If you just started sparring, this is for you.

You know the positions. You learned the cross collar choke from the mount. Same with the Americana. But sparring can make you forget so much. You use your instincts, but they can be wrong at first.

Sometimes you forget the difference between mount and guard. You just think, I’m on top.

And when you forget, bad things happen. You’re in someone’s guard, and you see their collar. You reach for the collar. But now your arms are extended and you have no control of your partner’s hips. Armbar.

Same with the Americana. You put both arms to one side. From the mount, it’s no big deal. But inside someone’s guard, you’ve exposed your back.

Try to slow down. Think.

But here’s the thing. Sometimes those submissions work. Against people at your level. But you’re going to level up, and so will your partners. And those submission attempts will backfire. It’s better to work on a game that doesn’t expire. Invest in what’s still doable in five or ten or twenty years.