The armlock from the guard, like the x-choke, is one of the basic submissions taught to all beginners. The armlock is an extremely powerful submission primarily because it utilizes the entire body to put pressure on the elbow of the opponent. Done right, it can be an extremely useful tool, should you find yourself on your back with an opponent on top of you. Let’s look at some of the mechanics of how to apply a very tight armlock.
1. With your legs wrapped around your opponent (guard position). Take your left hand and cup the back of your opponents right elbow. Now with your right hand grab the wrist of the same hand.
2. Moving your hip slightly to the left as you release your lock with your legs, place your left foot on your opponent’s right hip.
3. At this point you want to ensure that your are pressing your opponent’s arm tight to your chest. Take your right leg and place it as high on your opponent’s back as you can, you will find that your body will start to turn to allow you to get to that higher position. Once you’ve gotten that leg up high, clamp it down on his back, tight!
4. Back to your left foot. Now it’s time to start to angle off, while keeping the pressure downwards with your right leg, start to push on his hip with your left foot. You will find yourself turning so that you and your opponent begin to look like a “T”, that’s if you were looking at it from above.
*The key point here is that the more you turn and try to make that “T”, the less you’ll struggle in getting your left leg to go over his head for the finish.
5. Once the “T” is established, you’ll be able to simply take your left leg and place it over the opponent’s head.
6. For the finish: Your body must do several things at once; squeeze your knees together as tight as you can, keep that grip on your opponent’s arm, begin to lift your hip like you were doing a bridging excercise, except that your feet aren’t on the ground, your support is his body.
Now it’s just a matter of extending the bridge until you’ve put enough pressure on his arm to make him submit.
In the following video we will be demonstrating the X-choke. Here are some of the major points you need to remember in order to make your choke secure so that you can enhance your chances of landing this powerful submission.
It all starts with the first grip
Open the collar with your right hand, making sure your left hand slides up the collar all the way until you can feel the back of his neck with the back of your hand. Keep you arm loose, don’t pull him down, use your legs to keep control of your partner. Pulling only serves to weaken your grip and as you’ll see in the demonstration, the more you pull the more your first grip slides down to the side of his neck.
Now it’s time for the second hand
Use your legs to control your opponent and get him closer to you. Use a fake attack by first reaching up towards your opponents face. Then quickly come back under your left arm and begin to slide your right hand up the opposite collar. Often students have difficulty getting a strong grip with the second hand. Make sure; 1. stay relaxed, the hand will slide easier. 2. if his collar is tight, use your fingers to walk up his collar. At this point, try to reach all the way meeting both your hands behind his neck.
Applying the choke
Watch the hands…holding the grip they will begin to turn facing the palms up, remember to keep your forearms tight against your partners collar bones, that will help to keep him from tucking his chin. Now with the palms turned upward, your partner should be feeling the effects of the choke already, to enhance it, start to slowly bring your opponent closer to you, remember not to spread your elbows at this point or you’ll take the pressure off the carotids and on to his wind pipe. Keep your elbows tight to your rib cage as you bring him down to your chest.
Done right, your partner should be tapping before his head is touching your chest. Try it out and let us know what you think!
Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy heelhook21@aol.com
Team RGDA - Team Gracie Humaita
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