The soul of Jiu jitsu will always be submission: Every combat sport has its soul. For boxing it is the knock out punch. For judo the perfect ippon throw. For wrestling the pin. In Jiu jitsu it is the submission hold. You can be losing the entire match, down by a landslide of points, but if you successfully apply a submission hold – you win regardless. A submission hold trumps all. I would wager that for all of us the original appeal of Jiu jitsu that brought us in the door and kept us in the dojo despite many injuries, disappointments and frustrations, was the innate appeal of CONTROL THAT LEADS TO SUBMISSION. That is the ideal and the appeal of Jiu jitsu. As a coach, every lesson I teach has this message as it's underlying assumption. As a student, every training session you partake in should have this as your underlying direction. The further your Jiu jitsu slips away from this basic appeal and degenerates into a study of advantages and match tactics and holding on to a lead, the less interest you and those around you will have in the game. When an athlete makes submission his or her priority, they will be a both a dangerous opponent and an entertaining performer – the faces in the crowd tell the whole story about the most basic appeal of Jiu jitsu and the best direction to take your game.
