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The Compact Arm Bar on Magic Monday

Small Space Arm Bar

For the "Magic Moment" this week Chris shared with us a sweet Arm Bar that works well in confined, compact, or smaller spaces.  I especially like how it gives you control of your opponent even before you put the arm bar on.  I tried to use it on Blake when we rolled after.  He of course knew what I was attempting and blocked me.  Even though I was unable to finish the submission I could easily keep the collar and arm to try something else.  Yes, that is me in the black Vulkan (which I will be doing a review on this week).  Chris also demonstrates how after a failed Arm Bar you can then go for a Omoplata.  I’ve been learning that it is always good to have a back up plan.  For those of you more experienced BJJ practitioners this is old news and for the newer like myself its the frontier.  I’m learning to string together multiple submissions in order to guarantee success.

Here is a takedown-to-leg-lock we also went over:

Takedown To Leg Lock Part 1

 

Takedown To Leg Lock Part 2

I didn’t have as much success on this but I did learn something.  You need to choose your takedown in accordance with the size of your opponent.  I’m 6’2", and this isn’t very practical on someone a foot shorter then me.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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Diversify Your Jiu Jitsu Arsenal with Leg Locks

Sambo Leg Lock or Calf Cutter

I could be wrong but I bet everyone watches Submissions101.com videos.  They are well done and free on YouTube.com.  I stumbled upon the "Sambo" Leg Lock while researching leg locks.  My instructor, Mark, talked some time ago in class about attacking at different levels.  If you are in mount and can’t get a choke or arm bar then you should focus else where.  Switch up your attack.  Hit different areas.  In order to do that you need to diversify your arsenal.  Leg Locks are a important lower body attack or submission.  They are more difficult in my opinion to master.  But if you do, think of the expanded possibilities during a roll.  If nothing is going on up top attack the bottom.  This "Sambo" Leg Lock looks really great.  I can’t wait to try it out.  I thing you could do it easily from grape vines.  If you don’t succeed then it has a fail over of the calf cutter.  Its like a plan "B".  The truth be told, with the injury to my knee last year, if I was caught in this I’d tap before the calf cutter.  I can also see some one heavier then me sitting on my hip and making it impossible to roll into the calf cutter.  Tell me if you try it and what your experience was like.

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Hit’em High and Hit’em Low, Leg Locks Are The Way to Go

During class last month my instructor, Mark, said you should be attacking high and low.  When your arms are bound up then you should be working with your legs to get sweeps, create space, or anything that will increase your position.  Like wise if you legs aren’t being effective then work with your arms.  I’ve taken this to heart and tried to remember to move my mental focus to the part of the battle where it can be most effective.  In doing so I realized I didn’t know any leg attacks.  This has led me find 5 leg locks that I think are a good starting point to build my arsenal.  All of them come from Encyclopedia of Leg Locks (Encyclopedia of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) by Rigan Machado.  Last night at class we went over some more purple belt test techniques.  After class I got two of the more experienced guys to go over one particular leg lock with me so I could get a good feel for it.  One disadvantage to my Submission Master Grappling Dummy is he feels no pain.  I get good reps on him but I first have to make sure I’m doing the technique right.  In keeping with my idea to give techniques more memorable names, I have dubbed this one "Cobra in the Grass".  It is found on page 60 of Encyclopedia of Leg Locks.  The below videos show the "snake" motion I use to get the first part of the leg lock.

"Cobra in The Grass" – Leg Lock, View 1
"Cobra in The Grass" – Leg Lock, View 2
"Cobra in The Grass" – Leg Lock, View 3

These give you the idea of how to get the legs.  After that you need to get your knee on the belly that is opposite the arm that is holding the legs.  You do this by controlling the hip on the same side as the arm that has the legs.  Once you have the knee in the belly you lay back and swing the opposite leg around the opponents hip.  If they don’t straighten their leg you will get a calve cutter right off and if they do then you roll into the straight leg to get the leg lock.  I know my description isn’t the best.  I’ll try to get video of it next class.