Importance of the Tapping

By Corey Kuropas, September 20, 2016

In Jiu Jitsu, you will learn a lot of things. You will learn the limits of your body and mind. You will learn techniques that can hurt other human beings. And whether you like it or not, you will learn the importance of tapping. The tap is the universal signal for no more. On the mats, the tap is the way you can protect yourself from a potentially harmful situation. Tapping is something you will do many, many times in your Jiu Jitsu journey.

The two demographics that I see has the most trouble with the tap, are the “tough guys” and the “late teens”. The tough guys are the people that are no stranger to strenuous or rough situations. Perhaps they did some kind of martial arts before, or some kind of sport, but they want to protect their tough image. The other is the late teens, are usually boys in the 16-18 year old range. They share the same issue of the tough guys, usually brought on by hormones and growing up. I have seen time and time again that people in those two groups usually have an issue with tapping. They feel that they are too strong or skilled to tap, but then they face a reality. Either get injured/choked unconscious or tap out, and learn from the mistake.

Usually, those people will tap later than most folks, but will tap and become humble from it. Sadly, others won’t and then get injured and sit out of training for awhile. It does not matter if they want to tap or not. It is really a necessity. It is better to acknowledge your partner’s good technique than to get mad and let yourself lose control of your emotions. It is not at all beneficial to your studies.

Besides the prevention of injury, the tap also holds another significance. Tapping to an inescapable, perfect technique shows that you are humble and are willing to learn. This is a little more traditional when it comes to Jiu Jitsu, but it really brings the idea back of the old days. BJJ spawned from Judo and Judo was born from a mix of Japanese Jiu Jitsu styles. Just as the warriors of old, you must show honor to a superior technique, possibly from a superior Jiu Jitsu practitioner. It shows to your instructor that you can realize when you’ve been beaten, but are going to improve from it.

The tap is important not only in Jiu Jitsu, but also in Judo, Sambo and Catch. No matter who you are, you will have to tap. The best in the world have all tapped in training and competition as well. It cannot be avoided and will help you out later on. Train, work hard, tap and improve. Rinse and repeat with this, and you will grow.