Some days on the mats stay with you long after the last roll. Our adult grading day at QuanWessels in Sunninghill, Johannesburg, was one of them.
Twelve members stepped up to grade to new belts. The energy was high from the first warm-up to the final handshake, and it stayed positive and supportive the whole way through. We captured it in an 18-minute mini documentary, and we are proud to share it with you.
Watch the full mini documentary here:
What a BJJ grading really feels like
If you’ve never been to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grading, you might picture a formal test with a stern panel. At QuanWessels it is something different. It is a day where members show what they have built over months and years of training, in front of the teammates who helped them build it.
There are nerves. Nobody pretends otherwise. But those nerves are met with encouragement from the sidelines, from the coaches and from the people waiting for their own turn.
The death rolls
The moment everyone talks about afterwards is the death rolls. It is a gruelling test of heart, and it asks members to keep going when they are tired and the finish line seems far away.
Every single member finished.
Watching twelve people push through, one after another, with a mat full of people cheering them on. The belt around the waist is the symbol. The work, the courage and the community behind it are the real story.
Congratulations to our graduates
To all twelve members who graded: congratulations. You earned your new belts, and you showed everyone watching what perseverance looks like. Thank you for letting us share your day.
Thank you as well to the coaches, training partners and families who supported the day. A grading is never a solo achievement.
Thinking about starting your own journey?
You don’t need to be fit, flexible or fearless to start. You just need to walk through the door. If this documentary made you curious about what training at QuanWessels is like, get in touch and come try a class with us.
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