The top crucifix shows up a LOT in MMA, and when one fighter gets it the other guy is usually in a HUGE amount of trouble. Here's the thing, though... I really like the top crucifix in submission grappling as well. It opens up some REALLY powerful submission attacks that have served me well in sparring and jiu-jitsu competition. Here's a video of me breaking down the position and those … [Read more...]
Sidemount
What is a Crossface in BJJ
The crossface is one of the keys to a brutally effective side control. You can use the crossface to turn his jaw into a lever to turn his head and limit the directions he can turn. This makes it so much harder for your opponent to escape, tires him out, and kills his will to fight. A properly applied crossface is a tool you can use in the gi, no gi, and MMA to double how heavy you feel on top; … [Read more...]
Gold Medal Judo Techniques that Work in BJJ
I've previously written about why you probably shouldn’t use the top-scoring judo throw - Seio Otoshi - in your BJJ practice. (To recap, this throw requires a TON of reps, potentially exposes you to back takes, is gi-dependent, and there’s a high chance you'll roll over your opponent to end up on the bottom.) But don't throw the Judo baby out with the bathwater!! There IS a heck of a lot … [Read more...]
Kneebar from Side Control
If you've got your opponent in side control then you're definitely dominating the match, but if he's being defensive then it can still be hard to finish from there. A smart opponent will keep his arms in and protect his neck with his hands, making it challenging to catch an armlock or force a choke. This is where deception comes in. You've got to lure your opponent into a trap by giving him … [Read more...]
Four Lapel-Based Attacks from Side Control
If you train BJJ, knowing some tricks with the lapels to attack your opponent can be very useful, so don't disregard the advantages the gi offers you. Some people don't like training with the gi. I have no problem with that if your only focus is no-gi competition; if that's you, then by all means, train specifically for your sport. But if self-defense is important to you, then you should … [Read more...]
A ‘Stupid’ Armlock I Was Pretty Sure Would NEVER Work…
Sometimes you just gotta have faith... In the video below I'll share an armlock with you that I'd been shown multiple times early in my BJJ career. And I always thought it was hogwash; that any good opponent would simply twist out of it and I'd end up in a terrible position. Click here to view the same "Stupid" Armlock video on YouTube! The technique in question was the reverse or … [Read more...]
A Powerful Side Mount Escape That Leads Directly into an Armbar Finish
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...]
When is the Best Time to Escape a Pin?
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...]
Near and Far Arm Ambar Attacks from Side Control
When it comes to BJJ the straight armbar is one of the highest percentage submissions, and side control (aka sidemount, cross side, and 100 kilos) is probably the most common pinning position. So you absolutely NEED to have some reliable armbar attacks from side control or you're missing out on some huge opportunities. Fundamentally when you're in side control you can attack the near arm … [Read more...]
How to Take the Back from Side Control Using the Kimura Armlock Grip
The rear mount is arguably the best position in BJJ. (For a breakdown of the 6 basic positions click here.) Once you're behind the other guy you can attack him with chokes, joint locks and even strikes without much fear of retaliation. But establishing rear mount on a resisting opponent can be tricky, especially if he has learned some basic defenses like not exposing his back during … [Read more...]
How to Crush Your Opponents from the Top Position
You've probably rolled against some guys who were roughly your own weight but felt unbelieveably heavy. Like breath-stealing, soul-crushing heavy. So how do they achieve that pressure? It's not as simple as just eating more and bulking up. There are 3 main technical ways to increase the weight and pressure on your opponent that anyone - even smaller, lighter grapplers - can use to make … [Read more...]
What is Side Control in BJJ and Submission Grappling?
Side control is a pinning position in Brazilian jiu-jitsu when you're perpendicular to your opponent and are not entangled in their legs. Typically but not always you're chest to chest with your opponent. It is one of the 6 main positions in BJJ and it's where you end up most often after passing the guard. But there isn't just one perfect version of side control. Depending on what you're … [Read more...]
9 BJJ Solo Drills You Can Do With a Heavy Bag
There are some essential BJJ gross motor movements that need to be trained over and over until they're smooth and instinctive. Most of the time we train these transitions on our training partners, either in drilling or as part of sparring. But some of the most important movements can actually be trained on your own - before class, after class, or at home - using a heavy punching bag. Here … [Read more...]
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...]
Near vs Far Side Kimura Armlocks
Most grapplers know how to apply the Kimura armlock on the far side of their opponent's bodies. It's an attack taught at white belt that you see in every grappling competition. But many intermediate grapplers don't know that you can actually use the Kimura technique on BOTH sides of your opponent's body. However, the near side Kimura is an absolutely critical position for controlling your … [Read more...]
How to Escape Cross Side Mount
Getting crushed on the bottom of the cross-side mount is one of the most terrible feelings in jiu-jitsu. In the worst case situation his weight is heavy upon your chest making it hard to breathe. Your limbs are completely out of position making it impossible for you to frame or push him away. And his arm is anchored under your head allowing him to drive his shoulder into your jaw with a … [Read more...]
How to Defend and Escape the Kimura from Side Control
7 Defending and escaping the Kimura when you're on the bottom of side control is always difficult. There are several different reason for this... First of all, the figure four grip used in the Kimura is very powerful control. It creates a natural handle that your opponent can use to manipulate your entire body, both in gi or no gi. And once your opponent has secured this grip it's a real … [Read more...]
BJJ Breathing Tricks When You’re On the Bottom, Getting Crushed by Your Opponent
One of the very worst things is to be trapped on the bottom with all your opponent's weight on top of you and be unable to breathe. This is usually followed by exhaustion, panic and surrender. But it doesn't need to be like this - there are several approaches to breathing in BJJ that can make sure air gets into your lungs, oxygen into your blood, and keep you in the game, even when you're … [Read more...]
A Powerful Judo Pinning Trick You Can Use in BJJ
In Judo you win the match if you pin your opponent for 20 seconds, and so Judoka can have some pretty ferocious 'osaekomi' (Japanese for pinning someone's back to the mat). To help them get to a pin and then hold down frantically struggling opponents Judo players have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. Today I want to talk about one of these moves that creates a handle on one of … [Read more...]
A Strategy for Getting 15 Points in a BJJ Tournament Fast
The ultimate goal of BJJ competition is to tap your opponent out, not to win by points. That being said, the point system is still a very important part of the game and you have to understand how to use it! Here's why... First of all, the point system in BJJ tournaments generally reflects what would work in a real fight. For example, its better to be on top than on bottom in a fight, … [Read more...]