Jiu Jitsu is a Japanese martial arts that dates back to the 1530s. Today it is practiced by millions of people around the world, and that’s mainly due to the popularization of it by the Brazilian fighters.
Continue readingThe Gracie Family is a well-known martial arts family with roots in the Brazilian city of Belém and Paisley, Scotland.
They are renowned for developing the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu self-defense martial arts systems.
Continue readingThere are many fight fans around the world that love mixed martial arts and admire how in shape most of the fighters are. Many fans want to get into that exact shape, but don’t know how to get an MMA body.
Continue readingThis Top 10 Deadliest Jiu-Jitsu Submissions list came to mind while watching some videos on Youtube of Metamoris. The now-defunct promotion company that was host to many great jiu-jitsu competitions.
It had me thinking – Jiu-jitsu is known for having a strong reputation for grappling. Some of the greatest UFC fighters have won their matches using a Jiu-Jitsu submission – so I thought I’d write about these moves.
I’ll list Jiu-jitsu submissions that are sure to leave your opponent helpless on the ground. From chokes to armlocks, these techniques will have you dominating the mats in no time.
Whether you are a beginner looking for new strategies, or a seasoned practitioner looking for new ways to tap-out your opponent, these submissions will have you covered.
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Although an armbar is one of the first and basic submissions you learn in jiu-jitsu, it’s one of the most deadliest.
An armbar is a submission hold that is used to restrain an opponent’s arm. It is a very effective submission hold that can be used in a variety of grappling styles, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, judo, and wrestling.
People often ask can you break someone’s arm with an armbar? The answer is yes!
An armbar from mount position can can really cause damage to your opponent. If you apply enough pressure when straightening out the arm, locked in position, you can completely disable the arm.
It’s all about positioning and if you have the arm locked in correctly. Whether you break it or dislocate it doesn’t matter. You’re still doing vital damage to the person’s arm.
Watch any UFC match or jiu-jitsu competition, and see when a competitor is in an armbar if he doesn’t tap-out right away. They don’t want to risk their arm being dislocated.
With that being said it still does happen to some fighters. It can happen quickly. It’s all apart of fighting.
The Hammerlock is a devastating submission that can pop your opponent’s shoulder out of place. It’s a move often seen being used by the police.
The Hammerlock can be set up from the top closed guard, pinning his arm, or from the bottom closed guard. This is what happens in sequence:
The Kimura was created by Japanese Judo legend, jiu-jitsu competitor, and professional wrestler. It was introduced to the world in the infamous jiu-jitsu match between Masahiko Kimura and Helio Gracie.
Kimura managed to put Helio is the submission hold and expected him to tap-out after a few seconds, b Helio couldn’t because he was unconscious. Not knowing that Kimura continued to twist his arm even further.
This ultimately broke Helio’s arm. The pain brought him back to consciousness. Kimura was going to bend Helio’s arm even further, but Helio’s brother Carlos threw in the towel and the referee stopped the fight.
From that day forward the submission was called the Kimura to honor its founder’s name – Masahiko Kimura.
As you can tell the Kimura arm lock is a deadly submission. It can render you unconscious and even dislocate or break your arm.
The arm triangle choke is a submission hold that is used in MMA to immobilize an opponent’s neck.
To perform the triangle choke, the fighter grasps one of their opponent’s arms with their left hand, and wraps their right arm around the opponent’s head, pulling it down towards their chest.
Once the Triangle choke is in deep it’s impossible to reverse. On average this choke takes about 8-13 seconds to put you to sleep. It’s wise for you to tap right away if placed in this choke.
If you’re the one applying this choke submission to your opponent be careful because it’s extremely dangerous.
The D’arce choke or also knon as the no gi Brabo choke, was created by a third-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt named Joe D’arce.
The D’arce choke is commonly used in jiu-jitsu competitions around the world and in combat sports such as UFC and Bellator.
There are many ways to set up this submission and many ways to finish it as well. The one fighter that has used it the most in the UFC is non other than Tony Furguson.
It always use to be fun watching him set it up and finishing it beautifully.
Here are others to watch that have done the D’arce choke well in competition, and also teach it to their students.
Not many fighters or jiu-jitsu enthusiasts know about the Ninja Choke. I often mention it to fighters and they’re always like “what’s that?”
When I’m in the gym and I mention it to students they’re as equally puzzled. They have no clue what the move is.
The Ninja Choke ws introduced to the MMA world by Shuichiro Katsumura, and it was a move that won him the Shooto featherweight crown.
The Ninja Choke is a variation of the guillotine choke and once locked in tight you will go unconscious within seconds.
This is a great submission to set up from guard and is very sneaky. Your opponent won’t know what hit him!
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Out of all the submissions listed so far, I would have to say that the Peruvian Necktie is the hardest to set up. But once you got it, it’s all over for your opponent. Sing him a lullaby because it’s bed time.
To execute this move you will use your legs to control your opponent, and put pressure on their head while your arms are grasped around the neck.
Applying extra pressure from the legs will make it a painful hold to get stuck in. Your opponent should tap-out right away.
Omoplata is a submission hold that is used to control the opponent by immobilizing their shoulder.
It is one of the most versatile submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and can be used in a variety of ways to finish the fight.
This is a move also used in Judo (ashi sankaku garami) and Catch westling (coil lock).
The technique involves taking your legs and hips and using it to extend your opponent’s shoulder joint past its normal range of motion.
If done correctly and with force, you can actually dislocate someone’s shoulder out of place.
Americana Submission From Mount Position
The Twister is a phenomenal submission that’s exciting to see a fighter execute. It’s a submission used in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and MMA.
It was created by Eddie Bravo a BJJ legend and owner of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. The Twister submission has only been used by one fighter in the UFC and that’s Jung Chan-sung aka the Korean Zombie.
This is an attack from back control – the move cranks on the neck while twisting the body in the opposite direction – quickly putting pressure on the spine.
This submission is so dangerous that it is illegal to use in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
The number one top 10 deadliest jiu-jitsu submissions is the Heel Hook. the heel hook is one of the deadliest submission to put an opponent in.
The heel hook lets you twist on the joints in the ankle by cranking on the heel. It’s extremely painful. It has made many fighters tap-out including legendary former middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
I wrote about how to do a heel hook in on of my previous articles, and it has received much views and praise.
For many years the heel hook has been banned from jiu-jitsu competitions due to the permanent damage it can have on a fighters knee and heel.
The International Brazilian Jiu-jitsu banned it completely for many years, and in 2021 reinstated it, making it legal to do leg reaping.
Black and brown belt adults can now use reaping techniques in no-gi competition. Including the inside sankaku position.
IBJJ – New Rules Concerning Heel Hooks
The Black Belt Blueprint: An Intelligent Approach to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
“The Black Belt Blue Print” is a must have for true students of jiu jitsu. Concise, yet comprehensive, it’s the guidebook I secretly yearned for when I began training. With wisdom and experience on every page, this book will enhance your journey in the gentle art.” Roy Dean – BJJ Black Belt
Click on image above
Written by Roger Gracie’s first black belt and founder of the Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood, Nicolas Gregoriades, this is a comprehensive guide to the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
It features a detailed and holistic approach to the training methods, techniques and concepts which underpin the art.
Today I’m going to go over how you can execute the Shoulder Lock From Mount Position. And just as a bonus I’ll even go into detail on how to do the shoulder lock from a few more positions.
The shoulder lock is a really great ground submission move used by Jiu Jitsu, Judo, and catch wrestling practitioners.
It’s a great submission move to use to subdue and submit your opponent in competition or in a street fight.
How To Do An Armbar From Mount
The first thing you want to do in order to secure the shoulder lock, is to get into side control. Then you want to get your knee under your opponent’s armpit.
This is known in Judo as a Kesa-Gatame. When you scoot your knee under your opponent’s armpit you want your knee to end above your opponent’s tricep.
You then want to take your right arm and establish an underhook under your opponent’s other armpit. At this point you should be holding the position tight, to the point where you are chest to chest with your opponent.
You want to hold the position nice and snug because you don’t want to leave room for your opponent to escape or fend off the move you’re attempting to do.
Now, when you’re in the Kesa-Gatame position your goal is to lock your leg around your opponent’s arm and thrust up in order to complete the submission.
So if you are taking side control from your opponents right side, your right arms should be securing and underarm hook to your opponent’s left armpit, and your right leg should be used to trap your opponent’s right arm.
The next shoulder lock I want to go over is from guard position. This is good for competition but can also work in a street fight.
To be honest I have seen it twice in a street fight and it was incredible to witness! This is perfect for a street fight because 96% of the times fights on the street end up on the ground.
And if you happen to be in a fight and it ends up on the ground, and the person you are fighting ends up on top, you have to know how to defend yourself.
How To Escape The Triangle Choke
While on your back, and your opponent is on top of you, you want to close your guard. Next you have to wait for the opportunity for your opponent to place his hands on the ground.
Or you will have to lean upward and pull your opponent towards you in order for him to place his hands on the ground in order to balance himself.
Now you want to take your left arm and underhook your opponents right arm. Right above his elbow. Your next move is to take your right hand and clasp it together with your left hand.
In wrestling they call this clasping of hands a gable grip. Once your grip has been executed you then want to lean back and twist to your left hand side.
*Key Note: When you are performing a gable grip it is important to remember that you keep your thumb tucked in and not outward. The reason for this is that the thumb tucked in makes for a tighter grip.
How this shoulder lock works is that your opponent has you in side control nd puts his forearm under your neck.
Now, typically when in side control your opponent will wrap his arm under your head to establish more control and transition into his next move.
But there will be the odd time when your opponent places their forearm under your next and apply pressure to hurt and weaken you.
Once this happens roll to your right side while simultaneously throwing your left arm up and applying and arm lock to your opponent’s arm.
Once you’ve established an arm lock you want to roll back to your left side while your opponents arm. Turn all the way until you’re on top of your opponent; completing the arm lock. Your opponent will tap.
How To Do The Arm Tringle Choke
This is a very simple shoulder lock to to do nd it’s while you are in the scarfhold position. Once you’re in the scarfhold position, you hve to secure nd control the back of your opponent’s head and arm.
Then you want to hook your arm under the elbow of you opponent, while simultaneously pushing your opponent’s head towards your other hand.
What you want to do is perform what is called an s-grip in wrestling. An s-grip with lock the hands together and have your opponent tap out, thus completing the submission.
How To Do The Arm Triangle Choke
In conclusion, the shoulder lock is an incredible ground submission that you can do from a variety of positions, such as side control, guard, back and from scarfhold.
Always remember that when you execute the gable grip to keep your thumb tucked in. This is to give the grip a tighter hold.
Also, keep in mind that in order to have solid control over your opponent, you want to make sure you’re nice and tight when doing this move.
When you are snugged in it makes it harder for your opponent to fend off or try to reverse the shoulder lock.
Today’s lesson I’m going to go over how to do an Americana Armlock From Mount position. You can also do the Americana from side control, so I’ll be going over that with you as well.
The Americana is known by many other names such as the figure four armlock, keylock, V1 armlock, Americana keylock and the ude-garami.
To apply this technique you are basically going to isolate one of your opponent’s arm, locking it into the Americana, and twist the arm into submission by using minimum force.
Jiu Jitsu is great for the smaller man/woman because nearly all the moves learned when training can use your opponents strength as leverage to submit them.
Crucifix Choke From Turtle Position
To apply the Americana choke from mount, you’re going to start in mount position. The thing to keep in mind while in mount is not to sit down on your opponent.
If you do your opponent can simply do a pelvis thrust upward and shake you out of position and attack you from the botton.
Instead of sitting down on your opponent while in mount, you want to float up and use your knees for balance. This is basic mount control
So you want to have your kneed firmly planted on the ground, your toes are active posturing up your feet, and you’re postured up over your opponent, not sitting down on them in mount position.
The next step is to get him to raise his hands up so you can actually attempt to put the submission on him. To do this you would simply start striking him in the face.
** A key thing to remember is that you are not allowed to punch or hit someone closed fist while in a jiu jitsu competition. you will get disqualified. Those are the rules. Instead you can strike your opponent open hand slaps.
Once you get your opponent to raise his arms up to defend against your open hand slaps you want to then make your move. Once you see an open take both of your hands and push down his forearm to the ground
A key thing to remember is that you want to extend your arms fully and lock it out. You don’t want your arms to be bent trying to force his arm down with your whole body.
You want to make sure you clip your elbow snugged against his neck. This is to have more control of his forearm and the submission lock.
Then you want to apply a leg hook using your rare leg while your front foot is opened up and flat, just like a frog.
The next move is to slide your hand under his elbow and grab on to the wrist of your other hand and roll both of them. You do this while simultaneously pulling your opponents arm towards you.
This will make him tap out immediately. And that’s how you complete the Americana armlock from mount position.
Americana Armlock From Mount Step-by-Step
Americana Armlock From Side Control
When in side control the first thing you want to do is take your left elbow and place it on the side your opponent’s neck so that his head is locked between your elbow and knee. This is don’t to control his head.
now, you should be in a position where both your arms are in front of you, If you have your free hand locking your opponent’s hip, release it.
Your opponent should be resisting and using their arm to push you off. You want to take your left hand to create space so you can apply the armlock.
You want to use your shoulder and shrug forward while pulling your opponent’s arm down and away from you.
Next, you want to secure a thumbless wrist grip with your left hand, and pull your right arm through and connect it to your left hand. This is called a figure four armlock.
Once you’ve secured the figure four armlock you want to roll his outward and to towards the ground. When you do this you want to use your forehead as extra leverage to push his arm down to the ground.
Many fighters who try the Americana armlock have trouble getting their opponent’s arm to the ground to complete the submission. They try to use their arm strength against their opponent’s arm strength.
If you opponent is stronger than you then you will have a hard time completing the move. But if you use your head as extra force to bring his arm down, you’ll have an easier time.
High Crotch Double Leg Takedown
To execute the Americana Armlock from guard you have to be on your back and have your opponent in your guard.
From here you secure an underhook and lock your hands with a gable grip. Be sure to execute a gable grip as far up on his deltoids as you possibly can.
Once you have your gable grip locked you want to use all of your body weight to pull your opponent to the ground. From here you want to scoot and position yourself on your side.
One thing your opponent may try to do is pull back his arm and hide it behind your leg while stepping his leg up. He’s trying to ease the pressure you’re applying to his arm.
If he does this you just simply take your rear arm and do a thumbless grip onto his wrist and apply a reverse Kimura. He’ll immediately tap from the pressure of the submission.
If you’re attempting to complete the Americana Armlock and your opponent straightens out his arm, then immediately apply the straight armlock.
To apply the Americana armlock from this position you would have to take your free hand and hammer his elbow in so it can fold, and then rotate to finish the move.
When attempting to apply the Americana Armlock some fighters make several mistakes. These mistakes will let their opponent defend against the armlock, and get themselves out of danger.
One of the first mistakes is that some fighters try to apply the Americana too high. They try to apply it in line with their opponents chest, neck, or head.
Instead what you should do once you have the arm lock secured is slide your opponents elbow down toward his hip, and once their rotate the arm up. He will tap.
Another mistake that’s made is securing the wrist lock with your thumb and all four fingers. This is not how you do the technique. Instead you should secure the wrist with a thumbless grip.
The reason for this is that you can rotate the arm better. Another reason is that if your opponent draws back his arm quick, it can snap your thumb back and potentially break it.
He can also break from your wrist lock through your thumb, because your thumb would be the weakest part of the grip.
Lastly be sure to put all your weight on your opponent. Never attempt to do the Americana with your body bent half way or crotched over. It’s best to put all your weight onto your opponent and execute the move.
This is a great question and very easy to answer. Many mixed martial arts or straight jiut jitsu practitioners often think that the Kimura and Americana are the same submission move.
This is not true. Although the setup for both moves are similar there is a slight difference between the two moves.
Whether you’re applying a Kimura or and Americana armlock depends on which way the forearm is pointing. If the forearm is pointing toward the hip, which is downward this is called a Kimura.
If the forearm is pointing upward it’s called an Americana. it all depends on which position you are in and which way you rotate you opponent’s arm.
In conclusion the Americana Armlock choke is an amazing submission to use against your opponent from mount, side control, or in guard.
In today’s post I will cover How To Do The Von Flue Choke. This choke is basically initiated from side control and submits your opponent using their own arm and the pressure of your shoulder.
Other submissions such as the arm tringle choke and the Ezekiel choke are just as devastating and can put your opponent to sleep in a matter of seconds.
So, let me give you a quick rundown of what the von flue choke is and where and when it started from.
The person who created the Von Flue choke was a former mma fighter by the name of Jason Von Flue. Jason fought for a few combat organizations such as the UFC, Strikeforce, and WEC.
The von flue choke gained much popularity after Jason used it to win his UFC debut match, which was the Fight Night 3 event back in 2006.
Since then it has gained traction and has been used by many mixed martial arts fighters in competition, to submit their opponents.
One of the best things about the Von Flue choke is that it is used as an effective way to counter the guillotine.
This move starts from you being in side control. How you got to side controlo doesn’t matter. You could have already been on the ground scrambling from another position
Or you end up in that position after taking your opponent down. Whatever you do from this point is dictates whether you can secure the von flue choke or not.
Your in side control, so the next step is to make sure that your left arm has been placed under your opponent’s head.
There’s two things that will happen, one is that your opponent will try to defend himself with a series of other moves.
The other thing that might happen is that your opponent will reach his arm around your head to attempt to apply a guillotine choke from bottom position.
When this happens it’s the perfect moment to apply the Von Flue choke. What you will do is take your right arm and reach over your opponent grip on your head, and clasping onto your left hand. You need to do a palm to palm grip.
When you do this move it traps your opponent’s arm that still has a hold on your head. This move is very sneaky because the majority of times your opponent has no clue what’s coming next.
You opponent is simply focusing on getting a guillotine on you from bottom position, he’s not thinking of you securing the Von Flue.
While your hands are clasped together you want to drive your should under your opponents chin, and tripod up and push towards your shoulder. This will complete the choke
In a matter of seconds your opponent will either humbly tap out or more severely pass out do to asphyxiation.
*There are a variety of ways you can force down your shoulder underneath your opponent’s chin to complete the submission choke.
You can tripod up or you can extend your legs back (sprawl out) and use the top of your feet to push forward and drive your shoulder underneath your opponent’s neck.
You can even stretch out your leg and push all of your weight onto your shoulder and that pressure alone with make your opponent tap. it’s entirely up to you and your position at the time.
Crucifix Choke From Turtle Position
Doing The Von Flue Choke While In Closed Guard
Just incase you are wondering, you can actually do the Von Flue choke from another position, and that’s when you’re in you opponent’s closed guard.
If your opponent has you in their closed guard and props up a bit to capture the guillotine, you want to immediately want to come up to your toes in the tripod position. Grab under his opposite shoulder blade
And with your free hand grab onto his wrist. Then you want to turn your head like you are looking outwards. This will give you extra leverage when driving your shoulder under his neck.
To make this submission tight you have to make sure your positioning is right. Doing the Von Flue choke from top is more complicated than from side control, and it may take a few seconds longer for your opponent to tap.
Just as I’ve always said before, every move has a counter move. Every kick, punch, submission move has a defense to prevent you from executing that move. The Von Flue choke is no different.
When your opponent is executing the Von Flue choke from side control, and he’s trying to apply pressure by driving his shoulder under your neck, and sprawling out for more leverage. You simple have to start moving.
You want to start circling the same direction when your opponent is pushing his shoulder down towards. In other words, you want to circle the opposite direction of where your opponent is in side control.
This circular movement puts ease on your neck and allows you to breather. It also makes it harder for your opponent to apply full pressure onto the choke.
Now this will work up until a certain extent if you are facing someone who is very skilled in grappling.
At some point when your circling he’s going to notice you are doing and come to the realization that the submission is attempting to do on you is not working.
Another defense against the Von Flue choke is to load your feet and punch your pelvis upward, and while your opponent I pushing, put all your weight on his locked hands.
This will ultimately break the grip that he has on you and immediately loosen up the choke. Once you break the locked hands you want to immediately release your arm from the guillotine position.
That is to remove your arm from around his neck. Now you have both arms available to transition into another move.
Ovince St. Preux is a mixed martial artist that currently fights in the UFC in the Lightweight division. He formally competed in Strikeforce, XFC and Shark Fights.
OSP as the call him for short has taken a liken to the Von Flue choke so much that he has used it to win several of his fights.
Ovince St. Preux used the choke to secure his very first win in the UFC, and because of it received numerous praises in articles and on sports channels covering combat fighting.
Ovince St. Preux has managed to submit several fighters with the Von Flue choke that people are calling him the new face of the move. So much so that the have renamed it the “Von Preux” choke.
4 Impressive Von Flue Chokes By Ovince St. Preux
In conclusion the Von Flue choke is a powerful and effective choke to use against your opponent. Here are some things to remember.
In today’s lesson I’m going to go over How To Do A Kimura From Closed Guard. This is a great offensive move to do off your back, and if you land it you’ll have your opponent tapping out in no time.
One thing to remember is that fighting off your back is a difficult thing to do, but not impossible. In fact, my advice is always try to get up off your back and stand up, than try to fight off your back.
The reason why you practice jiu jitsu is to prepare for a situation when your opponent takes you down. You don’t want to lay there and get beat up.
You want to apply techniques that will lesson the ground and pound being used against you. You also want to maneuver back up to your feet, or set up a transition into a submission move.
Once again, fighting off your back is difficult, but with practice and the right training it’s not impossible.
If you want to check out our other articles read How To Do A Standing Kimura Armlock and also be sure to check out How To Do A Kimura From Mount.
These techniques are part of our Kimura series and will get you off to a good start in knowing how to set up and apply this submission.
To start this move of you of course have to be on your back, with your opponent in your guard, and your legs locked together.
This is called a closed guard because your legs are locked together with your opponent between them. We’re going to do this example with your opponents right wrist and your left arm.
From here, the first thing you want to do is get you opponent’s hand on the mat. This is called clearing the arms.
While in your guard your opponent’s hand will be on your mid section or chest trying to pin you down and control your movement, in order to transition to their next move.
What you want to do is arch your back a bit, thrusting your hip upward, and use both your hands to push away the hands of your opponent, while simultaneously pulling him closer to you with your legs.
This will automatically make your opponent place both hands on the mat in order to balance himself and pull away from you in order to gain control of the position.
* You can also read one of our most popular articles on How To Do A Kimura From Side Control. We break it down step-by-step and also include graphics and videos so you can see how it’s done.
Once your opponent’s hands are on the mat/ground you want to secure a hold on his wrist. You want to grab his wrist and not his forearm, because grabbing his wrist will secure your grip firmly.
Once you secure the grip on his wrist you then want to extend your arm downward toward your legs. This will lock things into place even more securely.
The reason why you don’t want to secure the wrist and leave your arm bent, is because your opponent can easily break your wrist lock by rolling his wrist towards your thumb and outward.
Your thumb is the weakest part of your hand when you have a wrist lock on someone, especially with your arm bent. Make it more challenging for your opponent to break free from your wrist lock by extending your arm.
How To Do An Armbar From Mount
After securing the wrist you want to shift to your left side. When doing this movement you want to make sure that you don’t try to sit up.
Sitting up will give your opponent leverage by using his shoulder to drive you back down, and secure a move on you.
You want to shift slightly to your left side doing a hip escape, and sit up to your elbow. Once up the next step is to create a figure four arm lock.
You do this by taking your right arm and wrapping it under your opponents arm and grabbing onto your left wrist. When initiating the figure four armlock you want to switch your left had to a thumbless grip.
The reason for this is that you’re able to lock the figure four arm lock much tighter, making it hard for your opponent to escape.
After the figure four arm lock is secured you want to scoot out, turn towards your opponent with your whole body, and complete the Kimura submission. Remember to keep your elbows in tight to add more force to the submission.
How To Do The Arm Triangle Choke