Being a while belt in BJJ doesn’t mean that you’re totally clueless or defenseless in the face of an adversary. It’s true that you don’t have many techniques down yet, but don’t be too quick to write off the amount of knowledge you garnered over the short time you attended classes.
To get you up to speed and help you become the all around great BJJ practitioner you hope to be one day, we outlined 5 submissions that you as a white belt need to master. These are:
1. Kimura from side Control
2. Straight Arm Lock From Mount
3. Triangle from Guard
4. Guillotine choke
5. Head and arm chokes
But why these specific submissions. As you can see they prepare you for any situation you might find yourself in whether on or off the mat. They also lay the ground for future improvement and other advanced techniques that you’ll pick up as you progress through the colored belts. So without further ado, let’s delve into each submission in depth.
1. Kimura from side Control
The origins of kimura go all the way back to Judo and the early beginnings of catch wrestling. As far as shoulder submissions are concerned, it’s one of the most powerful. That makes it a bit tricky to master. But once you get the ins and outs of it, you’ll come to appreciate its usefulness and the boost it brings to your game.
Kimura is named after a famous Japanese fighter who beat Gracie in one of the most memorable matches on record. Kimura employed this shoulder submission and not only did he get the submission he was gunning for, but also broke Garcie’s arm in the process.
From there the kimura was developed into a full fledged submission position and was even named the kimura trap. So what’s it all about?
You start from a closed guard and take advantage of the common mistake many novice players in that position make. When the player places both hands on the mat, that’s your cue to go after the near wrist. Once you got that hand secured, perform a secure hook over the pinned arm with your other arm.
This quickly develops into a powerful grip that some experts often refer to as the chicken wing. Not only does it give you control over the opponent’s arm but it keeps it at a precarious 90 degrees which makes it hard for the opponent to act or start a defensive maneuver.
One defense is to try to straighten the arm or keep it from being locked in that right angle shape. However, you should counter with increasing the pressure on the arm and the front of their shoulders. From there, the way to a submission is more than possible. Very few people can handle this pressure for long.
2. Straight Arm Lock From Mount
This is by far one of the most common submissions that have come to be associated with BJJ. When people think of a BJJ submission, most often than not, this is the one they’re thinking of. So what makes it so popular, nay ubiquitous, in the world of BJJ?
Two things actually. One its deceptive simplicity. The other is its power. Now you might be fooled into thinking this technique is easy enough to pick and master in one sitting or one class. But you couldn’t be wrong. The nuances of the submissions give it its enduring quality and make it one of the favorites of all BJJ players, novices and experts alike.
The thing about the arm lock is that it works in the same way the arm bar does. The only difference is your body is in the opposite direction. Here, you’re using both your hands to apply great pressure on the opponent. So when should you use this technique?
Most experts recommend you apply it when you’re on top. It works best from the top position. Most notably the mount position. The strategy to reach there is simple. Start with americana. This puts the opponent on the defensive but also opens them to a straight arm lock attack.
Remember, whatever the position you go for, always aim to trap the opponent’s arm. Once you have it secure, then you can proceed to apply your pressure and open the path for submission.
3. Triangle from Guard
When you’re looking to expand your repertoire of submissions or maybe you just haven’t found the submission technique to call your favorite yet, then the triangle from closed guard is the right one for you. It’s effective, it’s versatile, and it works almost every time.
There’s a reason this submission technique is introduced way early in your BJJ practice. It’s a fundamental component of any BJJ study, and it’s also one of the hardest to master. I mean there are brown belts who still find this technique a little tricky. Does this mean that you’ll need long and many years to perfect it? Most likely. Does that mean you should be wary of it or approach it with caution? Not at all. The more time you spend on the triangle from closed guard, the more you’ll come to love it.
The secret behind its power and popularity is that it can both set up submissions and lead to submissions. It doesn’t require a lot of strength to perform it (which if you remember is at the core of BJJ). And finally, you can make it work almost in any situation. So how do you do it?
The thing to keep in mind is that setting up this technique can make or break it. If you get this step right, your success is guaranteed. You can shift to the technique from a failed sweep, or when the opponent attempts to pass the guard. The situation on the mat is always fluid which is where experience comes in.
Any time you see an opportunity to set up the triangle from closed guard, don’t hesitate to take it. The upside here is that your opponent will never bait you with a set up. It almost happens out of oversight on the part of the rival. But once you see the opening, go for it.
Finishing the triangle is a tricky move. This is why so many players need to spend a long time practicing it and trying to get it right. But you’ll get there.
4. Guillotine choke
Another fundamental technique that goes back to the early days of BJJ. It takes its name from the famous French execution apparatus that remained in action until the second half of the 20th century. The guillotine allows you to secure the opponent’s head under your armpit. Then you reach out your forearm and wrap it around their neck. In all appearances it looks like the opponent’s head is caught in a guillotine.
But is it effective? Very few people manage to escape it. As you tighten your grip over the rival’s head and neck, you apply pressure on their carotid arteries. Now the opponent has two options: either to tap out or pass out. In either case you get your submission.
But that’s not all what the guillotine has to offer. It will not be the powerful technique it is today if variations were not introduced and improvements to the technique added over the years. Some notable variations that you should be open to learning include the 10-finger guillotine, the arm-in guillotine, the high-elbow guillotine, as well as the one-handed guillotine.
The best opponents to use the guillotine against are wrestlers. They’re known for their grappling power and aggression, but once you get a wrestler locked in the guillotine, they simply have no defense against it.
5. Head and Arm Chokes
There are many head and arm chokes that you can master and add to your arsenal of techniques so early in your BJJ journey. One of those is the d’arce choke. It has gained popularity over the recent years. You usually start by locking your wrist bone into the opponent’s neck and aim to lock their arm and neck with your arm. With the other arm you push the opponent’s head down. Lock your arms and keep your elbows close for maximum pressure.
The anaconda choke is one other technique that falls under the head and arm chokes. It is similar to the d’arce choke except that you usually reverse the order of attach. Instead of going from neck to arm, you do it the other way round. You start with the arm and go for the neck afterwards. For best results, try to finish it with a gator roll. It will take you a few tries to get this one right. But then you can resort to it whenever you feel the odds stacked up against you.