Blue Belt Club

I keep hearing "blue is the longest belt." I've been blue 18 months. Feels like I'm nowhere near purple-level rolling. Real numbers. How long for you?

Got my blue 8 months ago and I feel like I'm getting WORSE. Higher blues are smashing me. White belts are catching me. Is this the legendary "blue belt slump"? When does it end?

I'm mid-30s blue belt. Won my last 3 IBJJF blue brackets without dropping a match. Crushing 4-stripe blues at training. Coach hasn't said anything. Do I bring it up or wait? It feels weird to ask for a promotion.

Three weeks out from my first IBJJF as a blue. Existing blues — what do you wish you knew before your first one? Looking for tactical, mental, logistical. All of it.

I trained for 2 years for the blue. The 4-stripe whites at my gym were monsters. Now they're fresh blues and they cook me. Am I missing something or did I get a sandbagger blue?

Every blue final I've been to ends with both guys clamped in half guard burning the clock. Refs aren't calling stalling. As the bottom guy, what's actually working to get out at the blue level? Drilling deep half hasn't cut it.