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Comment by CodeAndCuffs | Hacker News Reader

I've trained on and off for the years. Probably only 100ish hours of mat time. I'd rolled with mainly white and blue belts, the occasional purple, and maybe 1 brown. Even with that, I understood that there are some serious levels to this.

Then last year I rolled with a black belt. It was like a different game. I'm a big dude, but I could not move this guy. It was like trying to move a car, it just rocked a little as he looked at me with amusement and pity. He did the same stuff I know, just better. And he knew what I was thinking before I knew it. He's got top half guard, and Im fighting for an underhook. As I think, "Ok, he cant choke me with 1 hand, he won't go for the brabo", he goes, "You know I can still sink this with 1 hand, right?".

He did, and he looked bored doing it.

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Heh, I often put white belts and blue belts in unfamiliar dilemmas. There is a lot that goes into weight distribution. They say each belt adds 10 lbs. I am of course not very good relative to most black belts, but I’m starting to challenge them in some spots. I am also relatively large so I follow a catch and release philosophy. I don’t too pressure smaller guys and I often concede positions etc. it’s like, I know I can hit escapes at the right places, why not let everyone work and have fun instead of just smash. That’s a good lesson about strong guys though. I train with some MMA guys that are huge and you learn who you have to move around. Some guys you just can’t move. I don’t care about winning or losing anymore. Some times I give away too much and get tapped. And that’s fine :)

no, i've heard it said the other way... every N pounds is as if they had an additional belt

Both can be true. (I'm a purple belt and have experienced both sides.)

Right, it's just to point out that you learn how to better control your partner and apply leverage. How to use pins and wedges to block hips and such, etc. The net effect is someone that easily gives up 30 lbs on you that has really good technique can feel impossibly heavy. Then you can roll with a big white belt and move them around all day and feel safe doing it :)

There's nothing more humbling when you fight a guy and realize you literally have no chance of beating him and you are merely being toyed with. It's such a strange, frustrating place to be because in most other scraps you get into as a kid you are evenly matched but when you start out in martial arts and spar with top practitioners, you are completely outclassed.

My judo club was awesome: It’s about 70 people, all belts mixed during a good half of the session, but also all ages mixed, and you can invite anyone you want. Like in a dance club. Fighting a 12 years old who smashes me or a 70yo who also smashes me, truely made me alive. Along with, of course, the variety of people at my level.

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