3 keys to success for hitting the armbar from closed guard

  • June 19, 2019

Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about the armbar from closed guard.

I want to find better ways to set it up against highly resistant opponents. A simple yet difficult goal, I know.

One of the ideas I’m using as the foundation for brainstorming, though, is what I like to call keys to success. These are specific objectives that must be achieved in order to facilitate the use of a technique.

And in the case of the armbar, the first key to success lies in getting the elbow of the armbar being attacked to the hip line. That’s a largely a posture battle, and there’s a sweet spot between upright posture and low posture (when an opponent’s elbows are hugging tight your body with their head down and their chest against yours).

The next key is achieved when the elbow is brought across to the center line (atleast to the belly button).

Again, it’s a battle, but one thing that I’ve realized is that winning that battle is easier with a two on one grip (cross sleeve and elbow).

Once those two objectives are achieved, the next key to success lies in controlling the shoulder of the arm being attacked. In fact, a high guard transition at that moment gives immediate dominance over an opponent’s whole upper body, and from there, it’s easy to transition to the finish.

Here’s the challenge though.

At each of those three points, there are battles to be fought, and all of them have to be won.

That’s such an interesting topic for exploration.

And for that reason, I’ve decided to make the next micro adjustment lesson all about it.

So look forward to finding it here next week:

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How to hit an one handed loop choke from kneeshield half guard

  • June 19, 2019

Why I’m changing my approach to the Sao Paolo pass

  • June 16, 2019

Why I do the sweep that Shaolin made famous differently

  • June 15, 2019

Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro is one of the OGs of the sport.

And one of the sweeps he hits from the kneeshield half guard is a thing of beauty. When done right, it seems like some gnarly ninja trickery.

I have the same sweep in my arsenal too.

But I don’t do it the same way he does.

The biggest difference lies in the fact that I abandon the kneeshield in the transition of the sweep. In fact, it’s one of first actions I take when going for it.

Why?

It’s because of the mechanics of the sweep.

In essence, it’s just a back roll, but it only works as a sweep, if you put your opponent in a position where they’re forced to do a forward roll. To accomplish that, though, it’s essential that their body be pulled across yours and that their far side shoulder touch the mat.

So the challenge lies in the how.

And when I was adding the shaolin sweep to my game coming up, I found it really hard to pull opponents my size or bigger across to the execution position with the knee in. Not only did it force me to carry a lot of weight on my legs, but it was also a barrier that impeded their movement.

Of course, one factor was attribute related. It used to be difficult to the point of being impossible for me to fully flex my legs (ie bring my heels to my gluteus maximus).

And another factor (I realize now) is that my grip on the sleeve was different than the one that Shaolin uses, and that grip definitely warrants further exploration on my part.

But it didn’t take me that long to find another solution.

I started abandoning the kneeshield when people drove into it, and the result was that they would fall into the space where my knee used to be. The momentum of that fall also made it easier to pass the sleeve across the body and with an extra little shift of the hips, opponents would drop right into the strike zone.

Worked like gangbusters for me (and still does).

In fact, I taught someone my variation of the sweep last week, and just today, he told me that he hit twice already, and one was on a guy who had some weight on him too.

If you’re curious though, I once put a breakdown of my execution on tape.

And you can find it here:

 

A shockingly simple Sao Paolo pass detail that changes everything

  • June 14, 2019

The closed guard used to be a dreaded position for me to pass.

Why?

It’s because I had limited flexibility in my legs. It was painful to sit back on my heels, so it was hard to establish proper posture. Nowadays, I’ve found ways to address that issue, but back then, I struggled.

That’s why I was so excited when I first learned the Sao Paolo pass.

It was the one of the few passes that worked without a upright posture. And more importantly, it led straight into the half guard, where I thrived both on top and bottom.

I often ran into a problem though.

While simple, the pass requires precision. Being just a little off on the pressure or angle could lead to doom in the form of a sweep or omoplata, and that’s one reason why I backed away from using it.

But now that will likely change.

Why?

Because I recently stumbled on a breakdown of the technique by Leo Nogueira, and within it was a shockingly simple detail.

And it wasn’t something that was emphasized either, but I immediately saw the possibilities, and the reality more than met the expectation when I put it to the test.

Instead of a deep underhook, which can force you to over commit to the position, he just grips the gi at the armpit and closes the elbow to dominate the inside space.

What it accomplishes is interesting.

When I was testing, it allowed me to stack to the corner with far more control and base, while giving me just another space to move through the whole transition with pressure without giving my opponent enough space to counter.

It’s the smallest adjustment.

And for me, seeing how one little grip placement variation can change a whole technique just deepens my love of the game, and I just might do a little video on the principles behind this particular pass as a result.

Hmm.

Yes, yes I will.

And it’ll be going to the Tube.

You’ll be able to find it here within a week:

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