A recent social media video has ignited fierce debate in the BJJ community – after a black belt competitor applied a heel hook that left his 40-year-old hobbyist training partner with devastating leg injuries.
The incident happened during an in-house tournament.
The injured participant, a recreational hobbyist, described the submission as overwhelmingly forceful.
Here is what he had to share on a Reddit thread:
I had no time at all to even verbally tap.
Doctors said it looks exactly like a car hit me.
The heel hook caused fractures to both his tibia and fibula in three places, requiring three titanium rods and months of recovery.
Criticism has focused not only on the technique itself but also on the competitor’s response. Rather than showing remorse, he downplayed the incident online, calling it “a normal scenario”, complained about his day being “ruined” and even asked for gas money from organizers.
Many instructors also stressed the responsibility that comes with applying dangerous submissions in a non-competition setting.
Here is what one black belt noted:
There’s absolutely no reason to be cranking subs in training.
That fact that he is a black belt and you are a 40 year old hobbyist means he should have given you more time not cranked like he is trying to win a real match.
Check out the video below and decide for yourself – did the black belt competitor go overboard?
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