We had a small class today with only me showing up. It was also raining, and we all had the sniffles over the weekend that carried into this week—likely a small reason due to the ice bath. The coach decided today would be a Q&A session, so we sat and talked about Jiu-Jitsu for about an hour.

I shared that I’m having trouble finishing submissions from mount control. He advised me to focus more on position rather than submission, suggesting I transition to different positions or stay in control and wear my partner out rather than going for the finish every time. Notice when they start to get exhausted—observe how their breathing becomes shallow and their muscles start to relax. Their minds begin to stall and quit, and that’s when the submission becomes easier to set up and finish. Keep in mind that there’s a difference between shallow breathing and how quickly they breathe—rapid breathing indicates they’re starting to panic and exert more force. That’s when you need to stay calm and solidify your positions rather than go for the finish.

Positions > Submissions. Become more fluid in maintaining control rather than going for the finish.