The Road From Brown to Black 

(Published Friday, August 30, 2024)

Earning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a big deal. It’s something that typically takes around 10 to 15 years of hard work—sometimes even longer. To put that into perspective, it takes about as long to become a medical doctor. In my case, it took over 20 years to reach this milestone.

The Milestones: A Quick Timeline

I got my brown belt on June 13th, 2021, and I was over the moon. Honestly, there were times it was something I never thought I’d get. I’d been working long-distance with my instructor, Dax Razzano, to get ready for it, and when I finally earned that belt, it felt like a huge win. I laughed. I cried. You get the idea. Fast forward to June 20th, 2024, and I was promoted to black belt. And that nearly three-year stretch? It was some of the most intense growth I’ve ever had in jiu-jitsu.

I thought I’d take the time to share some key moments, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Hopefully, this will help those of you who are on a similar path.

Starting Over in Oak Harbor

When I moved to Oak Harbor, my plan was pretty straightforward: find a local gym, train there, and maybe teach a few private lessons on the side. There was already a black belt instructor listed on the academy’s website, so I figured this would be a great chance to keep learning and eventually get my black belt. 

But when I got there, I found out that the black belt wasn’t even on the island anymore. There was a group of his purple belts teaching in his place, and the vibe of the gym just wasn’t what I was looking for. I tried to stick it out, but it just wasn’t a good fit for me. So I felt forced to strike out on my own, start something new, and try to build exactly what I was looking for.

Starting my own academy wasn’t really something I was itching to do at that point. I’m not saying I didn’t want to open up my own place eventually. I just wasn’t planning on doing it right then and there at that point in my life, especially at the tail end of a pandemic. The risks were high, and there were a lot of unknowns. But looking back, I’m glad I did. Building something from the ground up was scary, but it pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t expect.

Philosophical Shifts in Training and Rolling

One of the biggest changes after opening my own academy was just how much more time I was spending on the mats. Before, I had a day job and was lucky if I could train two or three times a week. Now, I was on the mats four days a week, rolling and teaching regularly. That was awesome, but it also meant I had to be smarter about how I trained. I’m getting closer to 50 now, and my body doesn’t bounce back like it used to. I had to learn to balance intense training with enough recovery time—something that wasn’t easy when I had new students eager to spar every day.

This increased mat time also made me really focus on efficiency. I’ve always valued being efficient in jiu-jitsu, but now it was a must. Rolling multiple times a week meant I had to conserve energy and rely on technique rather than power or speed. I made a conscious effort to focus more on being efficient than on “winning” every roll. That wasn’t easy—it took some hits to the ego—but in the long run, it made my jiu-jitsu way better.

I also started giving myself little missions during rolls. Instead of just handicapping myself, I’d set specific goals like finishing every opponent with a cross choke or only playing bottom guard. These challenges helped me tighten up parts of my game that needed work and kept my training interesting and purposeful.

Teaching: A Journey of Its Own

Teaching jiu-jitsu, especially to kids, has been a huge learning experience for me. At first, I was hesitant to start a kids program because I’ve seen how some academies just accept that injuries and tears are part of the deal. That never sat right with me. I believed that if I couldn’t run a kids class where safety was a priority, then I wouldn’t run one at all.

I did a ton of research on how to teach kids effectively, and it ended up making me a better teacher overall. Different age groups learn differently, and understanding that made me rethink how I was teaching everyone. I learned that simplifying things—focusing on broad concepts instead of getting lost in the details—worked best for kids. And honestly, it works pretty well for adults too. If you can teach a kid to grasp a concept, it makes teaching adults a lot easier.

Teaching adults came with its own set of challenges, especially around preventing injuries. In a new gym with mostly white belts, injuries can be common because people don’t yet have the technique down and rely more on strength or speed. I went through several versions of a fundamentals program to try and help students learn the basics before jumping into sparring. Over time, I’ve come to see the value in focusing solely on technique at the beginning. My current fundamentals class is all about technique, with no sparring, and it’s been getting great feedback from both new students and long-time practitioners.

Advice for New Brown Belts

If I could go back and give advice to myself when I first got my brown belt—or to anyone who’s just earned theirs—I’d say this:

1. Focus on the Fundamentals:

Take the time to really think about what you consider to be the fundamentals of jiu-jitsu. Write it down. This exercise isn’t just about improving your own game; it’s also about preparing to teach. Even if you’re not teaching yet, breaking down techniques for others will make you better. And remember, fundamentals aren’t necessarily what’s most basic—they’re what’s most important. Ask yourself if you’re using these techniques regularly in sparring. If not, why not?  This is your chance to work those techniques into your game.

2. Give Yourself Missions:

Set specific goals for your training. Don’t just handicap yourself during rolls—do it with a purpose. Find the holes in your game, the skills you want to develop or improve, and work on those. This will help you get better in a targeted way and make your training more meaningful.

3. Embrace the Journey, but Keep a Destination in Mind:

Enjoy the process, but don’t lose sight of your goals. And remember, the destination isn’t just the black belt—it’s about improving specific parts of your game. Set clear goals and make a plan to reach them because a goal without a plan is just a hope.

4. Take Responsibility for Your Progress:

As a brown belt, you should be taking more responsibility for your own development. Work with your coach, but also take charge of your journey. If your coach isn’t someone who collaborates like that, then you’ll need to be even more proactive in guiding your progress.

5. Compete if you can, but Isn’t the Only Path:

If you can compete, you should consider competing. You learn so much when you compete because your mistakes tend to stand out more—or at least they feel like they mean more, even if they don’t actually change the world. Competing is a great way to improve your jiu-jitsu because it puts your skills to the test in a high-pressure environment. 

But if you find that competing isn’t always feasible due to other responsibilities, focus on your daily training and developing overall understanding of Jiu-Jitsu in the ways we’ve talked about above. These activities can be just as effective in improving your jiu-jitsu. The key is to keep pushing yourself, whether on the competition mat or in your regular training sessions.

In the end, the journey from brown belt to black belt is personal. Everyone’s path is different, but the goal is the same: keep getting better. 

If you ever have questions or need some advice, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help someone who’s on the same path.

And Last But Not Least...

Finally, I couldn’t wrap up this post without giving a special shout-out to my instructor, Dax Razzano. He’s not just an incredible jiu-jitsu practitioner; he’s an all-around awesome guy. From the moment I met him and saw him rolling, I knew he was the person I wanted to train with and earn a promotion from. Of all the people I’ve ever trained with, if there was one person I wanted to get my black belt from, it was Dax. For him to maintain a relationship with me long-distance and guide me to this point—I just couldn’t ask for anything more. Thanks, Dax, for everything!

- Mike

Back to Blog Table of Contents