Tonight in our BJJ Team Training class at Crossroads Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in Southeastern CT we discussed and drilled the finer points of escaping the side control position. In jiu-jitsu being stuck under side control means you have to be aware of a number of possible attacks to your arms, legs and neck. These attacks could either be to gain additional control over you, making it much harder to escape or to submit you. Typically the top player will first look to gain additional control over you and then use that control to work to a submission.
There are several different side control escapes that every student learns in our Fundamentals of Jiu-jitsu class at Crossroads BJJ however at a higher level the challenge becomes getting our bodies into the correct position to actually perform these escapes. If we are not in the correct position the top player will be able to exploit mistakes and make our situation worse. Tonight in our BJJ Gi Team Training class we covered how to maintain a strong defensive position starting from being flat on your back. From this position we discussed how to get onto your side where you are considerably more mobile and from there how to determine which escape you should choose.
understanding how to move so that you don’t make your situation worse is a huge aspect of escaping. Just because you are in side control does not mean you are in the correct position to escape side control. To escape your first your arms, legs and head must all be properly positioned. If you can achieve this the escapes come much easier.
If you are interested in learning more about BJJ and live in CT, come down and get started with one of Crossroads Brazilian Jiu-jitsu’s Fundamentals classes. Learn the basics of self defense and ground fighting while getting in great shape and having a great time doing it.