December 14, 2009 in News by Gumby

Milestone for Gumby

My three year anniversary of receiving my black belt from Ralph Gracie today (12/14/06), which technically makes me eligible for my first degree.  As the legends have been told, Ralph did in fact give me his own belt, which is among my most cherished possessions.  I rarely wear the belt any more, as it is a bit fragile.  The belt I picked up since then is already quite beat up, in three more years maybe it will be more white than black.

I feel I’m far more competent and confident now than I ever was before.  I’m just now beginning to understand what they mean when they say at black belt the journey truly begins.  I don’t necessarily agree with the whole statement, because it’s been a journey since day one. The black belt doesn’t represent the peak, rather it’s a milestone but a reminder to always strive for excellence and keep pushing forward.

To those of you who are responsible for getting me to this point, and for those of you who continue to help and motivate me to grow as a martial artists and a person (far too many to list here), I can only say thanks.

Heroes Martial Arts in downtown San Jose!  Dedicated to furthering your knowledge of the grappling martial arts including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, and Wrestling!  Big, beautiful location at 460 South Market in downtown San Jose, call 408-288-8857 or visit us online at www.HeroesMartialArts.com