I used to ride motorcycles. One of the best lessons I learned was that going fast is great and all, but you have to learn how to brake fast.

I’ve been thinking about this when it comes to learning new submissions in jiu-jitsu.

When we learn a new submission, we want to try it in sparring as soon as possible. That’s fine. Trying new things is how we learn.

But before you try a new submission on someone, spend some time learning how to defend it too.

Your partner might not know the escape. They might turn the wrong way, move into the pressure, or do something that makes the submission more dangerous. If you don’t recognize what’s happening, you might keep applying force until they get injured.

I’ve seen people get caught in submissions and try to fight their way out without knowing what they’re doing. Sometimes the best thing they can do is tap, but they don’t realize how much risk they’re taking by resisting.

As the person applying the submission, you have a responsibility. You should know when your partner is making a mistake that could hurt them, and you have to be willing to let go.

Knowing how to finish a submission doesn’t mean you understand all the ways someone might react to it.

The basic idea is that if you know the escape and your partner knows it too, you’re in a good position to try the submission. If your partner doesn’t know the escape, you need to be more careful and willing to abandon it. And if you don’t know the escape yourself, you should probably figure that part out first.

Some submissions are more dangerous than others. There are some where even knowing the escape might not give you enough time to prevent an injury. You need good judgment here.

Everyone should experiment in sparring. Everyone should play more. Don’t get reckless.

If your partner gets hurt because they escaped the wrong way, you share some of the blame for it. Sometimes you should have known better.