Gracie Combatives

In a real fight, the goal is to achieve the top position once the fight goes to the ground; the problem is that things don’t always go according to plan. Against a larger attacker, you are likely to end up on the bottom of the mount position which is the single worst place to be in a fight. From this position the top person can strike or strangle you at will and you cannot effectively strike back. The worst part about trying to escape the mount without an effective strategy is the panic you experience and the extreme exhaustion it will inevitably cause. The Trap and Roll Escape is a simple, reliable way to remove your opponent from atop of you. In this lesson you will learn three variations of the Trap and Roll starting with the Standard Variation.

The goal in the fight is to achieve the mount, exhaust your opponent, and then win the fight. Punching your opponent from the mount can be effective but is exhausting, risks your balance, and could injure your opponent more seriously than desired. We prefer to use leverage-based submissions instead so that we can maintain better control of our opponent and save energy. The Americana Armlock is a highly effective submission that can be used with minimal effort to defeat a larger opponent. First you will learn the Basic Application and then two variations that could be used in combat.

The mount is the most dominant position in a fight because it enables you to win the fight in a variety of ways. You must understand, however, that as soon as you achieve the mount, your opponent will do everything in his power to get you off of them. In this lesson you will learn how to control and exhaust a larger stronger opponent from the mount. First, you will learn how to apply effective hip pressure, and then you will see how to neutralize the most common escape attempts used in real fights.

The mount is unquestionably the best place to be in a fight. Once you achieve the mount you must focus all your efforts on maintaining the position. Nine times out of ten, your opponent will fear getting punched in the face and will instantly roll to their knees. If you don’t respond to their roll correctly, you will fall off. Knowing how to achieve the back mount will ensure that you do not lose control and that you take advantage of the opportunity they are creating. In this lesson you will learn how to Take the Back as well as what to do if the opponent begins to slip away from your back mount control.

Of all the techniques in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the Rear Naked Choke has been responsible for more fight victories than any other technique. Based entirely on effective use of leverage, you can use this submission to defeat an opponent of any size. In this lesson, you will first learn the Basic Application, and then learn the Strong Side and Weak Side variations of this powerful choke.

Your goal in any fight should be avoid dangerous punches while standing, and then can get the fight to the ground where you can more effectively control and defeat your opponent. The safest place to be in a fight, while standing, is in a clinch. From the clinch, your opponent’s striking power is almost entirely eliminated. You will see learn how to close the distance and establish the clinch in a future lesson. In this lesson, we will teach you how to take the opponent down once you have already established the clinch control.

Most martial arts rely heavily on the use of strikes to defeat the opponent. This strategy may work against a smaller opponent, but is very risky against a larger, more athletic opponent who could just as easily knock you out every time you put yourself in range to strike them. The best strategy is to establish a clinch and take the fight to the ground where you can preserve energy, neutralize punches, and win the fight with ease. The key to establishing a clinch on an aggressive opponent is to understand that there are two safe distances in a fight: all the way out or all the way in.

The ideal position in a fight is the mount. If you are unable to maintain the mount, you can use your legs to wrap the opponent in a position called the guard. The guard is the “secret weapon” for any Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. From the guard, you can apply joint locks and choke holds to subdue even the largest opponent. These submissions can only be executed, however, if you survive long enough to attempt them. With an outraged opponent in your guard, it is almost certain that punches will be thrown at your face from every possible angle. The Punch Block Series will enable you to neutralize all punches and exhaust your opponent until the opportunity arises to execute a sweep or submission. The Punch Block Series is broken down into four stages which you learn individually and in combination with one another.

The goal in the fight is to achieve the mount because from there we can exhaust and eventually submit our opponent with ease. When you mount an opponent, it is very common for him to reach for your chest or throat during their escape attempt creating the perfect opportunity for the Straight Armlock. The Straight Armlock is a great submission option since it can be applied from so many positions, and since it employs so much leverage it can be used to incapacitate even the largest opponent. In this lesson, you will learn how to apply it from the mount position. We will start from the final control position.

If you achieve the mount but are unable to maintain control, you should resort to the guard position. From the guard, you can neutralize punches and submit your opponent with one of several techniques. In this lesson we will discuss the Triangle Choke which is one of the most amazing techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, since it gives any individual the ability to render their opponent unconscious from the bottom of the fight. In this lesson, you will learn the finishing steps first and then you will learn two setup variations of the Triangle Choke.

If you can’t maintain the mount, use the guard to control your opponent. While trapped in your guard, unskilled larger opponents tend to believe that if they drive their weight forward, they can submit you with their body weight. This is not true. Because they are inside your legs, their weight is distributed in so many different places, that it is very easy to survive the pressure. In fact, any time a larger opponent is driving all their weight forward from within your guard, there is a good chance that they are actually creating an opportunity for the Elevator Sweep. In this lesson you will learn two variations of the Elevator Sweep starting with the Standard Variation.

Any time you find yourself trapped underneath your opponent in the mount position you should aim to use the Trap and Roll escape, since it will place you on top of your opponent. If your opponent is too big or this escape is not possible, the Elbow Escape will guarantee your survival. First, you must learn how to move your hips by doing the Shrimp Drill, and then you will learn the Elbow Escape and a few variations that may come in handy.

Your positional objective in every fight should be to achieve the mount. Prior to achieving the mount, you may need to resort to another very dominant position called the side mount. In this lesson you will learn how to establish the side mount and prevent the most common escape attempts that a larger opponent is likely to use, as well as how to transition to the mount position once they have exhausted all their energy.

Instead of exchanging punches with a larger opponent, we recommend that you establish the clinch and take them to the ground where you can exhaust and submit them. Once you establish the clinch, there is a good chance that they will get desperate and try to hit you in the face. In doing so, they will lean back and unknowingly create the perfect opportunity for the Body Fold takedown.

The goal in a fight is to avoid getting knocked out, establish the clinch, and get the fight to the ground. The easiest time to do this is when your opponent commits to attacking you aggressively. For this reason, it is best to keep the distance and wait for their attack if at all possible. In the event that your opponent approaches conservatively during the fight and you would like to initiate the attack, you can use the "surprise entry" method to establish the clinch

The goal in a fight is to achieve the mount. Once you accomplish this, you opponent will panic and desperately attempt to escape. One of the most common escape strategies used by unskilled individuals is to establish a headlock and throw you off of them. The Headlock Counters from the mount will keep you from getting rolled off of a larger opponent, and prepare you to take advantage of the submission opportunities will inevitably arise. First, you will learn how to prevent the escape attempts, and then you will learn how to finish the fight in two different ways.

The advantage of establishing an upper body clinch is that once you take your opponent down you end up in the very dominant mount position. If you think it might be difficult to establish the clinch on your opponent, the Double Leg Takedown is a great alternative. In this lesson you will learn the Basic Double Leg first, and then you will learn how to apply it against an aggressive and a conservative opponent.

Besides punches, headlocks are the single most common form of attack used by untrained individuals on the streets. Although they aren’t as effective as a true submission hold, getting caught in a headlock by a stronger opponent can be a very painful and demoralizing experience. The Frame Escape is the first of two headlock escape strategies that we recommend you perfect for use against larger adversaries. In this lesson, you will start by learning the Standard Frame Escape, and then you will see what to do if it doesn’t work.

The most common type of attack you will encounter from an opponent who is trapped inside your guard is a punch to the face. Once they realize that they can’t effectively punch you they will try to get access to your neck or face by any means necessary. Whenever someone attacks your neck or face from within your guard, they are giving you the opportunity to catch them in a Straight Armlock. In this lesson you will learn two variations of the Straight Armlock as well as what to do if the opponent escapes by pulling their arm out.

Your most important task from the bottom of the guard is to avoid all knockout punches. Depending on what your opponent does from within your guard, there are many techniques you can use to reverse the position or win the fight. One situation in which your opponent is vulnerable for a sweep is when they stand up directly over you to throw punches from within the guard. The Double Ankle sweep is a premium example of how leverage and timing can overcome size and strength. In this lesson you will learn two variations of this powerful sweep.

In an ideal situation, you would be able to close the distance, establish the clinch, conduct a takedown, achieve the mount and win the fight. Sometimes however, your opponent is expecting the clinch and is very resistant when you try to establish control of them. If you get into a clinch and you are unable to take your partner down because they are too strong or too resistant, you have two options: let go and try again or Pull Guard. If you let go you risk getting knocked out when you try to reestablish the clinch, if you pull the opponent in your guard, you can neutralize the punches, exhaust their energy, and eventually win the fight.

Headlocks are one of the most common attacks that exist in street fights. If you can anticipate the headlock before it happens, chances are you will be able to use Headlock Escape 1, the Frame Escape, to neutralize the threat. If you are caught by surprise and don’t have enough time to use the first option, you can resort to the option number two - the Leg Hook Escape. In this lesson you will learn the Standard Leg Hook escape along with 2 variations that you might need if the opponent resists.

In a street fight, your opponent will most likely try to defeat you using one of two methods: 1) knock you out while standing, or 2) tackle you and then knock you out on the ground. You have already learned how to establish the clinch if they attempt to knock you out while standing. If instead, they try to tackle you, you should resort immediately to the Guillotine Choke. In this lesson you will learn the Basic Application first, and then you will learn the two variations that you’d most likely use on the streets.

Against a much larger opponent, there is a good chance that you will find yourself on the bottom of the fight. And if this happens, the safest thing to do is to get your opponent in your guard because from there, you can neutralize punches and win the fight. If your opponent is able to get past your guard you will need to use the Shrimp Escape to put them back in the guard where they belong. In this lesson you will learn three variations of the Shrimp Escape, starting with the Block and Shoot Variation.

The Kimura shoulder lock was named after the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu champion, Masahiko Kimura after he used the technique against Helio Gracie in 1951. Although this technique can be applied from the top and bottom of the fight, we have chosen to teach it to you from the bottom, since that is where you are most likely to end up against a larger opponent. In the first slice you will learn the Basic Application, then we’ll discuss two the most reliable variations from the guard.

Once you establish the clinch on your opponent, there is a good chance that they will get desperate and catch you in a headlock. Without the proper escape strategy, the Standing Headlock can be a very painful and demoralizing experience, but with the proper technique you can turn the tables and use their hold to your advantage.

From Stage 4 it is important that you drop your opponent back to Stage 1 as quickly as possible so that you are safest from punches and have the best control over their body. If, while in Stage 4, your opponent is not leaning forward heavily enough to be dropped to Stage 1, it is best to kick them away to Stage 5. In this lesson you will learn how to defend from Stage 5 as well as what to do if the opponent tries to throw your legs aside for a knockout punch.

If your opponent leans all their weight forward from Stage 4 drop them to Stage 1. If they stand in Stage 4 without leaning any weight, kick them to Stage 5. If they are leaning forward from Stage 4 but have one leg forward for base you may have difficulty dropping them back into Stage 1, and this is precisely when you would use the Hook Sweep to reverse the position.

Once you establish the clinch, your opponent’s arm sometimes ends up over your head. Your opponent may put it there in an attempt to set up a Guillotine Choke or it may end up their accidentally. Either way, any time your head ends up under your opponent’s arm, you should use it to establish the Rear Clinch and set up the Rear Takedown. In this lesson you will learn how to transition from front to back as well as how to take your opponent down from the rear clinch.

In many cases, the precise movement and aim of your opponent’s strikes are hard to predict. Sometimes, however, your opponent is so eager to attack you that their punch is totally predictable. The “Haymaker” punch is used when a determined attacker comes at you from a distance with the objective of putting all of their body weight behind one killer punch. Because of the haymaker punch’s power and predictability, the best option is to slip underneath it and get behind your opponent.

Use the guard to exhaust your opponent and win the fight. If your opponent is able to get their arm inside your arms from the guard, the best thing to do is swim back inside and establish Stage 1 control. If you can’t swim your arms through and they are able to apply their forearm pressure across your neck, you can redirect their energy and take their back. In order to simplify this technique, we have broken it down into three slices.

When you establish the clinch, your opponent will get desperate and attempt to grab anything that will make them feel more secure. The Guillotine choke is one of the most common techniques used by unskilled individuals because it is simple and it gives them a feeling of control during the chaos. Although proper clinch positioning should prevent the Guillotine Choke, your opponent may surprise you if your head is too low. In this lesson, you learn need a reliable escape technique.

If your opponent is able to achieve the side mount, chances are they will be so eager to punch you that they will create space for you to execute the Shrimp Escape, which you learned in lesson 24. If they are able to prevent the Shrimp Escape, the best thing to do is conserve energy and transition from the side mount to the full mount so that you can use the Elbow Escape to recompose the guard. In this lesson you will learn two variations of the Elbow Escape from the Side Mount.

Although we normally recommend you take the fight to the ground, sometimes your opponent will give you an opportunity to defeat them while standing. Many confrontations begin with an opponent pushing your chest with one or both hands unknowingly creating the perfect opportunity for you to apply the Standing Armlock. First, you will learn the Basic Application, then you will see how to use it in a more realistic real scenario.

The beauty of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is that it enables you to defeat virtually anyone while controlling the amount of damage you inflict. The Twisting Arm Control is premium example of this because you can use it to set up a choke, armlock, or simply control your opponent until they surrender. In this lesson, you will first learn how to set up and maintain the Twisting Arm Control, and then you will learn the two most reliable finishing options.

In point-based jiu-jitsu tournaments, passing the guard is of the utmost importance. But as you know, preparing for a street fight and preparing for a tournament are two entirely different things. In a street fight, there is a 99% chance that your opponent will know nothing about jiu-jitsu and, as a result, they will not know how to use the closed guard to their advantage. As a result, you will be able to pass their guard by simply trapping their hips and stepping over their legs as you learned in lesson 1. In the rare instance that you do find yourself in your opponent’s closed guard during a street fight you should have a plan, and for this reason we have chosen to include Double Underhook Guard Pass. First you will learn the Modified Side Mount where you will end up, and then you will learn the actual guard pass as you would use it in a real fight.