Punching Bag | Dear White Belt #3

This is not about a punching bag, it's about you 😂

No, we do not use a punching bag in our jiu-jitsu training session.

Unless you’re a white belt—then you are the punching bag.

I’m not saying this to discourage you—quite the opposite. As a white belt, it’s completely normal (and even necessary) to be the punching bag.

Higher belts will call you to roll, and if they feel like it, they will smash you. Most of the time, you won’t know how to react. You’ll feel exhausted, use wild amounts of strength, and sometimes even get bored because, well, you’re just getting beaten up.

I hate to break it to you, but this is part of learning.

Let’s say you’re training with a black belt. Do you really think you’ll beat them? Do you honestly believe you have the technique to submit someone who has been training for six (or more) years longer than you?

Here’s the good news: most experienced practitioners won’t go all out on you. They’re not trying to crush you like they would in a tournament. They don’t need to.

But you need them. You need them to learn, to improve, to discover your game.

And here’s something else—you may feel like a punching bag now, but you are a crucial part of the jiu-jitsu pyramid. You are the foundation. Without white belts, there’s no progression, no cycle of learning. Even the highest ranks were once in your position.

So if you’re feeling like a punching bag, trust me—it’s normal. It’s part of your jiu-jitsu journey. And, let’s be honest, you’ll probably always be someone’s punching bag. We all have that one person who makes us roll our eyes because they’re just that tough, no matter our belt color 😂

Embrace being the punching bag. It’s a phase, it’s a learning tool, and it’s a rite of passage. Take advantage of it in the best way possible!