The "gauntlet" is a topic that become somewhat controversial lately in the Jiu-jitsu community. After a recent belt promotion, some questions were brought up by a newer student who wasn't familiar with the gauntlet and its purpose, so I thought I would address it here and share my thoughts on the subject. If you are newer to Jiu-jitsu and haven't experience it yet, the gauntlet is basically the ritual in which newly promoted students walk down the line while their teammates use their belts to slap them across the back. Different academies have their own interpretations and processes, and while it is not universal, it is a tradition that is pretty standard in many Jiu-jitsu academies throughout the world. I'm not sure there is any real documentation on the exact origins of this rite of passage, but it is something that has been around as long as I have been training Jiu-jitsu, and obviously, as I came up through the ranks, something that I have participated in many times, and never really gave much thought to....it was just what we did.
In recent years, some academies have stopped participating in this practice, and there have been objections by some that the practice is barbaric or hazing. It is something that we still do within our academy and within our team, and something that I still support. I will address my personal opinion on the topic, but of course everyone is free to do as they please.
Society now is very different than it was when I grew up. Now, we have "safe spaces", "trigger warnings", etc. While I don't think it represents the majority of society, there is an element now that wants to live in a safe little bubble where they are free from any type of physical or mental stress, and can't deal with anyone even expressing an opinion that they don't agree with in fear that their delicate sensibilities might be offended. Unfortunately, this mentality has started to slowly creep into many aspects of life, including the practice of martial arts. The modern practice of many martial arts that have become more focused on sportive aspects, and marketing the arts to children has lead in many cases to a watering down of many martial arts, to a point where they have all but completely lost any real combat effectiveness. Especially in what are considered to be "traditional" martial arts, discipline & character development have become the primary focus at the expense of developing legitimate fighting skills. In my opinion, these things are not mutually exclusive. While the practice of martial arts certainly does have many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits, and the practice of martial arts can and should help us to develop into better human beings, we should never forget that the martial arts are ultimately about combat; the physical struggle between two human beings. We should not take the fighting aspect out of the martial arts, lest they become no more than a choreographed dance routine.
Jiu-jitsu has a reputation as one of the few martial arts that is still "real". It is one of the hardest martial arts to master and typically takes longer than any other to achieve a black belt. Unlike many arts where we now commonly see young children wearing black belts, the belts in Jiu-Jitsu still mean something. This is because the truly represent your physical skills on the mat. The live aspect of training Jiu-jitsu against a resisting opponent, by its nature, eliminates unrealistic techniques that don't work reliably in a live setting. The art first gained exposure and popularity in the U.S. primarily from those who watched Royce Gracie, the first representative of Jiu-jitsu in the UFC, defeat multiple opponents, all of whom were much larger, in one night in a true no-holds barred form of fighting.
However, even in Jiu-jitsu which is still respected as a legitimate fighting art, the focus in most academies today on the sport aspect has started to contribute to the decline of its combat effectiveness. There are certainly some positive benefits to the sport side of Jiu-jitsu. However, the increase in its popularity has led to more rules, more illegal techniques, and a loss of the mentality of what happens in a real fight. Many modern Jiu-jitsu practitioners train now solely for the purpose of sport competition, in an environment where learning to game the rules and take advantage of the point system and play the clock to stall the match and win by an advantage point has become the norm. There is no thought given to the use of striking techniques, the use of weapons, the possibility of dealing with multiple opponents. Practitioners now embrace things such as turning to their knees to avoid guard pass points, or letting their opponents pick them up from the guard because slamming is "illegal". To the dismay of many "old school" Jiu-jitsu practitioners, it has become an environment of double guard pulling, butt-scooting, and whining to the referee about points.
So, what does this have to do with the gauntlet? To me, the gauntlet is not only a rite of passage, it is a celebration of one's accomplishment. The physicality of it is a reminder that there is still a fight aspect to Jiu-jitsu. In a fight, you are likely to get hit. We should cultivate the mindset that we can get hit and keep going. If you can't handle getting slapped on the back with a piece of cloth, how are you supposed to be able to deal with the possibility of getting punched in the face, getting slammed to the floor, etc. We need to condition our bodies and minds to discomfort and physical contact. So this, from my perspective, is why the gauntlet IS still a relevant practice.
Now, obviously, we should keep its practice in the proper perspective. We should celebrate our teammates accomplishments. The point is not to torture or punish our teammates, and we have to be careful to not too get carried away, and keep in mind what it is all about. And, of course, I believe that it is and should be completely voluntary. No one is forced to participate in the gauntlet, but my experience is that most take it in stride and look forward to it as an acknowledgement and celebration of their hard work. It is a bonding moment for teammates. If you have seen the gauntlet, in its proper form, you will see teammates smiling, hugging, and applauding each other at the end.
Yes, the gauntlet can seem a little scary, yes it can be a little uncomfortable. But, part of Jiu-Jitsu is learning how to deal with fear and discomfort and move forward with confidence. This is a combat martial art, and, after all, we are training warriors!
