Lost by Submission represents the terminal state in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where a practitioner is forced to concede the match due to a successful submission attack. This state encompasses all submission finishes including joint locks, strangulations, and compression techniques. Understanding the pathways to this terminal state is critical for defensive awareness and submission prevention. The state is reached when a practitioner either taps verbally or physically, or when a referee stops the match due to unconsciousness or joint compromise. This position analysis examines the common submission control positions that precede this terminal state, the defensive failures that allow submissions to succeed, and the decision-making processes that determine when to tap versus when to defend. Competitive strategy around submission defense emphasizes recognizing danger early, understanding escape hierarchies, and accepting the tactical loss to prevent injury.
Position Definition
- Practitioner is caught in a completed submission hold with joint or airway compromise imminent or occurring
- Defensive frames and escape paths have been eliminated or exhausted by the attacking practitioner
- Physical tap (hand or foot strike) or verbal submission (‘tap’ vocalization) has been executed to signal concession
Prerequisites
- Defensive position compromised allowing submission entry
- Failed to recognize submission danger early in attack sequence
- Insufficient defensive framing or escape execution during submission setup
- Loss of positional control leading to submission control position
Key Principles
- Early recognition of submission danger before point of no return
- Tap early and tap often - preserve training longevity over ego
- Understand common pathways from control positions to submissions
- Maintain defensive awareness of joint and neck exposure throughout positional sequences
- Prioritize positional escape before submission becomes locked
Available Techniques and Transitions
Match Reset After Tap → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 100%
- Intermediate: 100%
- Advanced: 100%
New Match Start → Guard Opening Sequence
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 100%
- Intermediate: 100%
- Advanced: 100%
Training Reset → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 100%
- Intermediate: 100%
- Advanced: 100%
Positional Restart → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 100%
- Intermediate: 100%
- Advanced: 100%
Standing Restart → Clinch
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 100%
- Intermediate: 100%
- Advanced: 100%
Guard Position Reset → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 100%
- Intermediate: 100%
- Advanced: 100%
Decision Making from This Position
Rear Naked Choke fully locked with hooks in:
- Execute Tap Out → Lost by Submission (Probability: 95%)
Armbar past 90 degrees with hips elevated:
- Execute Tap Out → Lost by Submission (Probability: 90%)
Triangle Choke fully locked with angle established:
- Execute Tap Out → Lost by Submission (Probability: 85%)
Heel Hook rotation initiated with knee line compromised:
- Execute Tap Out → Lost by Submission (Probability: 95%)
Kimura locked with opponent standing and lifting:
- Execute Tap Out → Lost by Submission (Probability: 90%)
Optimal Paths from This Position
Back Control to Strangle
Back Control → Seat Belt Control Back → Rear Naked Choke → Lost by Submission
Mount to Armbar
Mount → High Mount → Armbar from Mount → Lost by Submission
Closed Guard to Triangle
Closed Guard → Triangle Control → Triangle Choke → Lost by Submission
Leg Entanglement to Heel Hook
Ashi Garami → Inside Ashi-Garami → Inside Heel Hook → Lost by Submission
Turtle to Choke
Turtle → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke → Lost by Submission
Half Guard to Kimura
Half Guard → Kimura Control → Kimura → Lost by Submission
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| Intermediate | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| Advanced | 0% | 0% | 100% |
Average Time in Position: Terminal state - match ends immediately upon tap or referee intervention
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The terminal state of submission loss represents not merely a tactical failure but a complete breakdown in the defensive hierarchy. From a systematic perspective, this outcome should be analyzed by working backwards through the submission chain: what was the control position that enabled the finish, what was the guard or transition that allowed that control position, and what was the initial tactical error that began the sequence. The intelligent practitioner views each submission loss as data - a clear indication of where their defensive system has structural weaknesses. Most importantly, the decision to tap must be viewed through the lens of long-term training sustainability rather than short-term competitive ego. A tap is simply acknowledgment of superior position at a given moment in time, not a reflection of permanent skill differential.
Gordon Ryan
Getting submitted is part of the learning process, but in competition it’s the ultimate failure - you lose immediately with no chance to recover points or position. The key is understanding which submissions you can defend versus which ones are already locked. Against world-class opponents, I tap to positions, not just finished submissions. If someone like Nicky Rod has my back with a body triangle and is working his second hand in for the strangle, that’s often a tap situation because the finish is inevitable. In training, I tap much earlier than in competition because there’s no benefit to getting injured defending a locked submission. But in competition, especially in finals, I’ll defend until the absolute last moment because tournaments are won by one match. The skill is knowing exactly where that line is for each submission type.
Eddie Bravo
The tap is your friend, man. I’ve trained with guys who refused to tap and they’re all dealing with permanent injuries now - blown out knees, damaged shoulders, neck problems. In the 10th Planet system, we drill submissions extensively so everyone knows what a locked position feels like. When you’re caught in a Twister or an Electric Chair or a deep heel hook, there’s this moment where you feel the position lock and you know it’s over. That’s your tap moment. Fighting past that point doesn’t make you tough, it makes you stupid. We also emphasize that tapping is a learning opportunity - after you tap, you ask your training partner to show you the exact moment where the position became inescapable so you can recognize it earlier next time. The goal isn’t to never tap, it’s to tap less frequently over time because your defensive awareness improves.