Intent

When someone hurts another, they get a reputation. But sometimes it's undeserved.

What matters is how people are getting hurt.

Some of it is clumsiness. Someone moving too fast, elbows flailing, a stray knee by accident. That happens, especially early on. It's a problem worth correcting, but it's not the same problem.

Then there's the person who holds the submission past the tap. Who cranks the armlock and doesn't give anyone a chance to get out. That's intent.

These two people should not have the same reputation.

The clumsy one you can deal with. Stop expecting a predictable reaction from an unpredictable person. Slow it down, adjust your game, stay aware. If you know someone is clumsy and you keep training with them the same way, that's on you. You knew what you were getting into.

The dangerous one you avoid. Just decline. If you feel pressured, still decline. Practice that.

A roll goes wrong. Someone gets hurt. It was an accident, but the injured student doesn't see it that way. Getting hurt is getting hurt. He avoids her forever.

She apologizes two weeks later. Asks for a second chance. Says she's aware of what she did and is working on it. That's not what a dangerous person does. A dangerous person doesn't apologize. He just waits for the next round, jumps on the submission, cranks it, and doesn't give you time to tap.

It didn't matter. The injured student eventually stopped training. That's the real problem.

Take care of yourself. Know who you're rolling with. If someone is clumsy, that's information. Use it. She's forcing you to adapt. It's when you don't change your game that you get hurt.

White belts throw curve balls. They do things you don't expect. The clumsy partner is the same. Expect it.

If you get hurt, don't assume the worst. Think about intent. Most of the time there isn't any. It's not always a character problem.

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