FIGHTERS MAKE SURE YOU ARE TAPPING! 🥋

Tap Early, Train Longer: Real Talk on Neck Safety for Fighters

Hey everybody! Today, I want to talk to all you young fighters out there and everyone putting time in on the mats, whether that's jiu-jitsu, MMA, or wrestling. If you want to keep doing what you love for years and not wake up every morning with a wrecked neck (trust me, I've been there), listen up. I’m sharing some hard-learned advice that could save your training—and maybe your spine—down the line.

Before we jump in, let me just say: I’ve been at this a long time. Years of jiu-jitsu, plenty of wrestling, the whole deal. And almost every serious grappler or MMA fighter I know has neck issues. Most of us could have avoided a lot of this pain if we’d just tapped a bit sooner, especially during practice.

So let’s get into why tapping is so important, the risks around neck attacks, and how you can train hard and smart.

Who Is This Advice For?

If you’re new to martial arts, just started training jiu-jitsu, MMA, or wrestling, or even if you’re several years deep and still feel bulletproof, this post is for you. I wish someone had sat me down and really drilled this into my head early on.

This is also for coaches, team leaders, or anyone who cares about their teammates’ well-being. Share this advice—could be a game changer for someone.

And to the old heads: You’ll probably just nod along, remembering your own neck injuries. But hey, it’s never too late to pass the wisdom down.

Why Do Fighters Have Neck Problems?

Let’s keep it real. Grappling is tough on the body. You’re constantly fighting off chokes, cranks, and all sorts of wild positions. It doesn’t matter if you’re rolling gi or no-gi, or just wrestling—your neck is going to get worked.

“Every person I know that's been doing jiu-jitsu or grappling for a long time, for the most part, has neck issues.”

Why? Because most of us are stubborn as all get out. Maybe it’s pride. Maybe it's ego. Maybe you just don’t want to tap to your buddy. But every second you spend fighting out of a tight neck crank or ignoring that sharp pain is one more notch taken off the life of your spine.

The Importance of Tapping in Practice

Let’s clear something up: I’m not telling you to become a tap machine. Don’t tap every time someone so much as breathes on you. You want to be gritty; you want to fight. But there’s a world of difference between fighting out of a position in practice and risking long-term injury.

Tapping early in practice saves you for competition.

You know the drill in training—you end up stuck in a guillotine, or someone slaps on an anaconda, or you find yourself in a deep D’arce. You can fight it out, strain your neck, maybe escape—maybe not.

But in a fight, maybe you’ll risk it. In practice, think long-term. There’s no gold medal for being stubborn on Tuesday night at the gym.

Why is tapping smarter?

• You avoid chronic injuries that haunt you for years
  
• You keep your training consistent (no time off due to avoidable injury)
  
• You build up muscle memory for escapes when it matters
  
• Your teammates will take better care of you and themselves
  
• You earn respect for being smart, not just tough

“A lot of this can be avoided if you just tap faster during practice.”

Common Neck Attacks in Grappling and MMA

Let’s name the culprits. If you’re rolling, these submissions are out to get your neck:

• Guillotine Choke
  A classic. High risk, high reward. Easy to jump on in both gi and no-gi.
  
• Anaconda Choke
  Catch you with your arm-in, roll you up, squeeze.
  
• Rear Naked Choke
  Bread-and-butter of BJJ and MMA—works every time.
  
• D’Arce (Darce) Choke
  Arm triangle variant. Sneaky, fast, and dangerous to neck and shoulder.

And beyond these are the neck cranks—moves that don’t choke you out but put a lot of pressure on your neck and spine.

In MMA? People go for neck attacks a lot because finishing with a choke or crank is a high-percentage move. If you’re fighting MMA, you’re going to get caught in these.

“Choking someone out is a very high percentage move for mixed martial arts or jiu-jitsu…. These are common attacks that people try in competition or practice all the time.”

Tap vs. Toughness: Finding the Balance

Okay, let’s talk about pride. No matter how many times your coach says “leave your ego at the door”, it still sneaks in.

You want to be the tough one. Maybe the coach’s eye is on you, or you’re rolling with your rival. You get cranky, stubborn, refuse to tap.

I’ve been there.
Most of us end up there at some point.

But here’s the thing: Your coach already knows who the tough ones are. You don’t need to prove it every roll. And resisting the tap doesn’t mean you’re tough—it just means you’re risking being sidelined for months, or worse, for good.

“You know, deep down in your heart, when you get in a fight, that you’re going to fight out of this. Your coach knows who the tough guys in the gym are. Everyone knows this.”

Toughness is smart when you pick your battles. Save it for the fight.

What Happens When You Ignore the Pain?

This is where it gets real. You let that neck crank ride too long, thinking you can muscle out of it. Maybe you escape, but next morning you can’t look left without pain shooting down your back.

Or worse, it becomes a constant ache, or burning arms, or tingling fingers—nerve issues. You’ve now got what we call The Jiu-Jitsu Neck.

I’ve been through it. So have tons of older fighters.

“You’re gonna do this for several years and you’re going to wake up one day and have the Jiu-Jitsu neck and it’s going to be really bad…. A lot of us have went through this.”

And it adds up. Injuries might force you to take long breaks, miss competitions, or quit altogether. I’ve had to travel out of the country to try getting stem cells injected into my neck and back!

Smarter Training: Saving Yourself for the Fight

Let your competition be the place you dig deep and gamble with your body, not your regular training sessions.

• Your job in practice is to get better.
  
• Your job in competition is to win.

You do the hard gritty fights in the ring or on the mat—the real ones. In practice, your priority should always be to train tomorrow.

“Practice is for getting better. Save your body for the real fights.”

If you’re caught in a neck crank, here’s what to do:

1. Try a controlled escape.
   Give it an honest effort. But if it’s not coming, don’t force it.
   
2. Feel pain? Tap!
   If there’s any sharp or shooting pain, or you feel that “bad twist,” tap and reset.
   
3. Talk to your partner.
   If their grip is way past the point of safe, ask them to lighten up.

Long-Term Health: Why It Should Matter to You

No matter how fired up you are right now about tournaments or getting your blue belt, trust me—you don’t want to be hobbling around in your 30s or 40s (or younger!) with a ruined neck because you couldn’t let go of your pride for one roll.

Long-term neck injuries can mean:

• Chronic pain (every single day)
  
• Loss of grip or strength in your arms/hands
  
• Nerve damage leading to tingling or numbness
  
• Surgery or risky procedures
  
• Being forced to quit training

Most of this suffering is avoidable. Ask around. I guarantee every black belt or seasoned fighter in your gym will have at least one horror story and will agree—tapping is smarter.

“A neck crank is going to do nothing but hurt you long term. It's not like a blood choke where you just go to sleep; this is long-term damage… almost like a car wreck where the damage is done.”

Getting Help: My Own Story

This isn’t just theory—here’s my story.
After years of stubborn rolling, I messed my neck and back up badly. It affected my training, messed with my sleep, made daily life annoying. I had to go all the way to Colombia for stem cell therapy, which is expensive and not guaranteed.

“I was a real bad example of this. That's why my neck is messed up as bad as it is. I'm about to go to Columbia…getting stem cells in my neck and back... I’m optimistic that's going to work.”

What I’d give to go back in time and just tap a little earlier on those cranks.
If you want to avoid traveling for expensive procedures, or worse, being told the damage is permanent—tap early, train longer.

Tips for Safer Training

Here’s a quick checklist to help you keep your neck safe and healthy for years of rolling:

1. Learn the Difference Between a Choke and a Crank

• Choke: Blood is cut off, you might go out, but usually no lasting damage if you tap.
  
• Crank: Pressure on the neck/spine/jaw, can mess up discs, ligaments, or nerves.

2. Communicate with Your Training Partners

• Let them know if a submission is bothering your neck more than usual.
  
• Give feedback if their control needs work.

3. Strengthen Your Neck (but don’t overdo it)

• Plenty of grapplers do neck bridges, resistance training, stability work.
  
• Don’t overload—form is everything.

4. Always Warm Up Properly

• Take time to loosen up your neck and upper back before hard rolls.

5. Use Good Technique

• Learn the proper way to defend and escape—don’t rely just on muscling out or “toughing it out.”

6. Listen to Your Body

• Sharp pain, numbness, or “weird” sensations are signs to stop.

7. Rest When Needed

• If your neck is tweaked, take time off. Don’t rush back and make it worse.

8. See a Professional if You Get Hurt

• Chiropractors, physical therapists, and qualified doctors can help prevent something minor from turning chronic.

Answering Common Questions

Q: If I tap in practice, will people think I’m weak?
A: Not at all. Most gyms respect people who can train smart and take care of themselves and others. And anyone clowning you isn’t someone worth impressing.

Q: Does tapping in training mean I’ll tap easier in competition?
A: No. True “gamers” know the difference between practice and the real deal. Training is where you prepare. The fight is where you test your heart.

Q: I’m tough and want to fight pro—shouldn’t I resist cranks to get used to pressure?
A: Getting “used to it” won’t make your neck invincible. Technical escapes and controlled resistance are better than just suffering through pain.

Q: My coach tells everyone to work hard—should I ignore pain?
A: Work hard, but not stupid. Talk to your coach if you’re getting caught in bad positions often and focus on technique.

“Fight a little bit. If there’s any pain at all, start tapping, guys, so you can avoid it because a neck crank is going to do nothing but hurt you long term.”

Conclusion & Next Steps

Look, at the end of the day, martial arts is about bettering yourself, not wrecking your body. You want a lifetime on the mats, not a few years of being a practice hero before you’re forced out by preventable injury.

Key takeaways:

• Tap early during practice, especially with neck attacks and cranks.
  
• Know the difference between smart resistance and dumb ego.
  
• Your coach already knows who the tough ones are—no need to prove it every roll.
  
• Save your body for the real fights.
  
• Respect your health—the mats will still be there tomorrow.

If you like this advice or have any other topics you want me to cover, drop a comment below. Training smart is just as important as training hard.
And if you’re new to martial arts and looking for the right gym, check out my book—The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts School and Instructor.