Two approaches to submission: Submissions are the soul of Jiu Jitsu. All of the skills of Jiu Jitsu are designed to take you in that direction. When it's time to enter into submission there are two clear paths. The first is to use a fast entry that gets you so quickly into a winning position that an opponent simply does not have the time necessary to create an effective defense and must submit. The second is one where you use relentless pressure and control break through an opponents defense over time and force a submission. Both methods are highly effective, but I think it's fair to say that the control based method is responsible for more wins than the speed based method. In addition, control based methods work better for a broader range of athletes and give better long term results because speed based methods tend to work in conjunction with surprise. Once an opponent has seen the move a few times the surprise is lost and you will need more than speed to keep succeeding. Nonetheless as students we all ought to strive to be good at both, even if we tend to favor one over the other. Sometimes it helps to divide your submissions up into your speed submissions and your control submissions based on situations. For example, entries into submission from standing positions make for much greater use of speed (humans move at their quickest when standing rather than on the floor), where as ground grappling permits much greater control, but a much slower pace. So for example, you might train your juji gatame arm bar from standing and knee on belly positions as a speed move, while your arm bars from mount, side position and closed guard as a slower control based move. However, you do it – leave room for both approaches in your training as both are proven pathways to the highest goal of victory by submission
