Submission Training: A Beginner's Guide

What is submission training?

Submission training is the part of grappling focused on learning to control an opponent and, when the position allows, finish with a submission — a choke or joint lock that makes the opponent tap to concede. It sits inside the wider world of grappling sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), submission grappling (no-gi), and the grappling side of MMA and wrestling.

Crucially, submissions are the end of a chain, not the start. Grappling is a positional game, and finishes come from control. A useful way to picture the flow beginners work toward:

This is why experienced coaches repeat the phrase "position before submission." A beginner who chases finishes before they can hold a position usually gives up the position and the finish. Learning to establish and keep control comes first; the submission is what becomes available once you have it.

Image · Progression

Why learn submission training?

Beyond the finishes themselves, submission training develops a set of transferable grappling skills.

• Skill development — technique, timing, leverage, positioning and awareness, all built through repetition.
• Defensive awareness — learning submissions is also how you learn to recognise and defend them; the two are inseparable.
• Grappling intelligence — it teaches you to connect positions and transitions into a coherent game rather than isolated moves.
• Fitness — grappling is a full-body activity that builds general conditioning and mobility, without needing exaggerated claims to justify it.
• Confidence — familiarity from controlled training builds composure on the mat. That's different from any guarantee of outcomes in a real-world confrontation, which no training can promise.

Submission training fundamentals for beginners

Learn these concepts before worrying about specific finishes — they're what every submission is built on.

• Position — dominant positions create the opportunities; weak positions rarely lead to clean finishes.
• Control — establish and maintain stable control before you attempt anything.
• Timing — submissions are usually connected to movement and transitions, not forced from a standstill.
• Leverage — grappling uses angles and mechanical advantage rather than raw strength, which is why technique can outperform size.
• Frames and posture — the basic defensive structures that protect you and create space.
• Movement — hip movement, base and balance underpin everything you do on the ground.
• Awareness — recognising both your openings and your partner's threats.
• Tapping — a tap means stop, immediately. Tapping early is smart, not weak, and respecting a partner's tap the instant it happens is the single most important safety habit in the sport.

Main types of grappling submissions

A beginner-friendly overview of the categories — not a technique manual. Some categories carry more risk and belong firmly under qualified coaching.

Submission training positions beginners should learn

Submissions are position-dependent, so the positions come first. Each one has both offensive opportunities and defensive responsibilities.

Guard

Playing from your back with your legs between you and your opponent. It carries offensive opportunities and transitions, plus the defensive job of retaining the guard when someone tries to pass.

Mount

A dominant top position. The focus for beginners is control and balance — staying mounted as the position shifts — before looking for openings.

Side control

Chest-to-chest top pressure from the side. Learn to hold it, apply pressure and transition from it before treating it as a finishing position.

Back control

Generally considered the most dominant position. The priority is staying attached with a seat-belt grip and hooks, and maintaining that connection as your opponent moves.

Image · Major positions

Standing & takedown context

Grappling often starts standing, and takedowns are how the fight reaches the ground where submissions live. You don't need to master takedowns to start submission training, but it helps to understand how a takedown flows into a ground position.

Submission training progression for beginners

A typical path from first class to live application. Progression varies by gym, instructor, age, experience and goals — treat this as a map, not a timetable.

1. Learn positionsGuard, mount, side control and back control.
2. Learn escapesHow to survive and recover position when you're stuck underneath.
3. Learn submission awarenessRecognise the common submission threats — offensively and defensively.
4. Learn controlled submission mechanicsThe how, under qualified instruction, at low intensity.
5. DrillRepetition with a cooperative partner to build muscle memory.
6. Positional sparringStart from a defined position and work toward a specific objective.
7. Live rollingApply your skills under appropriate supervision.

Submission drills for beginners

These are controlled, recognition-focused drills to introduce the concepts safely — not detailed finishing instructions. For a full solo drilling library, see our submission grappling drills.

Submission defense training

Learning submissions and learning to defend them are two halves of the same skill. From your first weeks, you should be building defensive habits: keeping good posture and frames, protecting vulnerable positions, staying aware of your hands and neck, recognising threats early, and escaping before a submission becomes fully established — or tapping when it's time.

Good defense is about recognition and structure, not toughness. It reduces risk, but it never guarantees you'll avoid injury — which is exactly why early tapping and controlled partners matter so much.

Submission training vs submission grappling

These terms overlap but aren't identical. Submission training is the broad process of learning submission-related skills — positions, control, awareness, defense and controlled drilling. Submission grappling is a grappling style and competitive ruleset (often no-gi) where submissions are a central objective. In short: submission training is how you build the skills; submission grappling is one arena where you use them. Terminology varies between gyms, competitions and organisations, so it's always worth checking how your own coach uses the words.

BJJ submission training

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is built around a positional hierarchy — guard, mount, side control, back control — connected by transitions, with submissions and escapes woven throughout. BJJ submission training simply means developing your finishing and defensive skills within that positional system, always with position first.

Much of the supporting work can be reinforced outside class. For drilling the positions and transitions solo, see our BJJ dummy drills, and for building a wider solo routine, solo BJJ training.

MMA submission training

In MMA, submissions live alongside striking, which changes the priorities. Striking alters how positions are established and defended, takedowns can create submission opportunities, and controlling position matters even more because of ground-and-pound. The rules also differ from BJJ and submission grappling.

The grappling mechanics carry over, but they should be trained in an appropriate MMA or BJJ environment with qualified coaching. Our MMA grappling drills cover the grappling side in more detail. (A dedicated MMA ground-fighting guide is planned as a future resource.)

Submission training at home

Home practice is a supplement, not a substitute — and it's most useful for the movement and repetition layer, not live application.

What you can realistically practise at home: movement drills, positional movement, technical visualisation, controlled solo drills, repetition with suitable equipment, transitions, conditioning and reviewing instruction. What home training can't reproduce: live resistance, timing against a moving partner, realistic defensive reactions, grip fighting, pressure, unpredictable transitions and live rolling.

Keep the distinction clear: home work develops attributes and grooves patterns, but complete grappling skill is built with partners and coaching. For a full home-training routine, see our guide to BJJ training at home.

Can you practise submission training with a grappling dummy?

A suitable grappling dummy can support certain kinds of solo practice — positional familiarisation, movement patterns, transitions, repetition, body positioning and controlled drilling. For someone building a home setup, that's a genuinely useful way to reinforce what you learn in class.

The limits matter just as much. A dummy provides no active resistance, no realistic reactions, no live grip fighting, no dynamic defense and no realistic timing, and it can't tap — so submission work on a dummy is practice of positioning and mechanics, never a forced finish. It cannot replace a qualified coach or a live partner. It's also worth remembering that not every dummy suits every drill; check the manufacturer's intended use, and see how to choose a grappling dummy if you're comparing options.

Image · Dummy practice

What equipment do beginners need for submission training?

Very little is truly essential — most of what matters is coaching and mat time.

A grappling dummy and the rest of your home gym equipment can round out a home setup — but no purchase makes you proficient on its own. Skill comes from coached, controlled practice over time. When you're ready to compare gear, you can shop all training equipment in one place.

Common submission training mistakes beginners make

• Focusing only on submissions — and neglecting the positions that create them.
• Ignoring positional control — chasing finishes from unstable positions.
• Training too aggressively — intensity before control leads to injuries.
• Ignoring defense — offense without defense is only half the skill.
• Not learning when to tap — or tapping too late.
• Continuing after a partner taps — the most serious safety failure there is.
• Skipping fundamentals — and trying advanced techniques too early.
• Treating a dummy as a live partner — it's a repetition tool, nothing more.
• Training without proper mats or space — an avoidable injury risk.
• Neglecting recovery — and expecting fast mastery. Grappling rewards patience.

How often should beginners practise submission training?

A practical framework — not a prescription. Frequency should depend on your experience, intensity, recovery, age, schedule, injury status and coaching environment.

More isn't automatically better. Recovery is part of training, and quality of practice matters more than raw volume.

Beginner submission training session

A sample 30–45 minute supplementary session. This does not replace coached BJJ or grappling classes — it reinforces them.

Submission training vs other grappling training

Where submission training sits alongside related training types. Several of the pages below are planned future resources.

For the drilling side of this list, start with our submission grappling drills and grappling dummy drills.

Is submission training good for beginners?

Yes — submission training can be appropriate for beginners when it's taught progressively and practised in a controlled environment. Grappling emphasises technique and leverage over strength, which makes it accessible to a wide range of people starting at their own pace.

The key is priorities. Beginners should put safety, positional fundamentals, defense, controlled drilling, clear communication and coaching ahead of chasing finishes. Get those right and the submissions follow naturally.

Image · Beginner setup

Submission training: quick answers

Concise, self-contained answers to the most common questions.

• What is submission training? The practice of developing the positional, technical, defensive and timing skills used to create and recognise submission opportunities in grappling.
• Can beginners learn submission training? Yes — progressively, starting with safety, positions, movement, defense and controlled drilling before advanced techniques.
• Can a grappling dummy replace a training partner? No. It helps with repetition and positional practice but can't provide resistance, reactions, timing or live defensive feedback.
• What should beginners learn first? Positions and safe habits — including tapping — before finishes.
• Is submission training the same as BJJ? It's a core part of BJJ, but BJJ also includes positions, escapes and transitions around the submissions.
• Can you train submissions at home? You can drill movement, positioning and transitions solo; live application still needs a partner.
• Is it safe? When taught progressively, practised with control and paired with early tapping, beginners train it safely every day — though no training is risk-free.
• Why does defense matter so much? Learning to recognise and escape threats is half the skill and a core part of staying safe.

Explore grappling & BJJ training resources

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