From the wrist, to the shoulder and everything in between, every joint has an arm lock to attack it. From top or bottom position there are Armbars, Americanas, Kimuras and Wrist Lock submissions there for the taking.
Start by learning the basic mechanics of the technique, then focus on the little details to perfect your arm lock. Finally drill them from a variety of setups and entries so your arm locks are a threat from guard or top control.
Keenan Cornelius shows a string of possible submissions from the mount. Many opponents when mounted will try to escape with a hip bump. When they bump and you place your hands on the mat it’s common for them to grab around your back. Trap one arm with your elbow and then lock it in with your knee. From this position Keenan runs through a series of submissions to try each one leading to another if the first one is missed. It’s an extremely dominant position and in this excellent video Keen shows how to capitalise on this position with high percentage submissions.
Breakdown of the Helicopter Armbar & a bonus Helicopter Triangle.
Ryron and Rener Gracie breakdown the helicopter armbar to celebrate the first? application of this technique in a televised MMA fight.
How to do the helicopter armbar
A lot needs to happen to get a helicopter armbar. First up your opponent needs to be standing over you with their feet close to your hips and you controlling at least one wrist and a lapel or preferably two wrists. From here with feet on hips either pull them forward or scoot under their hips and lift with your feet. It’s critical for this that you are under their hips or you feet will just push them away. Lift like you are doing a front sweep but instead of bringing them over your head spin them 90 degrees. Then drop them buy removing your foot from their far hip. As they fall take that free leg over their head knee bent ready to pull them in to your hips as you apply the armbar.
Once you’ve done the helicopter armbar in rolling eventually your training partners will learn to suck their elbows in and escape. This is where the helicopter triangle comes in useful.
How to do the helicopter triangle
From guard with a standing opponent and control of at least both arms. Open your guard and get both feet on their hips. Then shift your hips under theirs and use your feet to lift them off the ground. From this position you should be able to easily hold their weight. Keeping your left foot on their hip, extend your right arm so that their weight is equally between your left foot and right arm (this takes a lot of practice). Now you can remove your right foot from the hip. Shoot it up over their shoulder and lock up the triangle as you allow them to drop to their feet.
To avoid being picked up and slammed (you are now triangling a standing opponent), turn 90 degrees to your right and secure their left leg, reaching through and grape vining back around the leg. This prevents them picking you up while you squeeze and finish the triangle.
Rener Gracie and UFC star Bryan Ortega breakdown the second successful omoplata in UFC history. Heavyweight Adam Wieczorek defeats Arjan Bhullar with omoplata from guard.
The boys not only cover how to apply the omoplata, but also what to do to escape the omoplata should you get caught in a similar situation. To escape the key is, do not go belly down. In the beginning the key to escaping is to allow your arm to go limp and twist it free. When you resist with a stiff arm it only makes things worse. If you can’t get your arm free immediately go for the cross body jump escape. If that fails, then roll forwards to escape.
When you’re the one applying the Omoplata, keep their arm bent back towards their body. If they get is partially straight, don’t let them get it to the ground where they can escape. Slide your top knee in towards their head, bending their elbow, and preventing the escape.
The video finishes with an excellent omoplata circuit drill.
The Perfect North South Choke Set Up & A Backup Armbar.
Jiu Jitsu Legend Marcelo Garcia teaches his set up for the north south choke. How to drive the hands away leaving you space to surprise them. Suddenly shifting from fighting their hands at their waist to encircling their neck and applying the choke.
Great details on what to do with your body once the choke is locked in. Increasing the pressure with your shoulder and keeping your body straight on, without moving around, to make the choke as tight as possible. body flat to the ground, never up on your knees.
Keep watching to the end for a sneaky spiral arm bar. It’s perfect for catching anyone who manages to roll, and get to their knees. Escaping your north south control before you can get to the choke.
Rafael Mendes Devastating Omoplata From Top Side Control.
Rafael Mendes shows off his Omoplata from top side control. This video has heaps of great details. And the sequence starts from a very achievable position. So this submission is on offer pretty much anytime you have side control locked in.
The small details like how to lock the arm in place with your elbow. And where to hold your opponent’s elbow to maintain the arm as you step around to the switch sides, are pure gold.
Once you get to the finish, this Omoplata has the victim on the wrong shoulder to roll out. In a regular Omoplata from closed guard that is the main escape route. With the side control version that’s not much of an option for the bottom player.
Bernardo Faria’s Favorite Submission From Closed Guard.
Bernardo Faria takes you through his prefered set up for the Omoplata from closed guard.
Break your opponents posture and then take an overhook. Open your guard and turn on your side bringing your leg across their back. At this point you should have their shoulder sandwiched between your knees. Pull your top leg down over their head with your opposite hand. Now you have isolated and trapped their arm. From here secure the lock by hooking the foot of your top leg underneath the knee of your other leg. Lean back and grab your opponents Gi pants at the ankle to prevent them forward rolling to escape. Sit up with your arm across their back. then stretch your legs out, turn your hips and lean forward to finish the submission.
Knight Jiu Jitsu have an Americana for every situation.
Americanas from mount, from side control, from North South. Americanas with one arm Americanas with no arms (hint you use your legs). Honestly after watching this video I’m scared to bend my arm at all when rolling. This dude could lock in an Americana with his toes if he had too.
He even has Americanas from side mount; when he is the one who’s mounted. Holy Shit he even has a No Hander Americana from under side mount. The first time I watched this I sounded like a freestyle motocross commentator yelling Oh My God a NO Hander a No Hander. The second time through I sounded like an angry black woman “Oh No he Didn’t”. Only he did.
He finishes with a standing Americana. Perfect for those times when you want to get a finish, but can’t be bothered taking your opponent down first.
Seriously I’m not sure why we don’t see the Standing Americana more in MMA. It seems like it should possible when wrestling up against the cage. Obviously it’s harder to lock it in with no Gi and a sweaty opponent. But still, it seems like it should be possible. I’d love to know if anyone’s seen it.
3 Variations on The Hook Sweep Including a Straight Armbar.
Steve Campbell first explains how to do a classic hook sweep. If your opponent manages to post an arm stopping the sweep. Then Steve teaches how to transition smoothly into a straight armbar. Should your opponent be aware of the threat of the armbar and turn their hand palm up avoiding the armbar. Then Steve has a third variation that flows from the failed armbar back into a hook sweep.
Firas Zahabi Teaches You How To Safely Learn The Flying Armbar.
Firas teaches two variations of the flying armbar. The first involves jumping to a closed guard like position with one shin under your opponents armpit. Then your other leg goes up over your training partners head to complete the armbar. The second version mimics an open guard armbar. In this version you’re jumping to place your shin across your opponents belly. Which makes it a little more dangerous to learn, as your training partner can’t support your leg. However once learned it has the benefit of using less explosive energy as you don’t have to jump as high to pull off this variation of the flying armbar.
Demian Maia’s Tips for Improving Your Armbar From Side Control.
UFC Legend Demian Maia shows an excellent tweek to the standard armbar from side control. Driving his weight forward & pinning his opponents arm and hip as he comes around from side control to take the armbar. This prevents even the most explosive athletes from pulling their arm free in the transition. Also note how deep he gets his foot under Bernardo’s shoulder to increase the leverage on the armbar.
