This past weekend at Spartan Fitness, our Growing Gorillas Youth BJJ Program participated in iron man rolls for their belt promotion! Our Kids BJJ program builds confidence, strength, leadership skills, and respect, and during belt promotions their character is put to the test. The iron man itself is not a belt test, but rather a rite of passage and a celebration of their hard work. Each of our kids being promoted must roll with every other child on the mat. If they show up to the belt promotion, they’ve already earned their new belt! But the tradition of iron man rolls is one that leaves kids and adults alike with a sense of accomplishment like nothing else.
We had 16 of our Growing Gorillas get promoted on Saturday and we are incredibly proud of each of every one of them! In our youth martial arts classes, one of our primary goals is to teach conflict resolution skills. During the iron man rolls, the kids have to overcome adversity from grappling with different sizes and skill levels, and exercise mental strength to actively participate for the full hour. Regular attendance and a fighting spirit all they need to build a solid foundation in jiu-jitsu, but these kids show us so much more than that. They are hard-working, dedicated, future leaders. Watching each one of them experience the excitement and accomplishment of making progress in training never gets old. This experience is what it’s all about!
If you and/or your child were here this past weekend, we thank you for showing up and making the belt promotion a great experience for everyone by showing your support. If you are looking for an activity that will build your child’s self-confidence, resilience, focus, or discipline, reach out to us! Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a sport that they can participate in for the rest of their life that will forge the life-skills they need to be a strong, capable adult.
Congratulations once again to all of our Growing Gorillas!