming back to training.

So, let's all stop pretending belts don't matter, because whether we like it or not, they do, and that's not a bad thing.

Ah, the hypocrisy of BJJ practitioners who claim to not care about belts. The irony is almost too much to handle.

These practitioners, who claim to be above the belt ranking system, are the ones who secretly obsess over them.

They'll try too hard to show that they don't care about belts, constantly repeating the phrase "belts don't matter" on social media.

In reality, these types of practitioners are either lacking in skill or have an inflated ego that cannot stand the idea of being tapped out by a more skillful lower belt.

The role of belts in BJJ is to serve as a visual representation of a practitioner's skills and knowledge.

The ranking system is in place to acknowledge the hard work and dedication put in by practitioners.

It's a way to measure progress and set goals for growth.

And who doesn't like a little bit of recognition for their hard work?

Yet, for some reasons, there's this stigma attached to caring about belts in BJJ.

It's like admitting that you care about belts is a sign of weakness or lack of humility.

However, belts do matter, and pretending they don't is just a way of avoiding accountability and responsibility.

It's like saying you don't care about the score in a game, yet still keeping score.

The reasons behind this facade? Insecurity, fear of failure, and the need to fit in with a certain crowd.

These practitioners don't want to be seen as "belt-chasers" or "competitive" in a sport that values humility and respect.

In conclusion, the hypocrisy of BJJ practitioners who claim to not care about belts is quite the amusing subject.

The ranking system is in place to acknowledge the hard work and dedication put in by practitioners, and it's a way to measure progress and set goals for growth.

Pretending that belts don't matter is just a facade to avoid accountability and responsibility. It's a way of hiding insecurity and fear of failure.

So, let's embrace the belt system and stop pretending that we don't care about them, because in one way or another, we all do.

And remember, if you're not obsessed with your next belt promotion (and train as hard as you can to achieve it), you're probably doing BJJ wrong.

Simply enter your details below: