Simply put, yes! And while limits may be pushed, there is a difference between hard and soft limits.
A "hard limit" is an activity or practice the submissive indicates she firmly wishes to avoid. The reasons for this avoidance will vary. For example, the submissive may become claustrophobic and suffer a panic attack if bound and placed into an enclosed dark space. Therefore, it would be damaging to her to place her in such a situation, and for obvious reasons, she asks her Dominant to promise to respect her wishes in this regard. It is absolutely essential the Dominant be fully cognizant of the hard limits which have been identified and agreed to and to never abridge them.
The second type of limit is called a "soft limit." A soft limit is an activity or practices the submissive may be reluctant to pursue but would consider attempting under the careful urging and leadership of her Dominant. A common example is spanking. Many submissive women are drawn to photographs of women being spanked, but in real life may become fearful of suffering severe pain. So the curiosity and the reluctance form a conflict that the Dominant can help resolve by skillfully easing his submissive into the state of mind where she can surrender herself to his palm. Suppose the Dominant is experienced and stays "in tune" with how his submissive reacts. In that case, she may find the sensation produced by a skillfully given sexual spanking deeply arousing and enjoyable.
For instance, the Dominant helped push her through a limit that would otherwise interfere with their mutual enjoyment. To encourage the submissive to not unduly fear approaching a soft limit, it is wise to employ the use of a safe word, which I will discuss in another post...

Master J