Reaching the prestigious purple belt is a testament to dedication, perseverance, and a profound understanding of the art. Aspiring practitioners like yourself, begin your journey at the white belt level, absorbing the fundamental techniques while building a solid foundation. Along the way, you navigate the intricacies of striking, blocking, kicking; escapes, sweeps, joint locks, and submissions, allowing you to gain a deeper awareness of body mechanics and leverage.

When the momentous purple belt milestone is achieved, it signifies a significant leap in your proficiency and knowledge. It represents countless hours of training, studying, and adapting one's game. At this level, you become well-rounded, possessing a solid boxing offense and defense, guard game, effective passing skills, and the ability to execute a variety of submissions with precision. Becoming a purple belt is indicative of your commitment to personal growth both on and off the mats, and the journey only continues from here.

The PARADIGM

The skills below will be accumulated through team training, solo practice, and sparring/rolling hours. Evaluations will be conducted on certain days scheduled periodically throughout the calendar year. If you feel you are ready you may request to be evaluated.

Train Hard. Train Smart. I look forward to tying this belt around your waist when the time is right.

Mantis Boxing Requirements

• Footwork/Stances/Range

• Mobilizes with Advanced Footwork angling when being bridged, punched, kicked.

• Bridging Tactics used to Enter.

• Striking/Kicking

  • Throw fluid strike combos until hitting the opponent, or getting hit. This includes changing from kicks to strikes and strike to kick as needed.

  • Perform Counter-Striking (stationary).

  • Launch a counter-strike immediately after utilizing advanced footwork defensively.

  • Combines footwork when on the attack (ex: shuffle fwd/circle in, change step circle or advance)

  • Understands/utilizes offenses and/or defenses for Southpaw.

• Defense - Strike and Kick

• Understands and all 10 Boxing Principles for solid defense.

• Embodies the Get hit = move principle.

• Implements basic footwork when under duress.

• Grappling

• Base and Root in the Grapple.

• Understands and recognizes the 4 prime positions of stand-up grappling.

• Executes 1 to 2 Throws/Trips/Takedowns from each prime position.*

• Executes 1 to 2 Submissions from each prime position.*

* A complete list of all grappling attacks (throws, trips, takedowns, chokes, joint locks) can be found in the following course:

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Requirements

• Positions & Passes

  • Demonstrates solid positional control of an opponent in each dominant position.

  • Adapts to new positions when the current position is lost maintaining control of the opponent.

  • Fluid standing and ground guard passes to a dominant position.

  • Launches a submission attack immediately after passing guard and achieving positional control.

• GuarD

• Exhibits solid guard pass prevention.

• Utilizes two or more of the following adv open guards - spider, leg lasso, de la riva, butterfly, half-guard.

• Maintains control of the opponent using one or more of the above.

• Sweeps

• Executes one sweep from each adv open guard.

• Submissions

• Initiates one or more submission attacks from each dominant position and launches a separate submission when the opponent defends/counters the first (may involve changing position).

• Performs one submission from each adv open guard.

• Escapes

• Executes seamless transition to a back-up Escape when the first Escape fails.

• Accounts for strikes, sweeps, submissions while escaping guard.