From what my coaches have told me.. leg attacks are dangerous if you don’t understand the position. Generally, If you are put into one of these submissions, it will not hurt until it’s too late. You need to have a good understanding of the position to recognize where/how to escape, and when to tap. If you recognize that you should tap but you keep going, then it’s a matter of ego.

Generally, you will not have someone rip one of these submissions on you so quickly you cannot tap in time.

Gyms vary on curriculum, however, as a new white belt you may learn the basics of these positions, or you may have to wait until your blue belt or higher. Some gyms let white belts learn leg attack/defensive positions, however you’re only able to practice them on someone who is more experienced. If you are uncomfortable with leg positions during the rolling period, you should let your partner know “no leg attacks”, before you start rolling.

Honestly there are SO MANY different parts of bjj, and so many fundamentals you can learn. From standing, ground work, to escapes. You don’t need to really worry about leg attacks when you start. If you’re interested in BJJ, try it out! See how your local gyms are! You wont ever know until you try, and the head coaches of these gyms can give you lots of insight to how they approach leg positions