Tap early Tap often or know your limits?

I think you should hold out on chokes as long as you can. Armbars/leglocks are a different story because that can cause serious limb damage if you hold out. If a guy doesn't have a choke in all the way I will sit in it and try to think my way out. That way I get used to finding my way out of desperate spots (like any Kevin Green rolling session) and he gets used to choking people right. Everybody wins. With armbars/leglocks, it's pretty obvious when you're caught so I tend to tap when I know there's no way out.

I'm not a big believer in tapping early to save energy for later rolling sessions because you should be rolling tired to get used to the feeling of thinking when you are exhausted. I guess the theme is that knowing how to figure out how to escape desperate spots is an important skill to learn, particularly if escaping will leave you in a better position. I think it's just as important as knowing how to choke/arm/legbar correctly.

Check out the Sub 101 video with Keith Owen describing his journey to black and injury prevention. Good video. I believe in pushing yourself but from experience/injury sometimes the damage gets done while testing your limits.

wise words from a great teacher...

When it comes to tapping its different for everyone due to ego's ect. I personally think every tap takes you one step closer to Black Belt if you learn from the mistake. However, tapping when you have no reason to tap is not helpful to yourself or your partner. They need to learn how to correctly apply the technique to force the tap. If they are not don't tap and finish your roll. Afterwards explain to them why you didn't tap so they can fix it.

Originally Posted by Victor Tabeling

I think you should hold out on chokes as long as you can. Armbars/leglocks are a different story because that can cause serious limb damage if you hold out. If a guy doesn't have a choke in all the way I will sit in it and try to think my way out. That way I get used to finding my way out of desperate spots (like any Kevin Green rolling session) and he gets used to choking people right. Everybody wins. With armbars/leglocks, it's pretty obvious when you're caught so I tend to tap when I know there's no way out.

I'm not a big believer in tapping early to save energy for later rolling sessions because you should be rolling tired to get used to the feeling of thinking when you are exhausted. I guess the theme is that knowing how to figure out how to escape desperate spots is an important skill to learn, particularly if escaping will leave you in a better position. I think it's just as important as knowing how to choke/arm/legbar correctly.

Well said Vic Well said...

I think there is some degree of merit to holding out on chokes because it raises your blood choke endurance. Farmer Burns blood choke endurance was so high that no man could choke him out. Hell, no person could linch him and kill him. Dude went to carnivals and hung from a noose for thirty minutes.

Oh and what about this guy?

Originally Posted by AJ Camacho

If a guy is stronger than me, then gassing him out is a key part to my strategy. If he is blowing a submission and I can find a safe spot to wait, I'll let him squeeze his brains out until I can find an opening.

I thought this was sound tactics? I do this too. I know its not a competition, but if your a whitebelt and not very strong, why not let the playing field even a little? Im sure the other person learns from it too.

Originally Posted by Jon Watkins

I think there is some degree of merit to holding out on chokes because it raises your blood choke endurance. Farmer Burns blood choke endurance was so high that no man could choke him out. Hell, no person could linch him and kill him. Dude went to carnivals and hung from a noose for thirty minutes.

Oh and what about this guy?

Cant of been much of a noose. Choke endurance wont teach your brain to work without oxygen.

In my opinion you are doing that right thing by not tapping out early to chokes. If you are able to defend it enough so you aren't really getting choked hard and your neck isn't getting cranked try to escape. If you tap in these situations you are doing a disservice to yourself, because you don't get practice escaping from tough situations, and to your training partner because he is going to think he had the choke applied properly when in all likelihood he did not. I am more conservative with joint locks because they can lead to more severe injuries, but still fight out of them if I can. With more mat time you will learn to know when you are really caught and when you can get out of a submission.