The post Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD Review appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>The Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD covers an interesting perspective on making you a lot heavier during pinning without going through a masterclass of physics, biomechanics, and anatomy. It is a good No-Gi instructional, with particular value for white to purple belt students.
Key Takeaways
- 3-part Gi BJJ DVD with roughly two hours of side control torture hacks.
- Techniques that allow you to feel like you weigh a ton by leveraging limb placement from side control.
- Contains footage from a complete fundamentals side control class.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 7 out of 10.
SIDE CONTROL SEBASTIAN BROSCHE DVD AVAILABLE NOW!!!
The Dark Side of Side Control
What is the most disturbing thing about side control? I can wager that most of the people who’ve trained, at least for a few months, are going to say pressure or a different explanation that boils down to it. And you’d be right.
Side control can be now of the most brutal pinning positions in grappling and combat sports if the top person knows how to inflict pain by distorting your body so that you can’t adjust to bear their weight. The discomfort in the pin comes from the weight, but it is what the top person does with their arms, legs, and head that makes it impossible for you to offset that weight.
Here’s the best part – you don’t need to wait until you’re an “efficient brown belt” to develop these crushing skills. All it takes is a few well-executed placements of your limbs that will allow you to position your body in a way that makes the bottom person feel as if a boulder is crushing them. And we all know that everyone hates pressure more than they hate leg locks, wrist locks, and takedowns together.
The Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD promises to teach you such hacks and tactics in just a couple of hours. Too good to be real? Let’s review the content.
The Yoga For BJJ Guy
If you’ve ever tried to find anything along the lines of flexibility for BJJ, Yoga for BJJ, and similar mobility stuff, you’ve most likely come across the name Sebastian Brosche. The Swedish-born BJJ black belt became a staple name in the conditioning for BJJ world while he was a brown belt when he launched his Yoga for BJJ instructionals.
While Brosche is absolutely a master in Yoga (or whatever titles they have there) he is no less proficient on the BJJ mats when it comes to grappling. While no accolades stand to his name after he got his black belt he did win medals at all major tournaments, including gold at the Euros and Worlds as a purple belt.
A black belt under the ultra-skillful Eduardo ‘Teta’ Rios, Sebastian is one of the hoards of students to represent Teta’s famed Frontline Academy, such as Tarick Hopstock. Brosche discovered Jiu-Jitsu in 2007 and has been hooked since, both in terms of exploring how to best torture and submit people and how to teach them to fix their bodies.
Known as a top player who brings tremendous pressure to the mats, which makes his Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD a promising one, at least if we judge it by the title.
Full Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD Review
The Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD review revealed a 3 part instructional that contains two volumes of standard BJJ DVD material – each has several chapters focusing on different techniques within the scope of the subject. Brosche makes the instructional different by including a complete class he teaches as his last volume, giving a perspective of reality to the entire instructional.
Part 1 – Pinning
As Sebastian begins his instructional, he doesn’t waste any time on lengthy introductions and unnecessary fluff. All his BJJ instructionals so far contain a number of chapters covering different techniques, sometimes even unrelated to each other.
In this case, he lays a foundation by talking about the opponent’s center and how to best pin it. Building form there, he involves the legs, and arms, covering leg engagements and the Shoulder of Justice, a.k.a. crossface that has “retired” many a BJJ white belt.
As the opening part of the Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD progresses, so does Brosche’s positioning, as he moves towards the half knee on belly, which I find to be extremely useful. He finishes by explaining how to build yourself back up when you lose the position.
Part 2 – Causing Pain and Misery
The second portion of the Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD instructional takes a step back (literally) and uses the foundation of pin control from the first volume to demonstrate how to enter from passing.
If you expect a series of Danaher-esque instructions in this DVD, you’re sorely mistaken. You will, however, learn all about executing brutal stuff that won’t win you any friends, such as Mother’s Milk, reverse knee on belly, scarf holds, and the innovative Reverse Bear Hug.
Part 3 – Full Fundamentals Class
The final part of the Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD contains a full-length fundamentals class taught by Sebastian which covers plenty of the stuff he demonstrated before but adjusted to the needs of people who are more or less new to BJJ.
The Art of Pinning in BJJ
Pining in BJJ is an awkward business, unlike other grappling martial arts. The goal of submissions makes pins secondary, which means that the bottom person often accepts them, even though that means conceding points. In the great scheme of things that is BJJ, the advantage of points is easily reversed by a well-placed submission.
That places the top person in a conundrum – would you focus on pinning flawlessly, which might leave you open to some unorthodox and wicked counterattacks, or do you bled in submissions of your own, taking away from the pin’s effectiveness? This Shakespearean grappling dilemma often leaves people confused and ends up offering neither a pin nor a submission that’s going to work.
So, when you’re looking to improve both, improve your pins. However, approach pins from a different perspective. Instead of trying to stop the bottom person from moving completely, stop them from moving you – that will introduce the weight factor.
Once you’re torturing them just by being there, you can slowly, methodically, and malevolently set up any submission you like. See the Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD for ideas.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD – DEATH FROM SIDE CONTROL DVD
Downright Nasty (But Legal) BJJ!
There is some merit to the idea behind the Death From Side Control Sebastian Brosche DVD. The instructional will definitely make lower belts utilize weight better by taking their mind off chasing weight distribution – it is ingenious. However, apart from a few interesting brutality-based hacks, it doesn’t offer much for those who have mastered side control pressure the hard way. Still, a good way to spend a couple of hours.
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]]>The post 10th Planet Top Game DVD Review By Heather Jo Clark appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>The problem is that we have a ton of different top positions to consider, and instead of trying to make a dominant one work, we are happy to change between them until we inevitably fail and end up on the bottom. We’ve all been there.
Heather Jo Clark’s 10th Planet Top Game, focusing on how to make the top half guard your main top position, offers a complete game plan that will help you keep the top once you conquer it, throwing a bunch of curve balls at your opponent along the way.
Key Takeaways
- 2-part No-Gi BJJ DVD with almost 2 hours of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu moves.
- A bunch of unorthodox ways to hold, pass, and submit from the top half guard.
- Taught by Ultimate Fighter Season 20 winner Heather Jo Clark.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.
GET THE 10TH PLANET TOP GAME DVD HERE!!!
The 10th Planet Game
Even when I was a white belt, training in a traditional BJJ Gi-only gym, I was fascinated with Eddie Bravo and his 10th Planet System. It just made sense. Bravo launched his own version of Jiu-Jitsu after getting his black belt from Jean Jacques Machado, trying to create a grappling style tailor-made for MMA.
While the 10th Planet style never really took off as an MMA-specific version of BJJ, it did take off- in a big way. Unorthodox, often flashy, extremely effective, and not bound by any traditional dogmas, Bravo’s 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu was the first major tectonic shift in the BJJ World.
Given his original idea of an MMA-oriented grappling style, Bravo spends a lot of time perfecting and modifying the best positions from wrestling and BJJ, resulting in one of the most intricate and tight styles in existence. Although the Rubber Guard might not be for everyone, stuff like the lockdown and the entire 10th Planet Top Game, from passing to the Truck and Twister are stuff that you definitely want in your arsenal.
‘Hurricane’ Heather Jo Clark
If you ever stumble into 10th Planet Boca Raton then you’re bound to run into Heather Jo Clark, a.k.. the head coach. The UFC strawweight and Ultimate Fighter Season 20 winner is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Eddie Bravo and has been representing 10 Planet Jiu-Jitsu throughout her grappling career.
Just like most folks at 10th Planet, Heather is very competitive but decided to channel her energy into MMA rather than professional grappling. She joined the famous Jackson/ Winkeljohn Academy in Albuquerque training with the likes of Holy Holm, Julie Kedzie, and Michelle Waterson.
As her pro-MMA career took off, Heather moved to LA, deciding to make the Xtreme Couture gym her home base. Heather beat Bec Rawlings in the Ultimate Fighter Season 20 finale with a torn ACL, demonstrating grit and determination.
Before retiring in 2018, she fought several more times against high-profile names in the UFC, Bellator, and Invicta FC. Since hanging up the MMA gloves, Heather turned to teaching Jiu-Jitsu at the 10th Planet Boca Raton gym she built in 2023.
Heather Jo Clark 10th Planet Top Game DVD Review
The 10th Planet Top Game BJJ DVD is an instructional by Heather Jo Clark focusing on playing top half guard. It is a No-Gi instructional with almost 2 hours of material on how to hold, pass, and submit from the top half guard:
Part 1 – Half Guard Top
As Hurricane Heather kicks off her first BJJ instructional, she starts in the top half guard. The first chapter is a general overview of the position, and what you can do from it in BJJ and MMA. I happen to agree with Heather that forcing half guard from the top is one of the smartest and most efficient ways to pin and restrict motion.
As Heather starts rolling out the 10th Planet techniques, she begins using a no-hand pass which is very unique and will definitely surprise opponents. She goes on to explore body lock passing, known as ‘Buttock Compressor’ in the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu vocabulary. The dog bar setup from this pass is one to watch out for.
Two-thirds in this volume of the Heather Jo Clark instructional she changes tactics again, offering a new avenue of passing, this time by switching hip sand forcing twister side control. Of course, this involves lots of rolling attacks, so sequences like The Ninja Roll to Swedish Twister appear a lot. They make sense and seem to work just fine, though.
Part 2 – Submissions
The 10th Planet system has always been one of the most submission-oriented styles out there, and Heather does it justice by dedicating an entire volume to the different ways you can make someone tap from the 10th Planet Top Game.
‘Hurricane’ opens with an unusual Guillotine choke setup that looks like a north-south choke, given the heavy use of the lat. She moves on to combine several more guillotines, including the mounted high-elbow finish into a very efficient and aggressive way to attack from the top half guard.
Other submissions featured in this volume include arm triangle chokes, mostly in the form of the D’arce and Anaconda, the usual pairing from the top half guard. heather also shares some interesting Japanese Necktie details, before wrapping up with an Americana/armbar combo.
Rule #1: Be The Guy/Girl On Top!
In the unforgettable words of Chris Haueter: always be the guy on top, and when on top, stay on top. Everyone who has been grappling for at least a while understands how crucial a versatile top game is for success and progress in BJJ.
The premise can be seen throughout grappling martial arts. From Judo and Wrestling to Sambo all grappling martial arts favor top positions, whether it is in a sports or self-defense setting. As Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers a lot more threats from the bottom, mostly by way of guard variations, learning how to be dominant from the top is much more challenging, but also rewarding.
Being on top puts you in cruise control, even if you have to deal with the opponent’s guard. Simply by making them carry your weight, you’re making them put in twice the amount of effort you do. Not to mention having nowhere to move behind them, courtesy of the mats.
Heather Jo Clark chose to focus on the half guard as the quintessential top position in Jiu-Jitu in her 10th Planet Top Game DVD instructional. Simply sitting on the bottom person’s leg is more than enough to put you in a position where you restrict movement, put pressure on, and can proceed to submit directly or by gaining more dominant positions. Smart play.
10TH PLANET TOP GAME HEATHER JO CLARK DVD DOWNLOAD!!!
Stay On Top!
Just listen to Chris and whenever you’re on top, stay there! Since this is easier said than done, the 10th Planet Top Game BJJ DVD by Heather Jo Clark is a great resource to help you figure out how to set up and use one of the best top positions in BJJ – the top half guard.
Whether you’re looking to improve your top game for grappling or need the best position to unleash merciless ground and pound in MMA, the safety and versatility of the top half guard mean that there is no need to look past this position. using an unorthodox approach such as the 10th Planet Top Game only increases your effectiveness by introducing the element of surprise.
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]]>The post Side Control Authority by Alex Smith DVD Review appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>There is a lot to be gained from being dominant from side control, even though the position itself doesn’t earn points. Instead of points, it offers so many different direct upper-body submissions that the trade-off is more than favorable! The trick to side control success? Knowing how to isolate the arms of your opponent to both control and tap them out!
Key Takeaways
- Improve your side control pinning by isolating arms.
- Side control attack chains and follow-ups that will annoy your opponents.
- Meticulously organized Gi BJJ DVD by a Roger Gracie Academy instructor
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.
DOWNLOAD THE SIDE CONTROL AUTHORITY DVD HERE!!!
The Attacking Versatility of Side Control
Of all the top position pins available in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, side control is by far my personal favorite. It allows for so much dominance and control while giving the bottom person the illusion that they can somehow wiggle out and get free, that it almost seems unfair to use.
The one key thing to keep in mind when you’re after side control authority is that you will never be able to settle down and ride it out, like in the mount or back control. For side control, you need to constantly keep working, adjusting how you attach to the opponents so that you take space away and tighten your control over the opponent.
Speaking of attachments, they are the one thing that people seem to take for granted once they achieve side control. Namely, simply getting to the position, despite its name, does not mean you’ll automatically have absolute control over the bottom person. You’ll need to adjust constantly, and simply having an arm under or over your head is not enough.
That’s where arm isolation comes in. The closer you can get to one, or ideally, both of your opponent’s shoulders, the easier it will be to keep them pinned. It also means you now have direct access to all side control armlocks, bent or straight, as well as a combo of direct and arm-in chokes. Sounds better, doesn’t it?
Alex Smith – A Roger Gracie Academy Instructor
The name Alex Smith might not be immediately recognizable to you if you are not a UK-based grappler. It does seem like a spy name, but rest assured, Alex is as real as it gets, both as a person and a BJJ black belt.
Smith is part of the Roger Gracie Academy in the UK, where he has been training his entire grappling life. At the moment he teaches in the academy, alongside Roger and Mauricio Gomes, mainly taking care of the fundamentals classes. He was promoted to black belt by Kev Chappel who got his black belt from Roger.
Alex is a very versatile grappler who particularly enjoys working with the Gi. His style is an interesting blend of old-school BJJ, grappling for MMA, and carefully chosen and refined aspects of the modern Jiu-Jitsu Gi game. Combined with the fact that he has been one of the top instructors in Roger’s academy for years, his pedigree in teaching something as fundamental as side control dominance is very well substantiated.
Side Control Authority: Complete Alex Smith DVD Review
In a couple of hours of your time, the Side Control Authority Alex Smith DVD is going to teach you one of the most difficult things to master in BJJ – how not to lose side control. Alex’s tactics and approach are great for grapplers of all levels, but, as he also iterates, you’ll have to put in the work and hours on the mats to make all the material in this DVD work for you:
Part 1 – Controlling Side Control
As this Alex Smith DVD opens, the first thing that catches the eye is that Alex takes no time to blow his own horn, but rather gets straight to it. I admire that, since when I got this instructional, I already knew I was getting a side control attacks DVD, so skipping over unnecessary intros was very welcome.
In the very first chapter, Alex shares the mechanical intricacies of side control, and how you can ensure that the bottom person is going to:
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- Stay on bottom
- Be unable to replace the guard
From there, he explores some classics of BJ Jside control, starting from the crossface and letting it lead to one of the most devastating side control positions that Roger’s father came up with, known as the Mauricio Side Control.
Perhaps the most important chapter of this entire volume is the final one, in which Alex shares strategies on how to still keep a hold of a fleeing opponent, without losing side control.
Part 2 – The Kesa Gatame Game
Once control is secured, it is time for the fun part – torture the person you have pinned. While I tend to stay away from the Kesa Gatame position, even though I am a former Judoka, Alex Smith makes some compelling arguments for its prolonged use in the Side Control Authority DVD.
All of the attacks in this DVD begin by targeting the near side arm, which is very accessible from the Kesa Gatame side control variation. Alex goes through all the basics, such as Americana, straight armbar, Kimuras, and a bunch of ways to combine all of these attacks into a versatile system.
He also covers how to add the far arm into the loop, obtaining control over both shoulders, which lets you build a game centered around armbars. What makes this instructional great for grapplers of all levels is that Smith offers follow-ups to the mount and knee on belly when the attacks fail, which is an issue that beginners will undoubtedly face.
Part 3 – Near Side Followup Attacks
Personally, I found volume number three from this Alex Smith DVD the most useful for my game and research at the moment. As I am exploring all kinds of Crucifix variations, including those done from side control, I found very valuable information in the chapters about near and far side isolation.
Most of this part of the instructional covers follow-ups and techniques combos that come together as the opponent reacts to both your side control and the attacks you’re trying to launch by isolating their arm. The good news is that they have two arms, so you have plentiful options that also provide additional attacks such as the paper cutter choke.
Isolating Arms from Side Control
As I stated above, I have been playing around with isolating arms from both top and bottom lately, and the Side Control Authority Alex Smith DVD came in very useful. I am still clearly in my research (it’s only been a few months) but looking at how to travel along the length of the arms from top positions, and looking to attach to the shoulders seems to solve many problems I’ve had with pinning.
In fact, attaching to the opponent’s arms allows for much more improved and versatile dynamic control as opposed to endlessly trying to outmaneuver them by grabbing the legs (which I used to do) or trying to scramble around and hope for the best.
Even if you don’t want to use Kesa Gatame or attack armlocks (I don’t) your side control will still benefit immensely from exploring how isolating arms helps you achieve positional dominance. On top of it all, you’ll get unintended taps from the sheer pressure you place on the bottom person. Happens to me all the time.
GET THE SIDE CONTROL AUTHORITY ALEX SMITH DVD HERE!!!
A Blueprint to Side Control Dominance
Alex Smith’s Side Control Authority instructional is a very interesting BJJ DVD. It does not go overboard, covers exactly what it promises, has no fluff, and blends old-school and modern BJJ in a very balanced way.
As a black belt, I found some stuff in there that helped me develop a much better understanding of the relationship between isolating arms and controlling an opponent. For you, it may do the same, or it may open up a whole new direction of thinking, or open your eyes to techniques and combinations you’ve never thought of. I’d recommend it to everyone.
Roger Gracie DVD Review: The Roger Gracie Side Control System
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]]>The post Side Control Crucifix Attacks To Make Yourself Enemies In The Gym appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>I’m quite biased towards the side control crucifix. As with many others, I discovered it years ago, when my coach decided to play with it and chose me as the victim. I still to this day will do anything in my power to not let anyone establish it on me. However, I do enjoy torturing people with side control crucifix attacks. The position is very easy to get to from just about any side control variation. Once you’ve got it all set up, it is smooth sailing and a submission buffet. Moreover, you can have even more fun by trying to us the position to actually get the crucifix from the back, if that is your forte.
The Perfect Top Position?
What exactly is the side control crucifix? The name says it all, really. In simple terms, you can consider yourself to be in the side control crucifix anytime you pin both your opponent’s arms from top side control. Usually, this means using your hands to get one arm, and your legs to pin the other. As simple as it sounds it does have a lot of finesse to it, given that side control is a dynamic position and you need to be able to adjust your pin in order to maintain it.
Setting up the position can be done from most side control variations. From a crossface position, the goal is to look and isolate the far side arm first. In many situations, this will be easy as opponents usually try and keep this arm near your neck in order to execute escapes. All you need to do is literally hug the arm, looking to place it on the shoulder that’s further from the opponent’s head. It will work if you hug it on the other side as well, but you won’t have as many attacking options. Only when you have control over the far arm should you go hunting for the other arm.
Getting the second arm is easier. You already have great control over the opponent’s far side arm and shoulder, and with proper weight distribution, you can control their posture as well. Personally, I like to switch between Twister side control and Kesa Gatame to trap the nearside arm, but you can also go directly.
The goal is to get the shin of your leg over the opponent’s near side arm. But you can’t just place the shin anywhere. You want control over the arm and shoulder, which means you need to control the upper arm first and foremost. However, this does allow for some mobility form the elbow down, and possibly, annoying grips on your Gi jacket skirt or belt. A more secure option would be using the leg that’s near the opponent’s head to trap the forearm, and the other leg to trap the upper arm. A windshield wiper motion is all you need to get both and end up in perfect side control crucifix.
Side Control Crucifix Attacks
The side control crucifix is not a position people like to go for often, which really amazes me. In MMA it is a go-to spot for anyone in side control. When striking is involved, you get to be on top, with an opponent that has no arms to defend, and you have ample place to strike significantly. Not to mention all the submission side control crucifix attacks that are also available.
Speaking of side control crucifix submissions, given the positional mechanics, you have two main categories – chokes and armlocks. At least when it comes to the submission that works directly. However, in those two categories, you have more submissions at your disposal than you ‘ll ever need. Moreover, the position works just as well with and without the Gi. When there’s a Gi involved, the choking options, and some aspects of control just get better, though.
The reason why the side control crucifix is so powerful is that it utilizes a fundamental grappling principle – pin the shoulders. With the crucifix, you’re basically taking both arms, from shoulder to palm, out of the equation. Moreover, there’s no way for an opponent to move, regardless of the fact their hips are free since they can’t really move their head or their spine.
Paper Cutter Choke(s)
The simplest thing to do from the side control crucifix has to be the paper cutter choke. Since you have both the opponent’s arms trapped, and you have a free arm yourself, all you need to do is grab the far side lapel with a thumb-in grip and look to place your elbow to the mats, while your forearm presses across the opponent’s neck. For most people, this won’t work though. Instead of giving up on the paper cutter choke, just change the angle – once you can’t go down anymore, start flaring your elbow out, towards the top of the opponent’s head. That’ll get you a tap for sure!
Another option, which is a lot tighter and I prefer is using your own lapel. Get the lapel on the side that’s near the opponent’s head loose. The goal is to thread it under their head. Once you have the end peaking out the other side, place the arm ion a paper cutter choke position (forearm across the neck) and secure it by gripping the lapel end. Now you have a loop around the neck of the opponent to choke with. Grabbing the lapel at the collar level with your other hand only makes things tighter and more brutal.
Crucifix Kimura
The Kimura is actually the best arm locking submission you could go for from the side control crucifix. For starters, you can easily get the opponent to turn slightly to the side so that you create space for twisting the arm back. To achieve it, all you need to do is step up with the leg that’s near the head. From the “basic” side control crucifix position we discussed before, this automatically turns the opponent at the perfect tangle. Since the arm is already trapped, all you need to do is get the figure four grip.
Once in, there’s no way for the opponent to defend. They can’t lie down to their back because you control the angle. They also can’t use the other arm to grip because it is pinned on the mats. All they could do is try to grab their own belt, which won’t help – you can lead the belt to the back and still finish the Kimura.
4 Finger Loop Choke
For me, this is the most interesting loop choke version that I’ve come across so far. It is another lapel choke, or better said, collar choke, this time with the opponent’s own lapel. The setup is extremely easy. Form the side control crucifix, use the free arm to get four fingers inside the collar that is near you. Once you have the grip, the aim is to get your elbow to touch the mats, on the other side of the opponent’s head. It may feel awkward at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.
The best part is that you don’t have to get their head in the loop to finish this loop choke. Instead, you just grip the collar on the opposite side with your other arm and pull the elbow towards yourself. You’ll be amazed at how many taps you get with this unassuming choke.
Sneaky Wristlock
Probably the simplest submission from the side control crucifix position. In fact, this one makes establishing the position easier, and it even opens up all the grips you need for the other submissions. Whenever you’re windshield wiper-ing your legs into position to pin the arm, all you need to do is reach back with your free arm and bend the wrist towards the ground. The trick is, you need at least one leg to pin the upper arm in order to get the required leverage. Easy, sneaky, and very painful!
Side Control Crucifix Variations
Just when you thought it was all over, there’s more! You don’t just have to stay n the side control crucifix position and hunt for submissions. There are variations that make the position even more uncomfortable and open up different attacks, like neck cranks, or even a rear triangle.
One thing that is perfect to do in No-Gi is to combine the back crucifix with the side control one. In fact, anytime you’re having trouble trapping the near side arm with your legs, you always have an option do go to a different crucifix variation. For example, you could use the palm of the crossface arm to get a deep armpit grip on the far side. That will get you all the control you need to force the opponent to turn, even though you can’t get to their near side arm. Throw a leg over the far side arm and you’re in the nastiest side control crucifix imaginable. You’ve got direct arm locks, neck cranks, or a neat rear triangle.
For the triangle simply let the top arm go so that you can grab your own shin with your arm. The opponent will place the arm in a triangle themselves, after having it kept in the crucifix position. From there, just sit back and go for all the rear triangle attacks that you know.
Conclusion
Painful Jiu-Jitsu is always more fun than playful Jiu-Jitsu. At least according to me. The side control crucifix position is tiring both physically and mentally for the person caught in it. Moreover, all the submissions are high percentage and come with a good dose of pain to make them even more fun.
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]]>The post Borderline Insane Side Control Attacks For Adventurous Grapplers appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>Side control attacks usually mean you’re going to the mount or back or finishing someone directly. In most cases, it is an arm lock or a choke that does the trick from top side control. But how many times have you lost everything when trying to transition against slick bottom players? Or, how many submissions have slipped through your finger because they were exactly what the person on bottom was expecting? As high percentage as some side control attacks might be, switching things up form time to time is also a good idea. Why
Slightly “Different” Side Control Attacks
Why not? Side control is a position that perfectly embodies the idea of Brazilian JIu-JItsu. You can be heavy but needs to stay active. You can submit, but can also end up submitted. You need to think ahead and plant traps because there are many escape options. In other words, you play every aspect of the BJJ game when you’re in side control, both physically and mentally. That, and you probably have more attacks available to you than from any other position.
When you come to think of it, side control [puts you in a unique position to have the opponent’s entire body on a platter. Like, literally. From most side control variations, apart from North_South, your positioning is normal in relation to your opponent, rather than parallel (like in mount, guard, half guard or back control). Moreover, you have inside control (the space in between the opponent’s armpits and hips). That translates to plenty of opportunities for doing pretty much whatever you like. Submission wise, you have chokes, armlocks and leg locks, and a whole variety of them as well. No other position offers so many attacking options.
Even more so, side control attacks don’t include only submissions. On the contrary, you can go and switch positions, trying to climb the ladder of BJJ hierarchy. Mount, knee on belly and back control are the usual endpoints from side control. However, you also have q2uite the few side control variations to play with. From the basic one to the 100 Kilo position, Scarf hold, Reverse Kesa Gatame, North-South… All of these translate to more and more side control attacks you can use.
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Flat Mode
Let’s start with eth e tightest North-South variation you’ll ever learn. It is an Eddie Bravo invention, and one of his best ones I might add. The usual issue with north-south is finding a way to control both the hips and shoulder of the bottom person without compromising your base. Well, leave it to Bravo to solve this puzzle. For the falt mode, you place one arm at the hip of your opponent. You then place your head on the opposite side, glued to the mats and their hip. The arm on the side of the head goes over the near side shoulder, again, as heavy as possible and glued to the mat. Finally, you use your hip to block their other shoulder, trapping the head in the process.
As long as you keep your body stiff in a push-up-like position, nobody is ever going to get out from there. The best thing is that you don’t have to do anything – literally.
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Kesa Gatame Torture Series
Going on the offensive here, let’s talk about linking several interesting attacks together based on how an opponent reacts. Or better yet, make them react in a certain fashion. From the Kesa Gatame, you’ll often end up with the opponent’s arm over your shoulder. That’s an armlock right there. The key is, trapping them and making them uncomfortable. What you want to do is swing your top leg over their head. But don’t just leave it there, pul with it so that you completely break their posture. Now you can have your fun. An inverted armbar is right there for the taking.
If the opponents decide to push your leg off with their arm, they’ll just open up more side control attacks. As they push, go under their armpit, and proceed to catch a cross-face with the arm trapped in between you and the opponent. Crush them a bit from there before you head off to mount or the back.
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Lapel Arm Trap Triangle Choke
This is one move you’ll instantly fall in love with. It will require the use of a Gi, but you might even figure it out in No-Gi if you’re creative enough. Whenever there’s a frame against your neck, that means you have an arm to trap. Loosening up the partner’s Gi on the far side, Wrap it around their arm, aiming to trap the wrist with the lapel. The goal is to control the end of the lapel with the arm under their head. Now, you have several side control attacks to choose from.
The best one, though, is an unexpected mounted triangle attack. First, you’ll need space, so it is imperative that you push the near side leg to the ground in order to wind their hips up. This allows you to swing a leg over and go straight deep into a triangle. The finish is extremely easy, and you still have armbar options left on the arm that’s not wrapped up.
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Chest Compression Choke
If you haven’t seen Dean Lister vs. Josh Barnett in Metamoris, you need to stop doing what you’re doing and watch that match. What you’ll witness is one of the best side control attacks ever pulled off in a high-level grappling match. Once again it is the scarf hold side control variation, albeit a bit modified.
From Kesa Gatame, the goal is to thread the arm that goes around the opponent’s head as far as possible. the crook of your elbow should end up on the back of their neck. You then gable grip your arms and project your weight forward by shifting your hips. The goal is to pull their chin towards their chest while compressing their ribs at the same time.
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The Ninja Choke
This one is a real breath stopper, both for the person on bottom and anyone watching you perform it. It is a lapel choke that comes out of nowhere and is so simple your opponents will hate themselves fro tapping out to it. all you need to do is loosen up your own lapel, on the side that is further from the opponent’s head. This is extremely easy to sneak through and people usually are none the wiser as to what is going on.
The goal is to feed the nd of the lapel to the hand of the arm that’s under the head. And by feed, I mean really feed it deep. Elbow goes back and you simply place your head to the near side hip. The choke is unstoppable and people are going to double-tap with both arms like they’re playing drums.
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Truck transition
I mentioned Kesa Gatame several times so far, so now let’s look at the Reverse Kesa Gatame a swell, AKA the twister side control. One more Eddie Bravo brainchild, the Twister version opens up crazy amounts of side control attacks. However, getting to the back via the Truck ahs to be the most attractive and unexpected one. Twister side control is basically Kesa Gatame, but with you facing the legs. For the Truck transition, you want to pull the far leg of the opponent to the ground (wind the hips up). You then use your bottom leg to hook that same leg you’re pulling, as deep towards the knee as possible.
The roll, which is the attractive part, is actually easy. Place both your shoulders on the mats, on the opposite side of your opponent. Now either pull your legs towards your torso for the Truck or extend them fro Twister or back control.
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Knee On Neck choke
The credit for this one goes to Roberto Cyborg Abreu. As a blue belt, I had an awesome time choking people left and right with this one. I’ve forgotten about it a bit, so this means that I’ll have to dust it off and have some fun with it once again. This is oen of those side control attacks that work perfectly in both Gi and no-gi.
From side control, any side control, just hold the opponent’s own collar with the arm that’s under their head. Pop up, either directly or from knee on belly, and place the point of your knee on their carotid. push with the knee, pull with the arms (your second one is holding the pants at knee level. In No-Gi, both your arms connect behind their neck with an S-grip, near side arm going under the armpit like for a paper cutter choke.
Summary
Side control attacks don’t have to be boring, nor predictable. On the contrary, spice things up by introducing unexpected moves and throwing caution to the wind. Who knows what else is going to open up fr you once you let loose from side control. It is all about how you move when in side control, not about how well you stay in place.
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]]>The post Bottom Side Control Submissions – A Nasty Surprise! appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>As a position, side control is awesome. You get to project weight on the person on bottom and you have a bunch of variations to switch between. Plus you can submit with just about any kind of submission. If you’re the person on the bottom, you have to endure weight, look to fend of submissions and all the while try and get out of the position. That’s a lot of work for anyone, regardless of level. Well, have you heard the quote “work smart, not har”? It applies perfectly to bottom side control. What would be the perfect way of completely turning such a bad BJJ position to your advantage? How about a few nasty and effective bottom side control submissions?
Counter Attacking From Bad Positions
You might often hear something like “there are no bad positions in BJJ, just more difficult ones’> Well, let me tell you that this is not true at all! IF you’ve ever had a black belt on your back or a 100+ heavier competitor in side control you know what I mean. Not to mention all the 50/50 and leg lock craziness of today. Bad spots certainly exist and if you need more proof, just take a look at the point system in Jiu-Jitsu. Do you know all those spots that bring you a bunch of points? Try not to get caught in them. They’re the bad spots.
That aside, bad spots do not necessarily mean a match is over. As you know, there are few answers to any question in BJJ. The only thing you need to do is actually ask the correct questions. In terms of side control, it is not about escaping. Sure, getting out is the ultimate goal. However, the first and most important goal is staying safe. No point in wasting time and energy escaping just to end up in an armbar right? So, whenever you’re on the bottom, stick to the well known defensive principles – keep your elbows close, protect your neck and try to create distance. Only then can you think about the next step.
Speaking of the next step, let’s look at some “lazy” BJJ for a change. Instead of bridging and doing other energy-consuming stuff, why not get a submission of your own? What’s that? There are no side control submissions from the bottom? Well, that’s not the case at all. In fact, there are several, and the only thing you need to know is which of them work, and which will get you in even more trouble.
Surprise Bottom Side Control Submissions
Below, we have several bottom side control submissions for you that will achieve one of two goals. You’ll either get a tap without having to waste energy or you’ll get out easily. What’s more important you might just do both at the same time with our selection of bottom side control submission too.
Before we go into the submissions themselves, let’s talk principles a little bit. We already covered that you need to stay safe in bottom side control first and foremost. When you’re looking for submissions from there, you also need to know one important thing – you need to be effective. That mans nasty, sneaky, surprising, fast little submission holds that don’t require elaborate setups. To that extent, you do not have many options that won’t leave you exposed. However, the four submissions we’ll go over her are the exception to the rule. They work at the highest level of grappling and are applicable in both Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu.
Reverse Triangle
The most famous of all bottom side control submissions is the reverse triangle choke. It is also a move many claims won’t work. Well, the trick, as you might know, is in the details. Once again, for a successful reverse triangle from the bottom side, you need to be safe at first. Next, you want correct arm placement before you et into the submission itself. What you want here is to trap the arm that’s under your head. This is imperative. From there, turn to the side, catch the opposite arm with your legs and remain there as long as you want. You’re safe. To finish, simply push on the head and warp up the triangle.
D’arce Choke
The D’arce choke, as I’ve stated on multiple occasions is my one favorite choke out there. One reason for that is that you can slap it on from virtually anywhere. Speaking of anywhere, bottom side control is definitely one of the best position to set it up. For this, you need to have an overhook around the arm that’s near your hips, unlike the triangle. That’s all. This will keep you safe and make your opponent move into the D’arce themselves. All you need to do is rotate to get your head under their hips. Form there, the arm you have overhooking theirs is all set up for the choke. Just get the figure four grip and finish right there, or sweep and tap from the top.
Squirrel Lock
This is one of the most attractive submissions in all of BJJ not just among bottom side control submissions. It is an innovative move, proven to work at black elt by its founder, Oliver Geddes who is a Roger Gracie black belt. For the Squirrel Lock, your focus is on the far side arm once again. This time, though, you want to grip the wrist and place your nearest knee-deep inside the crook of the elbow. Once again, this is your position zero safe spots. Form there you use the other leg to establish a figure four grip on the arm.IN essence, you finish with a Kimura with your legs from the bottom. Or, you can roll the opponent on their back and get them from the top. It’s up to you.
Americana Counter Submission
We left the simplest and sneakiest of our bottom side control submissions last. Many people think the Americana from the bottom is just a waste of time. However, if you get it right, it can actually turn into your go-to move from bottom side control. This is, in fact, a Hail Mary move that works when you’ve missed out on staying safe as your number 1 goal.
When an opponent tries to get you with an Americana and has their grip in, you need to think of your own submission. First, though, you need to keep your arms safe by grabbing your own wrist with your free arm. Then, use this to roll your opponent over so that you’re not only safe, bot on top. Finally, the Americana is going to be right there for you to return the favor.
Final Words
Submitting people is what we’re all in BJJ for. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise, we’re all looking for that tap any chance we get. The satisfaction of submitting someone is even bigger when it comes as a complete surprise. These bottom side control submissions are guaranteed to both get you fast taps and lots of satisfaction. You just need a bit of drilling to get used to them.
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]]>When we talk about the common issues that beginners face in terms of side control there are two usual culprits. People either struggle with maintaining side control or attacking from the position. The tricky nature of side control makes it impossible for you to both pin an opponent and successfully attack at the same time. OR so it seems. One of the best tips I can offer beginners is to change their either-or approach to this issue by implementing the three basic principles of BJJ side control mastery we’ll discuss below.
The Essentials Of BJJ Side Contol
The first thing you need to get out of your head as a beginner is the notion of side control as a control position. Actually, let me rephrase that. Side control is not a position that’s as comfortable as the mount or back mount. From BJJ side control, you actually need to stay mobile WHILE you stay heavy. That is actually at the core of the first two principles of a successful side control game. Furthermore, you need to know precisely what kind of attacks you can get with a high degree of success. Remember that in order to finish some high-percentage submissions, you’ll actually need to either switch position or abandon side control altogether.
The tricks to having an easy time in side control are not complicated. All you need to do is remain heavy, be willing to switch between side control variations (there are plenty) and know how to attack. IN fact, you should actually mix attacks as well, as you’ll see later on. If you can get the hang of these three principles, side control is going to turn into one of your best weapons. Give them a try and shave months and years of frustration of your side control mastery.
Be Heavy
If there’s one thing in BJJ that makes all the difference, it is pressure. While the concept is easy, learning how to apply it is actually really hard. Moreover, explaining someone how to put pressure on an op[ponent is equally as challenging. In all honesty, this will take years as you can only develop a pressure game trough experience. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be heavy.
The distinction here is that you do not need the pressure to stay heavy. BJJ side control is atop position, meaning all you need to do is let gravity work for you. Conversely, the heavier you are, the harder it’ll be for an opponent to move. Remember that pinning someone doesn’t just mean you need to get into wrestlers side control and hold them down. It will work, undoubtedly, but it’ll require all your limbs. In other words, if you hold someone down like a wrestler you won’t be able to transition or attack.
Instead of trying to pin your opponent’s down. Just do one simple thing – relax. AS you get side control, relax all your body weight on top of your opponents. I know, it is counterintuitive and it’ll take a few weeks until you get a feel for it. However, it is worth the effort as it’ll allow you to both pins the bottom person down, and be able to look for attacks.
Know All BJJ Side Control Variations
Another cardinal rule of BJJ is that tacks work best when they’re done form the correct position. IN regard to BJJ side control, this is particularly important. The best part about side control is actually the fact that there are a bunch of variations of the position. Basically, anything between the half guard and the mount is a version of side control. In fact, there are 5 positions you absolutely have to know if you want to have success with BJJ side control attacks.
First up, you have what everyone sees as side control as beginners, the wrestler’s side control. This is great to stabilize the position and get points but not to attack. This is where the 100 kilos variation comes into place, or a kind of a sprawls fro mBJJ side control. This makes you heave while allowing you to start setting up attacks. Depending on your preferences and the opponent’s reactions you can go in three more directions.
The Kesa Gatame or scarf hold is the first. This is another position you’re all too familiar with but most likely do not consider to be a side control variation. Well, both the scarf hold and the twister side control (reverse scarf hold) are. Moreover, the fifth (but by no means last) variation is North-South. This is one more position people do not really think of as being a side control variation. The more you can transition between all of these, the harder it will be to escaper. Furthermore, each variation brings about unique attacking opportunities as well. In other words, more positions = more attacks in your arsenal.
Be Versatile In Attack
Finally, let’s talk a bit about attacks. Once again we have duality here. Attacking from side control can either mean getting a better position (back mount or mount) or getting a submission. In terms of attacking you need to be able to use everything that;’s at your disposal. For example, when you’re attacking with the Gi, you can get better control, and even submissions by using the lapels. However, if that doesn’t work, you can switch to No-Gi attacks like the North-South choke and surprise your opponents!
Another great way to get what you want is to use threats. You can threaten your opponent with a transition to mount, for example, and make them give up a submission (think D’arce or lapel Brabo choke). Or you can go for a submission (say an Americana) in order to get a transition to the mount or back mount. There’s no real limit here as long as you remember to be heavy and work with all side control variations when you attack.
In fact, one of the best things you can do to master BJJ side control is to pick up Bernardo Faria’s latest instructional. In it, he covers pretty much every way of dominating from side control. Across 4 volumes, “Side Control Submissions” is going to teach you how to finish anyone that ends up in your side control!
Conclusion
All it takes to master BJJ side control is to understand how attacks work. It is as simple as being heavy, switching between side control variations, and having multiple threats ready. If you keep doing that over and over again your opponents will be left guessing what comes next. And, the more they’re in the dark, the easier it will be for you to get a tap. God, I wish someone told me all of this back when I was a white belt!
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]]>While it’s easy to escape von flue choke some people still fall into it due to lack of Jiu-Jitsu knowledge in the first place. In the second place, people just don’t want to let go of “submission” they think they have. And in the situation like this when the guy on top has his body on the other side of the guillotine choke Von Flue is inevitable.
If you want to learn everything about Von Flue Choke make you follow THIS LINK. You’ll be able to learn how to apply and also watch some videos of Von Flue Choke being applied in MMA.
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]]>There are plenty of old-school grappling techniques that somehow found their way into BJJ. Especially when BJJ was on the rise, before a unified rule set and all that, people were experimenting constantly. Since BJJ still had no clear outline, the Gracies took everything in, from Judo to catch wrestling, as long as it worked. For a while there, BJJ went into a slight stagnation period, in terms of its openness towards moves from other grappling martial arts. Lately, though, Jiu-Jitsu is back on the evolution fast track. A huge factor here is the will to experiment with moves and/or positions coming from other arts. Things that did not work as well before might be killer techinques in modern Jiu-Jitsu. Like the BJJ scarf hold, for example.
Getting someone in a scarf hold is as instinctive as it can get. Well, not exactly in a BJJ scarf hold pers say, but still. Even children when they get in a scrape often go for a sort of a headlock that ultimately ends up in what we know as the playground scarf hold. There’s something about controlling the head of another person that guides us instinctively to look for it even under distress. So why not use such a natural instinct to our advantage? Especially when we’re already in a sport that involves controlling the head, neck and every other body part of another resisting person. The scar hold is a very useful position to use in BJJ. While it has no practical merit whatsoever as a takedown move (despite success on the playground), it does offer control and submission options suitable for all levels.
The Scarf Hold AKA Kesa Gatame
Let’s look at the basic Judo version of the BJJ scarf hold. The original Kesa Gatame position is, in essence, a side control variation. The goal is to use one arm to wrap the opponent’s head from the far side. The arm should fo as deep as possible around the neck, so that it comes out on the other side. The goal here is to have rotational control over the head, while also picking the head up. This bends the spine, making it almost impossible to move. As if this isn’t enough, pulling on the head of your opponent additionally bends the neck to the side, making the position extremely uncomfortable.
The goal of the other arm is to control the near arm of the opponent. This is a key thing to remember if you want any success with the BJJ scarf hold. In particular, you need to keep the opponent’s elbow off the ground at all times. A C-grip on the back of the triceps, along with a closed elbow is more than enough to keep their arm trapped for good.
Your body should be facing the opponent, your ribs on the side of their ribcage. the hips should be low on the mats, with the bottom leg extended forward and the other one back. The further out your legs are, the heavier you’ll be.
Finally, your head needs to be down low, right next to the opponent’s head. Aim to place your forehead on their near side shoulder, grinding the side of the face if need be.
Looking form ore information on the traiditonal Judo style Kesa Gatame? Check out the “The Judo Academy” DVD by Jimmy Pedro and Travis Stevens! Master it and nobody is going to escape your scarf hold ever again!
Controlling From the Scarf Hold
In terms of Judo, the Kesa game offers such complete control, that unless you know very specific escapes there’s no way out. This was exactly why I was so frustrated as a Judo beginner. The coach had me trying to escape Kesa Gatame fro close to a month before showing me a way out. The next couple of months were all about keeping the position and controlling an opponent.
The trouble with the Judo version is that in Judo, you can win by pinning an opponent for a short period of time. In BJJ, an opponent is going to find a way out eventually, or you’ll be penalized for stalling. Plus, there are a few more escapes than the standard Judo one. All this means that controlling the BJJ scarf hold is a dynamic effort, rather than a static one.
Since the scarf hold is a variation of side control, it doesn’t land you any points on its own but works perfectly to stabilize a pass, which brings 3 points. So keeping someone there is good for a while until you tire them out and make them uncomfortable. Ultimately, you’ll have to either transition or submit them. For control purposes, look to place the palm of the hand you have wrapped around the opponent’s head on the inner thigh of your bottom leg. This will torque the head even more and allow you to adjust your hips for transitioning without losing position.
Also, be wary of the positioning fo your legs. You’ll need to keep your back leg active and very low to the ground because a simple hook can open up a path to your back.
Easy Submissions
The first and easiest submission is one from Judo. The one thing you can attack without sacrificing any of the control you have is the trapped arm. Since you already have control of the elbow and a good grip, hitting an armbar, is extremely easy. Simply extend their arm, using your bottom leg as a fulcrum. To finish, you can put your foot and press down, or use your leg to hook and pull back for a brutal and fast finish.
Another really easy thing to get from the BJJ scarf hold is an arm triangle, Once again, the position is nearly set, as you have the arm around the head. You also have great control over the opposite side arm, requiring just a slight setup. Often times opponents make it easier by pushing on your head. All you need to do is brush their arms past and drop your head down to lock the choke in. From there, you go belly down and finish your arm triangle.
The final submission is a slightly unusual, yet brutally effective one. It is a catch wrestling move that Josh Barnett used to submit Dean Lister at Metamoris. The chest choke is similar to an arm triangle, up to a point, After you get their arm to their neck, instead of dropping down you push with your hips and lift their head even further. The goal is to use your ribs to put pressure on their chest while pulling via an S-grip with your arms.
https://bjj-world.com/difference-japanese-jiu-jitsu-bjj/
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]]>The post The Elvis Choke – The Nastiest Little Choke in Jiu Jitsu appeared first on BJJ World.
]]>It’s actually a choke from side control that is super easy to apply and something your opponent wouldn’t expect. Check out the choke in a video below.
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