Hello,
This is something I have been noticing a lot lately. Though it is not unique to the Brazilian world (check out the Bad Budo forum for lots of examples). And maybe I should have posted it over in Baffling Budo but...
This book was written by two people with Purple Belts. They now have Brown Belts and various championships (at rank level). So they are obviously proficient, but there is a real problem here.
Universally a Black Belt is considered to be some sort of accomplishment and qualification. It is considered bad taste to claim to know anything about a system before attaining at least this rank.
Now a lot of Brazilians say that a BJJ Purple or whatever coloured belt can beet a black belt from another system so the coloured belt should be respected. This is debatable, and pretty much can be ignored. The ability of the practicioners is not the question, the writers are obviously good fighters. But....
A student is still a student. It is universal that a Black Belt has attained something. I have attended seminars taught by BJJ Black Belts, they are far better then BJJ Brown Belts.
If you think you are an instructor of your art, why are you not a Black Belt? I know that some systems are giving out assistant instructorships for study groups (yawn, money-making method #1), this does not make you an instructor.
The question is: Why did you write this book? Though it has nice production values and flashy pictures, no matter how proficient you are, you are obviously not qualified.
Just be sticking around you gain some legitimacy, You are both obviously proficient, why did you not wait a couple of year, get the Black Belt, then publish?
Please dig deep before you respond to this post. Sleep on it. Look into yourself. Examine why you do martial arts. Consider your ego.
Good luck with everything.
Jim London.