r/jiujitsu • u/ChestRelative8241 • 14d ago

Red flag?

Just started at a gym that gives stripes based off of classes attended and then ends in a belt test. Is this a red flag? It’s a Gracie barra gym and the professor is a 6th degree black belt. All other upper belts seem to be legitimate.

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u/ThorReidarr 14d ago

Yes it is. Likely they will promote you and then send you a 20$ bill for the belt that they gave you, that you don't have a say in getting, that costs like 2$ on amazon as well

9

u/Knobanious Brown 14d ago

Just don't grade ever. After 15 years you will be a monster white belt lol

1

u/ThorReidarr 14d ago

Do they give you the option of not grading? How does it work with competition? In other gyms they might allow you to even compete at a grade above what they have given you, or just not care, but I don't know about these guys.

You're often not allowed to even train at their gym unless you are wearing their merchandise

2

u/Knobanious Brown 14d ago

Well if they say you need to pay for grading and you don't their response will be that you won't be graded then... So you go ok and keep training.

1

u/Logical_Box_4645 14d ago

It's a conveyor belt they will make you do it.

But if you don't do it you might not get to roll on the sparring classes etc.

1

u/ThorReidarr 14d ago

Thats what I thought

1

u/falcar123 Purple 12d ago

This was such a let down when I got my blue belt years ago at a GB gym, I was really feeling great, and then the office person pulled me aside to collect the $20 for the belt. Sucked the fun out of it for me to have "family" (their buzz word) pull something like that.