Wear my black belt or "restart"

[u/Tafsky]

Hi all,

A few years ago I (22f) got my black belt, after that I mostly taught the basics to new beginners at my small club (like 70 students 80% of which are -13). Last year I fully quit because of work/school/internship and losing interest tbh.

I've been thinking of starting up again next year when I move for my minor, it will just be for a few months but I have really missed the sport and the culture. However the fact that I've done nothing, only a little bjj where I wore a white belt (bc its a different sport, but I do wear the same gi) I'm not sure if I should just sort of "start anew" white belt and all. Or wear my black belt.

On the one hand I trained like a dog to get my black belt and I deserved it at the time, my kata's are still perfect and I still know all the basics, on the other hand I haven't properly trained judo in 3+ years. And at that point I really mostly trained techniques and barely did any actual competitive training anymore. For context: my last proper competition was 7 years ago.

Any advice?

Edit: thank you all for the answers! I think I'll ask the (head)sensei what they'd recommend. And no matter what he says I'll at least remember that I earned my black belt and there's no such thing as demotion.

[u/alolanbeansnbrews]

You earned your belt

Whether it's been 3 months or 30 years, you deserve your rank, just brush off the dust a bit and get back into form, it'll come back quick

Also, if 70 students is a "small club", I hate to think how ours would be classified 😅

[u/Tafsky → u/alolanbeansnbrews]

Haha you're right. It's just two clubs in my city. The big one with ~200 students all variying in age and belts, last I checked. And my club with 5 black belts, me included.

[u/FancyBritish_guy77 → u/Tafsky]

70? We have 5 people normally. 10 at most. I wish I could train at a gym that big, and the biigest problem is, im the only teen there.