The Journey Is the Reward: Belts Fade, the Journey Doesn’t

If you’ve spent any time on the mats, you’ve probably heard it before: Jiu-Jitsu is a marathon, not a sprint. But what does that really mean?

In a world addicted to instant gratification, Jiu-Jitsu stands as a reminder that some things take time — real time. You can’t fast-track your way to a black belt. You can’t rush the reps, the rolls, the wins, or the humbling losses. Every belt you earn isn’t just a color — it’s a chapter, filled with hard lessons, personal growth, and countless hours on the mat.

Each belt should be earned, not just received. That means embracing the grind and owning every stage of your evolution. White belt? Build your foundation. Blue belt? Sharpen your defenses and start discovering your identity. Purple, brown, black — each rank comes with its own responsibilities, expectations, and opportunities to evolve not just as a grappler, but as a human being.

Chasing the next belt just to say you have it is missing the essence of the art. We don’t want to be promoted just because we’ve “been around long enough.” We want to be promoted because we deserve it — because we’re dangerous, technical, thoughtful practitioners at our current rank. Because we’ve faced adversity, and grown from it. Because we’ve become leaders in the room, both in skill and in attitude.

The truth is, progress in Jiu-Jitsu is rarely linear. Life throws curveballs. You might hit a plateau, get sidelined with an injury, or just feel burnt out. That’s normal. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to take time off. Your worth as a martial artist isn’t defined by how many classes you attend in a row — it’s in your resilience, your decision to come back, and the love you bring with you when you do.

What matters is that you come back. That you keep showing up. Because every time you return to the mat — even after time away — you’re honoring your journey.

At Submission Lovers Club, we don’t just celebrate submissions or slick techniques — we celebrate the grind. The discipline. The love. The reason we started in the first place. Jiu-Jitsu adds depth to our lives — physically, mentally, emotionally. It makes us better friends, better partners, better people.

So whether you’re riding high or deep in the valleys of doubt, remember this: The journey isn’t meant to be rushed. It’s meant to be lived. And if you truly love the art, you’ll find your way back — because pelo amor da arte suave… for the love of the gentle art, we never give up.