Grapplearts

  • Home
  • Video Store
    • All instructional Products
    • NEW No Gi Pin Escapes
    • NEW! BJJ Games
    • Rolling Backtakes for Everyone
    • 2 for 1 Sale on BJJ For Old F***s!
    • NEW! Cutting Edge Leglocks
    • 30 Second Fight Finishes
    • BJJ for Old F***s – Passing the Guard
    • BJJ for Old F***s – The Guard
    • Omoplata 2.0, Your Complete System for the Most Versatile Submission in Jiu-Jitsu
    • NEW! BJJ Foundations
    • The Closed Guard System
    • The Arm Drag and 2 on 1 Formula
    • The Gripfighting and Kuzushi Formula
    • Nonstop Jiu-Jitsu Book by Brandon Mullins and Stephan Kesting
    • Open Guard System with Jon Thomas
    • No Gi Leglocks with Oliver Taza
    • The Guard Retention Formula with Rory Van Vliet and Stephan Kesting
    • The Submission Formula, with Rob Biernacki and Stephan Kesting
    • Fabio Gurgel’s Pressure Passing System
    • No Gi de la Riva Formula
    • Self Defense Guard
    • The Modern Leglock Formula
    • The BJJ Formula 2.0
    • Roadmap for BJJ Package
    • The Single Leg X Guard Masterclass
    • Spider Guard Masterclass
    • Non-Stop Jiu-Jitsu
    • Defeat Bigger, Stronger Opponent
    • Defeat Bigger, Stronger Opponent 2
    • Defeat Bigger, Stronger Opponent No Gi
    • Black Belt Concepts Course
    • The Precision Kickboxing Masterclass
    • Guard Sweeps Package
    • Leglock DVD Package
    • Unorthodox Positions and Sneak Attacks
    • High Percentage Leglocks
    • The Dynamic Half Guard
    • My Mixed Martial Arts
    • Grappling Drills
    • Dynamic Guard Sweeps
    • Dynamic Kneebars
    • Yoga for Martial Arts
    • The Complete Grapplearts Anthology
    • BJJ Shirts
    • Property of Grapplearts T Shirts
    • Keep Calm and Armbar On BJJ Shirts
  • Articles & Tips
    • All Articles
    • Featured
    • Podcasts
    • Instructional Videos
    • Grappling Techniques
    • Training
    • Mixed Martial Arts
    • For Beginners
    • Competition
    • Conditioning
    • Female Grapplers
    • Self Defense
    • Health & Nutrition
    • Miscellaneous
  • My Podcast
  • Mobile Apps
    • FREE Roadmap for BJJ App
    • FREE Grapplearts BJJ Master App
  • Online Instruction
  • Contact
  • Free Reports
    • Roadmap for BJJ Books
    • Grapplearts Newsletter
    • The Most Powerful Guard
  • Nonstop Jiu-Jitsu

Techniques, Tutorials and Gear for BJJ, MMA and Submission Grappling

Search the Grapplearts website:
Home » Escapes

Escapes

How to Escape Kesa Gatame and the Headlock

February 8, 2025 by Stephan Kesting

Kesa Gatame is one of the most under-utilized positions in BJJ. People in jiu-jitsu tend to ignore this position but generations of judo players and wrestlers have proved that Kesa Gatame IS a powerful and effective way to pin someone. And - even worse for someone caught in it - Kesa Gatame is also a great entry into some very effective armlocks, leglocks, neck cranks and diaphragm … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques, Mixed Martial Arts, Self Defense Tagged With: Escapes, Judo, Kesa Gatame, No Gi Pin Escapes, Techniques, Unorthodox Strategies, Video, Wrestling

Three Cheats for Escaping a Tough Mount

November 21, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

Three mount escape cheats

The basic mount escapes like the elbow-knee and upa escape are classics for a reason, but if you go back to the well too often, then your opponent inevitably gets wise to it and figures out how to shut it down.   That's why you need to be able to mix things up. Start with one escape, then switch to another. Jab, then cross. Fake east, go west. Here are three unexpected techniques for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Escapes, Mount Escape, No Gi Pin Escapes, Techniques, Video

The 4 Most Common Errors For The ‘Upa’ Mount Escape

November 12, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

Mistakes made while trying the Upa Mount Escape

The 'Upa' (or 'Bridge and Roll') is probably the very first mount escape that a beginner ever learns. It's taught as part of the basic curriculum for a very simple reason: it works! You see this escape in MMA, submission grappling, and BJJ competition with the gi. I've used it as a white belt, blue belt, purple belt, brown belt and black belt. Contrary to what some people will tell you is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For Beginners, Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Escapes, Mount, Mount Escape, Techniques, Video

A New School Knee Ride Escape

November 6, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

The Uno Reverse Card Knee Ride Escape

Every once in a while, a new way of doing things comes along that is so much better that it has to get added to your repertoire right away. The Uno Reverse Card Escape vs the knee ride is one such technique! You start on the bottom of the knee ride, unable to breathe as your opponent spears his weight into your diaphragm... ...then, a few simple moves later, you spin into a leglock and/or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Escapes, Knee Mount, Kneebars, Leglocks, No Gi, No Gi Pin Escapes, Submission Grappling, Techniques, Video

Tipping the Triangle: A Principle to Make Your Pin Escapes MUCH Easier

September 15, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

Tipping the Triangle Escape Principle

If someone is pinning you effectively then they probably have pretty good control over both sides of your body. This can make escape very difficult. Your escapes are made much easier if you off-balance your opponent before escaping, which is an application of kuzushi. If your opponent is off-balance, then he'll be focused on getting back into good position instead of submitting you, and also … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Concepts, Escapes, Humour, Mount Escape, Video

The Bridge and Inversion Escape Movement in BJJ

August 28, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

Solo Escape Drill

Most BJJ practitioners know about bridging and shrimping. But I bet not one in twenty knows about bridging and then turning into an inverted tripod position. That's too bad because this movement is the basis of my most successful mount escape, hands down.  That inversion allows you to build extra height, break your opponent's contact with the ground, and then scoop under him to regain your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Training Tagged With: Cal MacDonald, Escapes, Mount Escape, Solo Drills, Video

How to Do the Von Flue Choke

April 30, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

The Von Flue Choke as a Guillotine Choke Escape and Counter

The guillotine choke is the second most popular submission in MMA (after the rear naked choke) and an omnipresent threat in no gi grappling and gi jiu-jitsu, so you need a solid guillotine defense game! But the only thing better than defending against a guillotine is reversing it and using his choke attempt to set up a submission of your own. That's where the Von Flue choke comes in! This … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Chokes, Escapes, Gi, Guillotine Choke, MMA, No Gi, Techniques, Video, Von Flue Choke

D’Arce Choke Defense

February 16, 2024 by Stephan Kesting

D'Arce Choke

The D'Arce choke is super-popular right now.  This is a choke that traps your opponent's neck and arm inside your figure-foured arms and you can apply it against the half guard, against turtle, from guard passing, and in a ton of scrambles. (Click here for a detailed breakd0wn for applying the D'Arce choke.) This choke is especially popular in no gi grappling because the decreased friction … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: D'Arce Choke, Escapes, Ritchie Yip, Techniques, Video

Knee Mount Escape to Backside 50/50

November 29, 2023 by Stephan Kesting

Knee Mount Escape to Backside 50/50

If you can do the basic backward somersault, then I've got a pretty spectacular and highly effective kneemount escape for you. The Wu Tang escape takes you from the receiving end of eating pressure under a terrible position to one of the strongest positions in leglocking - the backside 50/50. Here's a detailed video about how to add this escape to your game, even if you're NOT … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: 50/50 Guard, Cutting Edge Leglocks, Escapes, Heel Hook, Knee Mount, Leglocks, No Gi, Techniques, Video

The Fastest Armbar Escape

October 14, 2023 by Stephan Kesting

Hitchhiker escape vs armbar from closed guard

One of the most powerful late-stage armbar defenses is the Hitchhiker escape. You see this escape being used all the time, typically by someone who is flat on their back and being attacked by an armbar that is almost completed. But how many times have you been attacked by the armbar from guard in your jiu-jitsu career? If you're like most people, I bet it's quite frequently,  like every … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Armbar, Closed Guard, Escapes, Techniques, Video

The Three Most Important Back Mount Escapes

February 16, 2023 by Stephan Kesting

The 3 Most Powerful Back Mount Escapes

Having someone on your back in back mount or rear mount is a terrible situation in jiu-jitsu, especially if he's doing a good job of controlling your upper body with an over-under seatbelt grip and your lower body with his hooks. The longer he stays on your back the longer you'll be vulnerable to submissions like the rear naked choke, the rear triangle choke, armlocks, spinal cranks and even … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: BJJ, Escapes, Rear Mount, Rear Naked Choke, Ritchie Yip, Techniques, Video

How to Defend the Back Take in Jiu-Jitsu

March 7, 2022 by Stephan Kesting

Pinning the shoulder to stop the backclimb

There's a terrible feeling of inevitability when you're in someone's guard, he takes your arm across his centerline, and starts to climb to your back. But it doesn't need to be this way. Having your elbow across his centerline doesn't automatically lead to him taking your back and making your life miserable. Here's a technique to get out of this position that has saved my butt many … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: BJJ, Closed Guard, Escapes, Rear Mount, Techniques, Video

BJJ Defense with Steve Kwan

December 29, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

BJJ Defense with Steve Kwan

Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models joined me today to share some guidelines that'll immediately improve your jiu-jitsu defensive skills. Check out the BJJ Mental Models Podcast wherever fine podcasts are distributed Here's the video version of our conversation... And here's the audio-only version... Links to Subscribe to My Podcast The best way to stay up to date with new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques, Interviews, Podcasts Tagged With: BJJ, Concepts, Escapes, Guard Retention, Interviews, Steve Kwan, The Strenuous Life BJJ Podcast with Stephan Kesting

The Best Omoplata Defense

December 17, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

The Best Counter to the Omoplata

Let's look at the low angle cartwheel, one of my very favorite counters to the omoplata armlock submission, which is a very powerful upper body attack used extensively in gi and no gi jiu-jitsu these days. First we'll go through the counter step-by-step including the training methods and drills to make the move smooth and instinctive. Then we'll go further and examine 4 very specific ways to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Counter, Escapes, Omoplata, Techniques, Video

Jiu-Jitsu and Grief

December 7, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Jiu-jitsu, grit and grieving

The Grit to Work through Grief: How Martial Arts Gave Me the Tools to Work Through Pregnancy Loss A Guest Post by Rachel Honeyman Imagine 200 pounds of weight holding you down on the ground, compressing your ribs, preventing your lungs from expanding. You panic. You can’t move. You can’t breathe. You feel like you’re going to suffocate. And then, you remember that, while your torso is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Female Grapplers, For Beginners, Health & Nutrition Tagged With: BJJ, Escapes, Jiu-Jitsu, The Mental Aspect, Women

3 Great Defenses to the Over-Under Guard Pass

September 12, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

3 x over under guard pass defenses

The over-under guard pass is one of the heaviest, highest percentage, and most miserable guard passes in the BJJ arsenal. It is a real soul-stealer! If you go up against someone with a good over-under pass and you don't have good answers to it, then first you're going to suffer, then you'll get your guard passed, and then you'll be crushed on the bottom of side control. Fortunately today … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: BJJ, Escapes, Guard Passes, Guard Retention, Over-Under Pass, Rory Van Vliet, Techniques, Video

A Powerful Side Mount Escape That Leads Directly into an Armbar Finish

June 1, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Armbar from bottom side mount escape technique

Going directly into the armbar from the bottom side mount has to be one of the most surprising escapes for the guy on top.  One moment he's crushing you with his crossface, and the next he's tapping out to a match-ending submission. The first time I saw this technique I didn't think it was very realistic.  It looked like a power move that required tremendous upper body strength. But when I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Armbar, Brandon Mullins, Escapes, Sidemount, Techniques, Video

When is the Best Time to Escape a Pin?

April 26, 2021 by Stephan Kesting

Transitional Escapes to Get Out of Pins on the Ground

I was recently asked an interesting question... "Stephan, when you're pinned is it better to wait for a good opportunity to escape, or to spend some energy to recover guard right away?" The answer to this is easy! Escape BEFORE the pin is even fully established. Your opponent didn't just magically appear on top of you; some kind of progression had to happen first! He opened your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Concepts, Emily Kwok, Escapes, Sidemount, Techniques, Video

Mount to Deep Half Guard Escape

February 18, 2020 by Stephan Kesting

Mount escape to deep half guard

Here is one of my favorite  ways to escape the mount position. It relies on briefly achieving quarter guard which is essentially the mount position where you have one of his feet trapped between your legs and then transitioning to the deep half guard. This wouldn't necessarily be the first escape you would use in an MMA or self defense situation (since it exposes your face to punches) but in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Deep Half Guard, Escapes, Mount Escape, Techniques, Video

How to Escape Side Control

January 14, 2020 by Stephan Kesting

How to Escape Side Control

Being stuck under side control (aka 'side mount,' or '100 kilos') is one of the great challenges in jiu-jitsu.  Here your opponent is able to put a TON of weight onto you, crush your face, attack your arms and neck, and advance his position by getting to the mount or taking your back. In short, being on the bottom of side control sucks, and you have to have some good ways to escape … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Grappling Techniques Tagged With: Escapes, Sidemount, Techniques, Thomas Lisboa, Video

More Articles »

*Search Our Articles*

Grapple Arts Facebook Page
Grapple Arts X (formerly Twitter) Account
Grapple Arts YouTube Channel
Grapple Arts TikTok Account
Grapple Arts Instagram Account
Grapple Arts' Strenuous Life Podcast

How To Learn BJJ Fast!

Download a FREE digital copy of Stephan Kesting's book on learning BJJ as fast as possible

Get 'A Roadmap for BJJ' for free and also receive the Grappling Tips Newsletter by entering your email below


Facebook

BRAND NEW RELEASE: THE BJJ FORMULA

The most scientific and systematic approach to learning BJJ...

Brand new 4 DVD set reveals the secret adjustments, tweaks and strategies used by the BJJ pros The BJJ Formula with Rob Biernacki and Stephan Kesting.

Free Shipping. Click here for more info

© 2025 Stephan Kesting. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2025 · Grapplearts on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in