It’s no secret that longer arms and legs can be beneficial in grappling. However, capitalizing on shorter limbs can pay off in BJJ. In this article, we will look at five submissions a shorter fighter will have a natural edge with.
5 Submissions shorter fighters should learn are:
1. Arm Triangle Choke
2. Straight Footlock
3. Guillotine Choke
4. Kimura
5. Arm bar
We will now take a more in-depth look at these submissions and why they can work well for shorter fighters.
1. Arm Triangle Choke
The arm triangle choke is a blood choke submission, which forces your arm against the arteries of the neck, leaving your opponent strangled in between your arm and their own shoulder.
Start by ensuring that you have control of your opponent’s arms with an overhook on one arm, and wrist control on the other. Follow this by moving onto your side with a hip escape, retaining control of the overcooked arm, and push the other arm away firmly as you bring your leg in. At the same time, lift your hips, allowing you to place your leg onto their neck with force. Once in place, hold your own ankle – this keeps their head down – and lock the move by placing your knee over the ankle; your opponent will likely be forced to tap out.
This move can be very useful for shorter fighters, especially when you find yourself pinned beneath your opponent. In this situation, the usual advice is to place the foot on the side of the choke on your opponent’s hip, push off, and use a butterfly hook to free yourself and regain control, ending with you in half guard.
Shorter fighters are likely to struggle with this escape, but the arm triangle choke can be manipulated to suit your smaller size. Instead of hooking the leg to free yourself, you can instead use your own body weight to roll, forcing your opponent with you and tighter into the hold.
2. Straight Footlock
The straight footlock, also known as an Achilles lock, is a grappling submission which can be very effective for fighters of all heights. In this move, pressure is generated by pressing your foot against the rib cage of your opponent, and by moving your hips forward. At the same time, you apply an upward force with your forearm at the Achilles heel of your opponent – hence the name. The move is an attempt to force the ankle into excessive plantarflexion, and this will prove super painful for your opponent, forcing them to tap out before too long.
One of the biggest issues often faced by shorter fighters is an inability to maintain hip control when they arrive at the best position for a straight footlock. Subvert this by bringing the outside leg back underneath your opponent’s locked leg in a “De La Riva” style hook, offering support and freeing up your other leg to move and regain control, before completing the footlock as you usually would. Additionally, ankles come with very little muscle; a good grip in this area will make it tricky for your opponent to get the better of you.
3. Guillotine Choke
The guillotine choke comes in two main forms; an air choke – pressure is placed against the windpipe of your opponent., and a blood choke – pressure is placed on the arteries in the neck. A guillotine choke can be done while standing, or from the ground; this makes it advantageous for shorter fighters.
To choke from a standing position, start by pulling down the head of your opponent with your head on their neck, or by pulling down their GI. Place your arm around the neck, slide your forearm underneath the chin, keeping the blade pressed against the neck. Grab the wrist you are using to choke with your other hand, maintaining your grip so the opponent’s head is underneath your arm. With one leg forward, twist your hips towards your front leg to execute the move.
Fighters can also try a spine locking version of the move; lower your opponents head, and wrap your arms around the head before turning it towards the hand of the choking arm with your forearm – this puts pressure on the spine. Place the free hand on your opponents back, and hold the wrist of your planted hand using the hand you are using to choke, and lean back.
The flexibility of the guillotine makes it a secret weapon for shorter fighters; it can be set up standing or from the ground. Additionally, the focus on the neck ensures that several muscle groups are engaged; getting a good grip here will put you in a great position for forcing your opponent to tap out.
4. Kimura
The kimura, also known as a double wristlock, is a lock which has often proven to be one of the most popular submissions in MMA. The wrist of your opponent is grabbed with your hand on the same side, and your opposite arm placed behind that of your opponent, grabbing their wrist, creating a figure four shape.The move places pressure on the shoulder and elbow joints through controlling the other body and cranking the opponent’s arm away from the body.
Shorter fighters can take full advantage of the kimura lock, as it allows you to use your opponent’s weight against them; the submission works primarily by isolating elbow and shoulder joints, and applying leverage through these. Your opponent will have two choices very quickly: tap out, or risk a broken arm.
5. Arm bar
A super popular submission in the world of MMA, the arm bar forms one of the most commonly used joint locks. The leg is placed across the chest of your opponent, with one of their arms between your thighs, and the elbow joint placed against your hips.
The success of most armbars is dependent on the correct use of your bodyweight, and this makes it a great move for shorter fighters. You don’t need to be tall to carry off this submission with confidence; all you need is to be able to manipulate the weight of both parties to your full advantage, allowing you to create an unbreakable hold without needing an extensive reach.
How Can Shorter Fighters Gain The Advantage?
One of the best tips for shorter fighters is to focus on their defence. Your shorter stature gives you a number of advantages, including speed and agility, which can help you take down opponents twice your size.
Positional Dominance
A dominant position ensures that one fighter has significant leverage and advantage over the other. Positional dominance allows offensive maneuvers to be used more effectively, making it easier to control or subdue the other party.
Sweeping
When sweeping, smaller fighters can use their opponent’s weight against them, rolling it across your body to gain the advantage. Scissor and elevator sweeps are all good options, along with outside sweeps, and anything from a deep half guard.
Deep half guard position
The deep half guard is perfect when facing a bigger opponent, as the primary concept involved keeping their weight off you. This can be perfect for turning the tables on your opponent, and allows you plenty of control, as well as multiple opportunities to attack. With the deep half guard, the size of the fighter is less of an issue; you can use this to dominate your opponent, even when coming from a defensive position. Sweeps are one of the most useful moves here; a hook sweep can set you up for success, even against a much taller opponent.
Underhooks
Underhooks on the arms give you full control of the upper and lower body; this sets you up to perform a super powerful sweep, using your legs as the perfect leverage. The move can be performed from any direction; place one arm under the opponent’s arm, allowing you to hold their upper body or midsection. There are two main options; single underhooks have one arm, while both are a double underhook. If you can get a good grip on an underhook, you can control the majority of your opponent’s movements, regardless of their size or weight.
Butterfly hooks
Another popular move for shorter fighters is the butterfly hooks; this is perfect for throwing off the fighter with the top position. The fighter on the bottom uses their feet as hooks on the inside of the opponents legs. The goal is to lift off the fighter on top using legs and feet – this gives you a chance to escape their hold.
Shorter fighters have a number of advantages when it comes to gaining the upper hand; the main concept is using your opponent’s weight against them. While taller fighters have a longer reach, a shorter fighter will pack more power behind their punches, can offer a more explosive fighting style, and will often be able to use the increased weight of the taller fighter against them; the trick is in knowing the right moves, and understanding how to use them.