Klay Pittman - a critical look at his system

**john gillespie** · Posted On: 4/07/2012 6:55pm

hello everyone. my name is john gillespie and i live in lubbock texas. i have trained at pittman's since 2.28.11 and am a three stripe brown. im not familiar with the term mcdojo, but if it is referring to mcdonalds, i understand what this gentleman is trying to say. the main gripe seems to be the belt system, so ill tackle that first: the belts system is set up so that one can see very quick progress and not give up on their training. If i would have had to be a white belt for an entire year or more, im not so sure i would be where i am today. i think it helps some people. the fees, well, when pittmans buys a belt to sell to you, you gotta pay for it. plain and simple. dont like it, quit. Im not sure what the gentleman who posted this saw for sure upon visiting the academy, but it was probably a busy night and things get hectic or move fast at times. i rolled during free training with a twelve year old the other day. i am 33 at the end of june. i went gentle, guided him through the match, and he did well. not for sure on his age, he could be 14, but he ties on a purple belt. how is this possible?? the way professor pittman ranks his students is from white to yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, advanced brown, red, advanced red, and then the plain black belt sans red bar. this is a provisional black belt during which you get two white stripes, that you wear for at least two years before your red bar. The kids can wear this belt, however, you cannot be under i think 17 to get the red bar (imo the real black belt). both adults and kids use the same belt system, now it is unorthodox, but everyone seems to like it. its a big deal even to get striped. the red belt is not so much a travesty- Helio gracie thought the red belt was stupid. he mostly wore it after being persuaded for photos and interviews. thats why when you see those pictures its a brand new crisp belt. royce has gone back to wearing the navy belt the way his father did, and the reason we have to pay me "meet" him is because he puts on seminars when he comes. let me know of the next free bjj seminar by a gracie or machado, and i will bring fifty people to that one. i get off topic. red belt is not what most people think it to be. royce apporved the ranking system at pittmans, or else it would most certainly be the ibjjf system. we recently had a student from D.C.who was a plain blue belt come in, and he rolled very well with our blue and purples. now it doesnt take forever to get black, however i am brown with three stripes haveing trained since 2.28.11 four to six times a week consistently. i have never gone to naga, however any of us who have gone since i started have medaled. every time. we dont stress competition because it not that important to us. we have provisional black belts here that go to naga and dominate. they come back with gold medals and belts. jus sayin. the academy is a business. it is run like a business, but you need to know our mission if you are to understand the academy. im assuming the aformentioned poster came. . . one time? i was probably there. im the short mexican brown belt covered in tattoos. the academy's goal is to improve each students life through confidence, self discipline, self defense, and personal fitness. there are a couple of men in my class who have lost > 60lbs in the last year. im trying real hard not to be biased, however i am a very untrusting person. really. and ill even tell you, at first the contract and prices are a little intimidating, but i feel i have gotten every penny out of my training and id take the pepsi challnge with any other schools curriculum any day of the week. i dont work there or represent the academy, i just try to give an inside perspective. mc dojo? sure! why not. some people say that royce gracie is just in it for fame. the truth is, this academy changes lives. if the gentleman who posted this would come train and get off the computer, in a short three months hed be a different person in every aspect. NO offense i dont know the guy, probably could not win a match against him, and mean no ill will. just sayin. so many people have a negative thing to say about things they are maybe ignorant about, or just dont know the whole story. . .i like to try things and get to know them before i slant them or talk badly about them. it doesnt matter to me. i dont care either way. Klay is my instructor. period. im just trying to offer some inside perspective and be as honest as i can. and hopefully this helped. and i am sorry for exhuming a post that has been dead for almost two months. im just trying to help. if you read this thank you. like i said, im the tattooed guy at pittmans. im there all the time. john gillespie, brown belt. come say hi.:)

**DKJr** · Posted On: 4/07/2012 9:48pm

John I don't agree with him just deciding to have a separate belt system that strays so far from the norm. I feel it gives you less of an appreciation for your rank and it's unnecessary.

However, it's his business.

**john gillespie** · Posted On: 4/08/2012 12:04am

it really is, and asi may or may not have said before, people get so tied up (no pun intended)over belt rank/color/duration in rank, that the purpose for the rank is lost in the hub bub. The belts, stripes, frequency of promotion, are all part of an individuals personal journey. OUr academy seems to be able to make it work perfectly fine. Master Machado has no qualms, as does Royce Gracie. i was told by the professor that royce approved the final belt ranking structure. so...... i dunno. all i know is i am over belts. I dominated a red belt younger than me two "belts" higher the other day, and after sparring he was very gracious. thanking me for a great round. honestly, rank dont mean s**t. There is an orange belt in the morning class i roll with regularly who rear naked chokes me quite often. that doesnt mean i should be an orange belt and he a brown. it just is. like punching the clock at work. it is merely a signification of your personal progress. plain and simple. i have not heard one student tell me that they didnt just not appreciate getting their black stripe on their yellow belt. I appreciate, and display all my belts i earn, but my belt doesnt define me. it keeps my gi neat and tidy so i can look like a professional before being attacked by my instructor.:)

**DKJr** · Posted On: 4/08/2012 12:30am

Wait you're a brown who gets choked by someone regularly who isn't a blue belt? That sounds suspect, unless brown belt means something different for you guys.

If you've been training a year and you're a brown belt, did you have prior experience?

**john gillespie** · Posted On: 4/08/2012 2:26pm

i had typed a long reply but my f*****g computer screwed up and now i gotta do it again, so shortanswer, no prior experiene. and the submissions happen as part of a learning process, we both see he has the submission, so i allow it. i think it helps the younger belts learn.

**john gillespie** · Posted On: 4/08/2012 2:34pm

oh, and the comment abut appreciation of rank, im not so sure one should be consumed with rank as much as technique. i have noticed there are "strong" and "weak" belts. on any given day, i can tap browns, and reds. i have been honestly submitted by greens when i was still blue. its all objective. brazilian jiu jitsu is a chess match. its a game of timing and skill. if im a not as good as you, but i catch you and get three steps ahead of you, youre going to get submitted. if im slow or having a bad day, or just dont gve a crap on the particular day, being lazy, i could very easily get caught by lower belt. the belt just holds your gi together. its a sign of progress, and there is a curve. . . youre from dallas, do you train with master machado?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 4/08/2012 3:05pm

Originally Posted by john gillespie

oh, and the comment abut appreciation of rank, im not so sure one should be consumed with rank as much as technique.

I agree, so why are you explaining and dissecting ranks?

i have noticed there are "strong" and "weak" belts. on any given day, i can tap browns, and reds. i have been honestly submitted by greens when i was still blue. its all objective.

I mean that is an interesting breakdown of rank skill and weakness from someone who says " consumed."

**DKJr** · Posted On: 4/08/2012 3:22pm

You're confusing the occasional tapping to a lower belt to being regularly tapped. I get regularly tapped by black belts, I can be tapped by browns, I occasionally will get tapped by blues, I never get tapped by whites anymore. Thus my question to why you said you frequently get rnc'd by a beginner.

I've been training for 6 years and competed at least once a year, believe me I understand tapping is learning and the training process. I'll repeat the belt system and his business practices irk me, but I don't have to like it or buy it.

I train at NDMMA in north Dallas. My opinion isn't reflective of my coach either.

Also I'm glad to hear Klay's guys compete, I've not seen many of his guys in Texas comps. I'd understand though being in Lubbock it's a bit of a drive.