Phoenix BJJ & MMA Academy Technique of the Month

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Video Techniqes

Phoenix BJJ & MMA Academy Technique of the Month - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Video Techniqes

Taking the Back to a Triangle Choke

This move is part of a sequence I like to teach at our facility were we go from a kimura from guard to a straight compression lock to taking the back to the triangle. As your opponent attempts to shake you off of his back you keep tight control of the lat by reaching over their back. Use your other hand to control their arm. Now take your leg that is under their body and thread it between their arms and around their head. At the same time let go of your opponents lat and fall to your back. Grab your shin that is over the opponents head, post your other foot on the opponents hip, push off perpendicular and lock the triangle. To finish rotate the leg that completes the triangle lock so your thigh is facing you and squeeze.

Key Points:
1) To make this work you need to really attempt to take your opponents back. This distracts your opponent so they don’t thing about the triangle.
2) As your opponent shakes you don’t let go of his lat muscle or his near arm.
3) Keep tight to opponent and weave your bottom leg through the opponents arms and around the head.
4) Finish using good triangle mechanics. Grab your shin, push off perpendicular, lock the triangle, and pull down on opponents head.
5) Don’t forget to rotate leg that is locking the triangle so the thigh is facing you.

Guillotine Standing Guard Pass

This week we are showing how to perform a guillotine guard pass from standing. Many times as we stand the opponent will start trying to entangle our legs with their legs. If you sit there and allow them to tie you up with their legs they will be able to get to the de la riva guard or x-guard. To counter this as soon as they start to tangle my legs I come down on top of them and wrap my arm around their head with my hand controlling the chin. Your opponent will decide which side you are jumping to by how they entangle your legs. Once you have control of the opponents head they will start trying to turn towards you to get on top. The problem your opponent will have is they need to let your leg out of half guard to get on top. While they try to turn on top you can easily counter them by just pushing your chest into them. You then work your free arm inside to grab your wrist to set up the guillotine. Now let your opponent come to their knees and wrap them with your legs. To finish you need to get your forearm on the opponents collar bone. You are going to use the forearm of the hand that is grabbing your wrist. Now just push your forearm into the opponents collarbone and pull your other wrist into your opponents throat.

Key Points:

  • 1) Do not hang out in the standing position and allow your opponent to completely control your legs with their own.
  • 2) When you fall to your side to pass you need to fall to the side facing your opponent.
  • 3) Always fall so that your opponent is in front of you. If you fall so they are behind you they will take your back.
  • 4) As you land immediately wrap up their head tight. Head control is what prevents them from getting on top easily.
  • 5) Make sure when you use your free hand to trap their wrist you do not accidentally lock around their arm.
  • 6) Once the guillotine is locked up remember to let your opponent come up to their knees so you can wrap them up with your legs.
  • 7) Use your forearm on the collarbone to apply guillotine pressure. This is very tight, harder to counter, and will save your elbows from getting tendinitis.

Spinning Armbar from Closed Guard


This week we are showing how to perform a spinning arm lock from the closed guard. Start by grabbing opponents wrist with your opposite hand (left had grabs right wrist and vice versa). Now use your free hand to underhook opponents leg. Pull your head to your opponents leg, lift your hips so you are on your upper back, move the leg near under hooked leg into opponents armpit, and swing your other leg out wide and bring it over opponents head. To finish this submission squeeze the knees, pull both of your heels towards your butt, lift your hips, and pull on the opponents trapped arm.

Key Points:

  • 1) As you grab opponents wrist you must initiate the attack immediately. If you wait your opponent will realize you are attacking the arm and will begin to counter.
  • 2) Make certain you lift the hips up as you spin. It is easier to spin when you are on your upper back because there is less surface area to cause friction on the mat.
  • 3) Spin perpendicular to opponent. Its the spinning motion to perpendicular that knocks opponent off balance and prevents the counter. If you are not perpendicular and attempt to throw your leg over opponents head you will be smashed down and the arm lock will not work.
  • 4) DO NOT CROSS YOUR FEET once you have arm lock. Crossing the feet removes all the pressure from the opponents head and allows them to posture up.
  • 5) Leg near the under hook moves to opponents armpit and pressures opponent towards their head. This keeps your opponent off balance to prevent posturing and allows an easier arm lock finish.
  • 6) Leg over the head is the leg that controls posture. You want a deep bite with this leg. The opponents neck should be all the way in your knee joint. Pull your heel to your butt to put a lot of downwards pressure on your opponents neck.
  • 7) Make certain your opponents thumb is facing up when trying to finish the arm lock. When the thumb is up the elbow will be facing your hips allowing you to finish the arm lock.
  • 8 ) Use good arm lock mechanics. Pull both feet to your butt, squeeze your knees, turn opponents hand so the thumb is up, lift your hips, and pull on the opponents arm.

Hook Sweep From Butterfly Guard

This weeks technique is a hook sweep from the butterfly guard.  This specific version of the hook sweep requires an over/under hook lock up.  This version of the hook sweep does not work as well against good wrestlers because it is extremely difficult to get and, keep your, under hook.  We will post the hook sweep that does not require an under hook at a later date.

Key Points to Remember:

  • Make certain you grab the shoulder and not the lat muscle when getting your under hook.  If you grab the lat your opponent will be able to smash your under hook and break your control.  When you grab the shoulder and lift your under hook arm you take away all of your opponents leverage.
  • Once you have the under hook and over hook keep your upper body tight to your opponents.  If you give your opponent space they will be able to get their over hooked arm inside and push you away.
  • Make certain you fall to your side when you sweep.  DO NOT fall back or diagonal.  If you do not fall to your side your opponent will flatten you and stuff your sweep.
  • As you send your leg through as you fall sideways you need to post on your toes.  This allows you to turn your hips over and it gives you better leverage to get your hips high in the air.