"Am I progressing?" That simple question often tormented me during my early training

(that and do I look better in a blue gi or a white gi). Wondering if we are progressing in the art is,

I believe, a common question we all ask ourselves. I started learning jiu-jitsu at an early time

in America when very few people had even heard of it. This was prior to the advent of the great

enlightener, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which proved beyond a shadow of a

doubt how effective the art was.

Once the UFC became part of the national consciousness, I suddenly went from rank

beginner to sought-after expert simply because I knew the “secret” techniques of

the guard, the mount and side control. Soon enough, I was beating the newbies that

were streaming into the few jiu-jitsu schools in my area in search of the new Holy

Grail of martial arts: Gracie jiu-jitsu.

But that period of grandiosity was short lived. Within a very short time, the

newbies became oldies, and after learning and practicing the same “secret”

techniques that I knew, were quickly giving me a hard time. The longer we all

trained together, the harder it got for me to dominate them. At times some of them

would even get the upper hand and I’d humbly have to tap to them! Even to this day,

with the art so widespread and advancing so quickly, new practitioners can improve

very quickly and give even experienced practitioners a very hard time. So I keep

asking myself that same question: “Am I progressing?” The short and the long

answers are both “yes!”

The fact of the matter is that jiu-jitsu is such an effective art that even after

learning a few basic moves a new practitioner is capable of giving veteran fighters

a tough time. The second part of the equation is that all the fighters in your

academy are training together with you and all learning the same moves; in other

words, everyone is moving forward at roughly the same pace. So it is nearly

impossible to feel like you are progressing until you either face a total beginner

or go against someone who has no knowledge of jiu-jitsu.

But you will still have doubts. Since you have no objective yardstick to measure

yourself against and are improving at the same pace as your training partners, you

cannot be sure of your status in the jiu-jitsu world. If you’re at that point then

you have two options. The first is to go and compete. Going against people in your

age, weight and belt division is the purest indication of your level. Your second

option is to learn to relax and have fun and realize that the only person you are

competing with is yourself. If you are doing moves today that you couldn’t do a

year ago, and are still enjoying yourself then you are progressing. Only then will

you be able to personally answer the question: “Am I progressing?”

As for as my second question: “Do I look better in a blue gi or a white gi?” I

finally came to a perfect enlightenment after years of seeing myself in the academy

mirrors, the answer is “both!” Now go train jiu-jitsu!

Kid Peligro can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it