Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times: Carnivals and blue belts

Jiu-Jitsu is a lot like an amusement ride. Not that it’s wild and out of control. It’s that it can be dangerous if you dangle your arms and legs. Indeed many random and careless accidents happen all the time due to someone extending their arms or legs.

If you are a Jiu-Jitsu fighter concerned about how to keep this from happening to you, I have a few suggestions. Remember, if you see a crazed blue belt honing in on your extended limb, pull it back in. Blue belts are avid hunters and will often try to bait you into sticking out your arm. Their keen senses will immediately detect an unprotected elbow. Pull your appendages in close to your body and remain motionless. Eventually they will lose interest, and probably not break your arm off. If you forget this important safety tip, they’ll only wear you down and then try to break your arm.

Blue belts are experienced hunters. They like to make you think they’re going for one thing, then suddenly change directions and go for something else. Generally, if a wild blue belt is paying too much attention to any particular arm or leg, you’re probably in trouble. They’re good at detecting movement as well and will capture an arm as soon as you stick it out. Often times their methods are crude, but usually effective nonetheless. Again, you must retract your endangered limb while you still have it attached to your body.

Let’s say, for example, you are mounted, but cautiously grappling with your arms and legs well protected. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a hungry blue belt starts zeroing in on one of your arms. Frightened, you think you can push him off, hoping to outmaneuver him and his primitive intellect. It seems like you’re making some progress as he appears to be losing his balance. Sadly, your attempt to get him off was unsuccessful, but it seemed to be working, so you try it again (after all it works on a lot of the white belts). You feel one of your arms being isolated, an indication there is something bad that is about to happen. If you continue to extend your arms to push him off, the blue belt will have your arm for lunch with a sweet armbar for desert.

Here’s an example of a foolish fighter who refused to heed this simple warning. CAUTION: Not Safe For Children, here there be breaking bones!