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Back to Basics

70K views 230 replies 46 participants last post by  Kapitein Koek 
#1 ·
So, a friend of mine suggested I put this thread together to help people really nail down the fundamentals of their favorite simple techniques.

There are alot of basic things that I see even high level guys f*ck up sometimes, and they are things that take alot of time to master, so whether you're a beginning grappler or someone who wants to get back to basics (and we all should, every once in a while), post a technique on this thread.

There are some good grapplers in here, and some good material on youtube that I'll link in for people, so whatever you bring to the table, you should get some good stuff.

So, anyone who wants some of the details of more basic moves broken down, post them here.

EDIT: I've made a decision to index the first ten pages of this thread in this post, so it's easier for people to navigate. All posts will be made by technique, in alphabetical-chronological order. I've starred my posts, just as a point of reference for me.

(Indexed Pages 1-20)

Armbar from the Bottom 1
Armbar from the Bottom 2*
Butterfly Guard 1*
Butterfly Guard 2*
Can Opener 1*
Crack Down
Ezequiel Choke 1*
Gi Grips*
Guard Pass 1*
Guard Pass 2 a
Guard Pass 2 b*
Guard Posture and Defense*
Guard Theory with Heavy Opponents*
Guard Theory with Strikes*
Half Guard Sweep 1*
Inverted Gogoplata 1*
Inverted Gogoplata 2*
Kimura
Kimura From Guard 1*
Mount Escapes 1*
Mount Escapes 2
Mount Escapes 3*
Mount Escapes 4
Mount Top Position*
Omoplata 1*
Omoplata 2*
Regaining Guard 1*
Scarf Hold Escapes 1*
Scarf Hold Escapes 2*
Scarf Hold Escapes 3*
Side Mount Escapes 1*
Side Mount Escapes 2*
Sprawl 1
Sprawl 2
Straight Ankle Lock*
Triangle Escapes and Prevention 1*
Triangle Escapes and Prevention 2
X-Guard Sweeps*
 
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#182 ·
Body triangle with a guillotine style hold (not submission or you'll wear yourself out).

That is pretty generic advice as you haven't really stated if this is for MMA competition or self defense and if your goal is to advance your position or simply to tie up your opponent.

Robber guard is also nice for avoiding damage AND for advancing your position. Rubber guard is like a roundhouse kick. Easy to learn, lifetime to master. Find a good coach/instructor!
 
#185 ·
The best tome of knowledge on the butterfly (and I'll start with this note because I was talking about it with a friend the other day) is Marcelo Garcia's book on the X-Guard. All of the things I'm talking about are in there, as the first two chapters are on the butterfly and the X-Guard flows best off of the butterfly guard.

I'm assuming that by butterfly sweeps you mean you know the over-under sweep where you lift your opponent's weight onto your shins, drop your ear to the mat and toss them over. That's the most basic and fundamental attack from the butterfly.

Guillotines from the butterfly move really well into other stuff. Basically, working to push the head down is very effective. I'd definitely (as far as submissions go) work darse chokes and guillotines.

The best submission, and the only one of these I finish from the butterfly guard, is the Chris Brennan version of the ten finger guillotine.

Basically, push your opponents head down with one hand, and cup your other hand on the chin. Then, drop your chest onto the top of your opponents head and grab your other hand with the guillotine grip. You can finish from the butterfly. Obviously, the closed guard offers the most stability.

As far as sweeps (and this is really the technical part of the butterfly guard game), there are a lot of ways to attack your opponents balance. Most of them center around that over-under sweep I mentioned at the beginning.

If you go for that sweep, chances are good your opponent will sit back. The defense for most beginner and intermediate students is to get the weight off of the legs, so that there's no real power in the sweep.

At this point, I slip one foot out of the butterfly guard and drag the arm of whatever side I just popped the foot out on (usually, for me, that's on the left side, since I drag the arm with my right hand). At this point, I use my other butterfly hook to establish a hook that will be the first for taking the back. That's a good way to get four points. From that point, it's like working a standard half-guard move to the back, or any other armdrag.

More advanced guys will try what is undoubtedly a more advanced maneuver. They'll stand up.

I don't personally think this is more effective. Personally, I've found that smashing my head down (protecting the neck) to crush their ability to sit up, which is important, and pushing a leg under me is the most effective way to pass the butterfly, especially with the invention of the X Guard.

If your opponent stands up, the techniques are really about experience, and feeling your opponent. Still, the idea is pretty simple:

Take you shin and put it against your opponents leg at about the knee (though you can be higher or lower a little bit depending on your preference), grab them at the ankle, and try to bend the leg like a bow, rolling into it and popping up to take top position. This is a really simplified version of the most basic X Guard attacks (simplified in the sense that it doesn't require controlling the X Guard with both feet).

With practice, you'll find this works really well. It's just about practicing the angles.
 
#186 ·
Yeah mate over under sweep... with the over under sweep, if you have a hold of an arm, and you sweep them, you will end up on mount with an arm, is there a certain attack that you prefer if you have that arm... and also i have trouble taking the back from butterfly. i got told by one of the fellas from training butterfly guard is one of the best things to know... i have a whole lot of marcelo garcia vids but yeah the book i was looking into but i havent come around to it yet, money is tight... anyways thanks for your insight.
 
#187 ·
Yeah mate over under sweep... with the over under sweep, if you have a hold of an arm, and you sweep them, you will end up on mount with an arm, is there a certain attack that you prefer if you have that arm...
Yeah. Personally, I transition to the side control from that position, because I'm more comfortable in the side control than the mount (it's very easy to get rolled by experienced grapplers from the mount, and I tend to just end up back in full guard if I take any weight off to attempt an armbar.

From side control, my weighting is much better and I rarely get swept.

From the mount and the side control, though, the attack is the same: Keep the arm tucked against your ribs so you have great control, pop your legs over the head and take an armbar.

From the side control I have a half dozen attacks from there (and I don't mind getting into them, but only if you want me to), but from the mount, I rarely need more than the armbar, especially if they go for an upa, because that really makes it easy to sink in the armbar.

and also i have trouble taking the back from butterfly. i got told by one of the fellas from training butterfly guard is one of the best things to know... i have a whole lot of marcelo garcia vids but yeah the book i was looking into but i havent come around to it yet, money is tight... anyways thanks for your insight.
Yeah, practice the armdrag.

Have an opponent on their knees and practice popping your foot out from the butterfly guard, using your cross hand to pull their arm to the mat, reaching around to their back and hooking under their opposite side arm (this hook is amazingly helpful in securing the back).

Practicing this drag is everything.

I also practice the armdrag from standing, but it's a little different than off of your back (or, more accurately, off of your butt, which is where you should be in the butterfly guard). Still, it'll help you develop the tricepts and back muscles required for powerful armdrags.
 
#191 ·
Ah, That would make sense. I'm always going into high guard unless I'm going for a Kiruma.. Thanks, That's very useful.
Even then, the high guard will help you control posture and keep the crook in the arm a lot easier.
Also, This could set up a Gogoplata Am i right?
Yeah. Single arm control can be a set up for the armbar, triangle, omoplata and gogoplata. The gogo is mostly for if they choose the stack.

Pulling the arm down(Tricept), and Shrimping, and pulling leg over?
Yeah, it mostly about establishing a 90 degree angle to your opponents body to break the balance, which gives great control of the posture to finish the armbar without having to worry about getting stacked.
 
#203 ·
Hey Iron man, I need your help about setting up armbars. How do you separate your opponents arms when he is griping his gi or his hand to prevent it, especially if he grips it tight?

It's a regular position, you are on his side, you've positioned the legs and got your arm underneath his elbow. How do you break his grip? If you can find some video instruction I'd be very grateful too.
 
#204 ·
There's a ton of material on this online.

Ari Bolden has a really cool trick called the Silverado.

Personally, though, I have two attacks on the arm that I like to use.

The first is one I learned from Steve Maxwell, but I try and avoid it a lot of the time because if you finish it as an arm compressor, then it can get you DQ'd.

The move is pretty simple, though. Gable grip so that your thumb and the top of your radius is digging into his bicept, take your bottom leg and lay it flat (so that the side of the shin and the calf are down) against his wrists or the far forearm. Lean back and tighten up the pressure.

This is, actually, a bicept slicer and that will force him to release the grip or to tap (verbally, usually, because he can't move his hands). The fact that it's a bicept slicer is what makes it illegal in a lot of competitions, but I rarely ever finish with the slicer if I apply the pressure slowly with the legs. If you apply it quickly and tighten the legs up, it's really easy to force the tap with the slicer.

Some guys are smart and will let the hands break and try to roll out.

There are two ways to beat this:

1. Hammer down with the top leg. This is actually a good way to start the move initially, and it prevents the roll up because it keeps pressure on the neck. This has a risk, though, of letting an opponent with strong hips roll up on you.

2. Transition to the triangle. As they roll up, remove the top leg and twist to the side to hook their leg (preventing the slam) and setting up an appropriate angle. This is one of my favorite moves, personally. I like setting up the triangle from the top, as I find it's a lot tighter.

The second way of freeing the arm is one I picked up from watching Demian Maia and actually asked Royler Gracie to help me with at a seminar (which is why this description has some details you won't hear from most instructors).

It's a lot easier to free the arm when the elbow is up. It's away from their core and it makes it difficult for them to effectively use the pecs and back to defend the submission, making for better control. Even if you have the bottom leg in, you'll notice that they can still pull the elbow down, often into the thigh of whatever leg you have across the body. This doesn't help them escape at all, but it makes it harder to finish the armbar.

A lot of guys try and attack the wrist when they get to the position you described. As Royler pointed out to me, if you watch the guys who are really good at locking in the armbars off the top, and making people tap fast, they actually attack their opponent's elbow.

Use your top hand to hook under the elbow and pull it up towards your top leg. Keeping your knees pinched together and your heels pressing down will keep them from bridging up and into you, knocking you over. When you've opened the elbow, then you can lock the elbow in place with your bottom arm (hook under with your forearm and keep the knees pinched to control the position, grabbing your own lapel with your bottom hand), then move up to the wrist with the top hand.

Don't pull the wrist up and yank at it. That's a waste of energy.

Instead, control the wrist with your hand and rotate your upper body towards your opponent's head. Keep your hips down and heels pressing towards or into the mat to make sure they don't bridge into you. Rotating with the whole of your upper body and in a twisting motion will make it really hard for your opponent to hold on and liberates the arm pretty easily.

Personally, I use the first method and then, if I get frustrated, I move to the second, which is more sure-fire and a little more brutal.

EDIT: Damn this was a long post. Hope that was helpful.
 
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#208 ·
Great thread
Glad you guys like it. Feel free to ask questions if they come up.

I'm going to go through at some point next week and index pages 11-20 as I did with pages 1-10 (you can see on the first page that all of the techniques are listed and linked to, so they're easier to find).

Hey Ironman, I know this question has been asked, but honestly it's really not working for me. How do you escape side mount if your opponent is actually trying to lay and pray. In Judo every time someone gets to side control, all they care about is getting the hold down and not the finish. I can't seem to escape because I really suck a bridgeing. I wouldn't mind regaining guard however.
Yeah, this is one of the problems I found my first few weeks of training judo style newaza, and it's a great question.

Shaun's answers are actually a pretty good way of getting back to guard in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu context and, if you go back to the index on the first page, I'm pretty sure I get into some detail about escaping the side control in BJJ.

However the standard bump and shrimp is really not effective against an opponent who's entire focus is on controlling your shoulders. The reason why shrimping and creating space is so much easier in jiu-jitsu is because guys usually are looking for the mount, so they're trying to move to advance the position.

So, my advice in the context of judo is actually going to take a little longer to execute, but is still pretty straight forward. It's worth noting that these are going to put you on top and not back in the guard. At the end I'll explain how you can go back to the guard instead of getting the reversal.

Also, these are pretty traditional judo reversals from what I've been able to gather.

Try and get on one side. The standard jiu-jitsu defense is to bridge, get to the side, shrimp out and sneak the leg in. I don't both with this in judo, because the other guy, not thinking about the submission, is going to apply pressure to the shoulders and ignore the position.

So get on your side and take some time getting there (remember, you've got 15 seconds before he starts scoring; use it to secure a position that you feel you can use effectively before you start looking for reversals). Sink in an underhook, either on the belt or on the leg, then rock him either across your body or to the other side.

If you just want to go back to guard, or are finding that he's blocking your rolls before you can completely turn him over, that should create the necessary space to shrimp out and sneak a leg in to put him in guard.

If he has both underhooks, you're generally in trouble. What I've been doing, and it's been working against guys my size, is to slide my hips out and turn him over. There's a kick-up move that my coach has been trying to get me to use, but I'm not quick enough to make that part effective yet.

Another question. How do I regain guard from quarter guard. In BJJ I only train Gi, and any time someone gets to quarter guard, they just go for GI chokes instead of trying to pass. This makes it difficult for me to escape. Any advice?
Now it's worth noting that my entire understanding of quarter guard is based on work with 10th Planet guys, and I usually avoid the position because I see it as a transition back to half from a disadvantaged position.

The first thing to remember is that your opponent is definitely going to attack you to get past the quarter guard, either to score points for their position or to regain it. Those attacks have to be addressed as they come, either by looking for a sweep from the position to give him something else to worry about, or by making sure he can't attack you by creating a more advantaged position.

The most effective way to get from the quarter guard to the full guard is to go by way of the half guard, in my experience. However, I rarely go back straight to the full guard.

The answer is, basically, to stuff the knee as you roll to your other side. If your opponent is attempting a collar choke, this move needs to be fast. Put both hands on the knee, stuff it and, as you're stuffing it, roll so that your outside arm can more effectively achieve and then use the underhook.

From half guard, the transition back to full guard is, generally, very easy. So I won't bother getting into that unless you need it.

Still, remember that if you want this to work, make sure you're actively looking to use the sweeps you know. Sometimes that will make your opponent back off the pressure a little bit and give you the space and time you need to regain the half.
 
#205 ·
Hey Ironman, I know this question has been asked, but honestly it's really not working for me. How do you escape side mount if your opponent is actually trying to lay and pray. In Judo every time someone gets to side control, all they care about is getting the hold down and not the finish. I can't seem to escape because I really suck a bridgeing. I wouldn't mind regaining guard however.

Another question. How do I regain guard from quarter guard. In BJJ I only train Gi, and any time someone gets to quarter guard, they just go for GI chokes instead of trying to pass. This makes it difficult for me to escape. Any advice?
 
#206 · (Edited)
Question #1

Grappling whether it be BJJ or Judo it's all about space. Guy on top wants to give you as little space as possible to keep you pinned to the mat. Guy on the bottom (you in this case) wants to create space. You get under someone with an excellent side control and it's a real pain to get out from under then because they take all the space and suck it up. You are going to have to create space...

What I would do is spend extra time working on your bridge and your shrimps...if you can get better at bridging and shrimping then you can escape side control...you can't get your hips out and move them you are a sitting duck.

We have a few guys in our gym that are BIG and SUPER STRONG with killer side controls. What I always do in the gi is bump hard and shoot the inside arm in between the leg and hip...you want about middle of your forearm blocking the hip. Once I have that in place I'm going to reach across the throat with the outside arm and get a collar grip. From here I'm going to bridge hard, push off with both arms, and shrimp. From this position I'll have the interior knee on the inside (you should be on your inside hip) then I'll swing the outside leg in for a butterfly and swing myself into butterfly guard (or full guard depending on what I'm feeling like that day).

Edit: Forgot to mention, once you get the space and shrimp and have created the room to make your move you DO NOT want to let go of your hand grips. If you let go of these grips against a good grappler he's going to quickly make a move and pass you before you can establish your guard. Use your space and grips to keep him from passing you during transition. If you are rolling nogi and don't have the option for grips just make sure you have plenty of space.

Another good escape that's been working for me for a long time is feeding the inside arm completely under your opponent and coming out on the bottom side (around your waist). Once I get that arm free I'm going to shoot it up under my opponents armpit, bump up onto my outside hip, then scissor the legs, and try to come around the head (almost into a head lock position). With this escape you should end up on your knees in a neutral position...there is also a d'arce choke from here that I like catching people with, but I'd focus on getting out first and foremost.

Question #2 is a pretty good one. Tons of people get stuck in 1/4 guard and get caught with collar chokes, d'arce chokes, guillotine, armbars, etc...#1 thing you have to remember is to keep tight, you want to keep on your side and keep your body buried into his. I try to get my head around the belt region of my opponent and stay tight as possible. Once you get tight all you have to do is push on the knee and switch your hips to the other side to reset a complete half guard, then switch back the other way to solidify the position. Once you get there if you aren't good with half guard I'd try and set up a lockdown and work either ole school or plan b (depending if he posts the leg...always go for ole school first). If you aren't good at bumping your hips try and work your underhook and get back to dogfight position, which is neutral.

Hope this helps you some.
 
#209 ·
If he has both underhooks, you're generally in trouble. What I've been doing, and it's been working against guys my size, is to slide my hips out and turn him over. There's a kick-up move that my coach has been trying to get me to use, but I'm not quick enough to make that part effective yet.
There is a move I use and I'm not sure but it sounds similar to what you are talking about using.

What I do is get both my hands in there (like I normally would for a shrimp escape) and then push off to make a little space. I'll shoot and underhook under on the outside arm side deep as I can. Once I have my underhook I'll scissor and roll into them using my underhook and head to drive them back (head to chest), which rolls them over. Is that close to what you are talking about??

Another one that I used on some of our Judo guys is getting the arm under and scooping a leg...keep driving into them until I feel them push into me hard trying to drive me down. When they push into me I turn hard away, lift as hard as I can with the leg, and bump all at the same time. It's a power move, but it works as long as the guy is close in size...I've actually done it to several guys that have 50+lbs. on me.
 
#213 ·
What I do is get both my hands in there (like I normally would for a shrimp escape) and then push off to make a little space. I'll shoot and underhook under on the outside arm side deep as I can. Once I have my underhook I'll scissor and roll into them using my underhook and head to drive them back (head to chest), which rolls them over. Is that close to what you are talking about??
No. The move I'm talking about consists of throwing up a leg (while still pinned), slipping the hips out and rolling the opponent into side control.

It's definitely not anything you'd see in jiu-jitsu, but it works the way judo guys pin.

Another one that I used on some of our Judo guys is getting the arm under and scooping a leg...keep driving into them until I feel them push into me hard trying to drive me down. When they push into me I turn hard away, lift as hard as I can with the leg, and bump all at the same time. It's a power move, but it works as long as the guy is close in size...I've actually done it to several guys that have 50+lbs. on me.
That sounds interesting. I'm not convinced I have the muscle mass to pull that off, but maybe I'll give it a try.
 
#214 ·
I know a few ways of escaping yoko shiho gatame. But only one is easy to pull off. When he grabs you, you should push his head with your free hand underneath the leg where his arm is and you have a triangle.

The other way is very difficult if your opponent is even a bit heavier than you. Say the he has your right side. Grab his belt with your left hand and pull just a bit so you can create the space to place your elbow on his stomach. Now bridge, pull with your left, push with your right and flip him over you so he lands on his back.
 
#215 ·
Hey I just wanted to say thankyou for everyone who has responded to my questions in this thread, as I'm going to get my first stripe soon (well I'm subbing the 1 stripes now so I'm just assuming I will).
 
#217 ·
Alright. I'm going to get back to this thread. Sorry I've been neglecting it for a long time.

Feel free to post questions.



Congrat, bro. If there's anything you need help with, feel free to ask.

Alright, I have a question that has probably been asked.

I get stuck in guard(guy has long legs) I try to can opener him, and he just stays with it(i pull head all the way down to my belly)

So i try to post back and stick the knee to the butt and break the legs, but legs are long enough to just move around(or puts me in a triangle)

How can I pass this guard?
OK, this is something that a lot of people have trouble with. Just because you open the guard doesn't mean you've passed the guard. You really have to kill the legs to ensure a good pass.

Kill his guard at the knees. If you're rolling with the gi on, grab the gi at the knee and pin his leg to the mat as you pass. If his leg is on the mat, it's very difficult to maintain the guard position.

Don't just open the legs and then try and move around them. They can still attack you. Pin the leg to the mat until you get to side control.

There's a lot of nuance to passing, but hopefully you can get the idea from some of the earlier posts on it.

Still, if people are shooting triangles on you, I think that you should probably focus on killing the legs.
 
#216 ·
Alright, I have a question that has probably been asked.

I get stuck in guard(guy has long legs) I try to can opener him, and he just stays with it(i pull head all the way down to my belly)

So i try to post back and stick the knee to the butt and break the legs, but legs are long enough to just move around(or puts me in a triangle)

How can I pass this guard?
 
#221 ·
Recently some novice in my judo class tired to put me in a rubber guard, and it was incredibly easy to get out of it. The dude should have read something on this forum to realize he needs a good closed guard to start doing rubber guard successfully. :)
 
#222 ·
For those who want to learn the basics of the rubber guard, I recommend studying the closed, controlled guards of Nino Schembri and Royler Gracie, but even just listening to Eddie's advice is a great start:

 
#228 ·
It's actually really grown on me. The way that Telles sets himself up from the turtle is one of the things that I've been studying to attack it, sense there really is no one better at stopping back control.

Telles is a really creative guy, and while I'm not sure I like his willingness to give up the turtle from what I perceive as strictly better positions (the bottom of side-control, especially) I respect it as a part of his game.

My attitude, though, and I think his as well (though I haven't really heard him say anything definitive, so I may be wrong) is that it isn't a good idea to learn the turtle guard until you have proficiency in the basis of jiu-jitsu, because it really is about being able to defend attacks effectively, and that requires a knowledge of the details that consist of the mistakes that you absolutely cannot make from that position.

Little mistakes cost you more and more as the position gets worse. If you're an advanced guy, like Telles (or many of the high level blue and purple and brownbelts I've seen attempting his stuff in rolling) then that's all good. It can certainly contribute a lot to your game. But if you are having issues escaping from the turtle because of little mistakes (like opening the elbows at the wrong time, or not opening the hips and getting into your opponent, or missing a roll, or getting your hips controlled from the top and then trying to roll) then the turtle guard isn't going to help you much, because it doesn't, on its own, solve those problems.
 
#230 ·
Sure, but so would my open-guard. I mean, if someone utilizes an attack then it's a problem not to have access to that attack. But I think that it's nice that the turtle guard, for Telles, is about more than just leg-locks. It's about proper positioning and carefully attacking his opponent with sweeps, while looking for, occasionally, joint locks.

Telles' moves from turtle to the top of side-control have been really helpful for a lot of advanced people who like to escape by bellying down and shooting for a leg, because it gives them confidence if their opponent should move to take the back. I think that says a lot about how beneficial the turtle guard is.
 
#231 ·
Single handed Tomoe Nage.

This is a sacrificing throw known in Judo, it's a move you learn late in the process towards your black belt (I think I learned it when I had my brown belt) But it's a rather easy throw, however, It's only tought to higher level Judoka's because it can put you in a bad position when executed wrong.

First of all, the throw looks like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOIbQ2cXRHU

You can't hope to land it in MMA that way however, because it requires a Gi or some other piece of clothing to hold on to.

However, during sparring, I found another way to preform it, it's can be really effective but it also can provide your opponement with top position when he sees it coming, but above all, it's spectacular. The Correct way to do it in Judo differs a lot from how to pull it in MMA. You can go for an impact throw, launching his in the air when you have top momentum, or, fully execute it to get him on his back and get yourself top position. I prefer the impact throw because other throws are more effective to gain top position. (hip throw into side control ect ect).

Well the correct way to do it in MMA.
Since you can't grab a piece of clothing you gotta do it with either one arm, or both shoulders.

Both shoulders requires a lot of flexibility on your side with bending your leg, however it gives you good grip and launching ability.

One arm is easier to pull, it just requires one predictable punch you can grab onto, place your foot and roll back over.

I strongly recommend you do this in the begining of the fight, as it gets a lot harder with slippery opponements.

All and all, I liked this move a lot in Judo and won quite some matches with it, and because you can launch your opponement brutaly it becomes a fun move to do in MMA to, esspecially as no one will see it coming
 
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