Drills
Closed-loop primitives that isolate one invariant, then return to a game.
Adapted from InGrappling, Drills. System Games did not invent this curriculum.
Connection pummelClosed-loop fight for inside position. No finish.Frame redirectMeet pressure perpendicular, not head-on.Knee-line stepWin the line, keep a hand on something.Arm isolationGet one arm off the torso. Stop before the crank.Two-sided strangleBoth sides of the neck, or it is a headlock.Inside-space sitWin inside before you hunt the heel.Hip-escape corridorMake space, then move through it.Level-change as a unitHips drop with the hands. Head-only shots gift the front headlock.Seatbelt keepChest to back. Hide the choking arm. Secondary hook or triangle.Posture breakClosed-guard: get the head down before you isolate a limb.Snap-down to pocketHands to the head, hips behind, pocket the front headlock.Body-lock walkAlready connected. Walk the hips. Don’t hug and stall.50/50 Counter EntryDrills the counter-entanglement leg exchange that creates 50/50 from a defended ashi garami — specifically the sequence the bottom player uses when the…Anaconda Arm Thread MechanicsIsolates the arm thread for the anaconda choke from front headlock control. Partner is cooperative — practitioner practises threading under the far…Straight Ankle Lock MechanicsCooperative Achilles loading drill — isolates the foot placement, forearm position, and body mechanics of the straight ankle lock before any live…Ankle Lock Extraction CounterDrills the timing of the ankle lock finish as a counter to the partner's leg extraction — the finish window that opens when the partner commits to…Belly-Down Armbar — Following the Hitchhiker EscapeTrains the conversion to belly-down armbar when the partner performs the hitchhiker escape. Partner executes a slow, telegraphed hitchhiker pivot…Elbow-on-Fulcrum Placement — The Fixed Point of the ArmbarIsolates the positioning of the opponent's elbow over the attacker's hip brace and teaches the fixed-point relationship by deliberately removing it…Armbar Grip Breaking — The Wrist-Clasp DefenceTrains two grip-breaking methods against the most common armbar defence — the opponent clasping their own wrist. Partner pre-sets the wrist clasp…Guard Armbar — Hip-Out Angle and Entry SwingIsolates the hip-out movement and leg-over swing that create the armbar entry angle from closed guard. Partner is passive — no posture or arm defence…Inverted Armbar — Rotation Mechanics When the Standard Angle Is BlockedIsolates the body rotation sequence that produces the inverted armbar finish when the partner's shoulder position blocks the standard finish angle…S-Mount Transition from High MountIsolates the leg repositioning sequence that converts high mount into S-mount for the armbar entry. Partner lies passive with arms crossed on their chest…Straight Armlock from Side ControlIsolates the trap-and-compress sequence that converts an arm run across the chest into the straight armlock. The attacker stays square and the sternum is the fulcrum.Armbar Wrist Control — Grip Establishment and Secondary Anchor DenialIsolates establishing wrist control on the target arm and immediately denying the opponent's free hand from reaching across to grip their own wrist…Ashi Garami Hip ConnectionIsolates the hip-to-hip connection that defines ashi garami — attacker drives their hip into the inside space while the partner remains passive. The…Inside Leg InsertionDrills the inside leg insertion sequence into ashi garami from a standing partner — the foundational entry from shin-on-shin guard. Trains the hip…Body Triangle vs Leg Hooks Decision DrillIsolates the decision point between maintaining leg hooks and switching to a body triangle from back control. Partner defends using bridge-and-turn…Hip Connectivity to Back PositionIsolates the hip-to-hip connection requirement in back control. Partner is cooperative and remains passive. Trains the pelvic alignment, the squeeze…Leg Hook InsertionIsolates the mechanics of inserting leg hooks from the backpack position — seatbelt and hip connection already established, no hooks. Partner provides…Rear Triangle Setup DrillIsolates the mechanical transition from seatbelt back control to the rear triangle configuration. Partner defends the RNC with an active…Back Retention Under Escape PressureIsolates maintaining back control when the partner actively attempts to turn into the attacker. Partner may turn and bridge but cannot stand up. Trains…RNC Entry from SeatbeltIsolates the choke entry sequence from the seatbelt — sliding the over arm from the shoulder into the neck position and connecting the second arm to…Transition to Back from ScrambleIsolates reading and entering back control during scramble transitions — specifically from turtle top and from a failed guard pass. Full resistance…Seatbelt Grip EstablishmentIsolates the mechanics of establishing a clean seatbelt grip from the moment of first back access. Partner is cooperative. Trains the over-under arm…Breakfall Ladder — Four Types SoloSolo safety drill that cycles through the four breakfall types — back, side, front rotational, throwing-arm-trapped — at progressive heights.Clinch Entry from DistanceSemi-resisting drill for closing distance to over-under clinch against a circling partner.Collar Tie Inside-Hand ExchangeResisting drill for the inside-collar-tie hand fight. Both partners pummel for the inside collar position.Cross Ashi TransitionDrills the leg cross from ashi garami to cross ashi (saddle/inside sankaku) — the transition that opens the inside heel hook line. Trains the specific…D'Arce Arm Thread MechanicsIsolates the inside-shoulder arm thread for the D'Arce (arm-in guillotine) from front headlock control. Partner is cooperative with one arm extended…Duck Under from Russian TieSemi-resisting drill for the duck-under entry from a Russian tie (two-on-one).Foot Sweep Timing — Reactive De-AshiCooperative drill for foot sweep timing. Partner steps in a known pattern; attacker times the de-ashi sweep at the moment the foot becomes weight-bearing.Front Headlock Arm Encirclement EntryIsolates the mechanics of closing a two-on-one front headlock from the sprawl. Partner is turtled and cooperative — no resistance. Trains arm placement…Front Headlock Back Take TransitionTrains the rotation from front headlock control to full back exposure. Partner turtles and stays static — practitioner practises releasing the…Guillotine Arm Thread from Front HeadlockIsolates the arm-threading mechanics of the high-elbow guillotine entry from front headlock control. Partner is cooperative and static. Practitioner…Front Headlock Re-Center After Angle LossTrains the recovery sequence when the front headlock angle drifts — opponent has shifted laterally or begun to circle out, pulling the encirclement grip…Sit-Out Follow — Hip Switch Reaction DrillTrains the hip-switch counter to the sit-out escape. Partner performs a slow, telegraphed sit-out from turtle — the practitioner practises switching hips…Front Headlock Weight Loading and Level ControlTrains the sprawl-weight component of front headlock control. With the encirclement grip established, the practitioner practises driving chest weight…Heel Hook Rotation MechanicsIsolates the torso rotation that generates heel hook force — distinct from the arm squeeze, which generates almost no useful load. Cooperative drill…Inside-Space Entry Under ResistanceTrains ashi garami entry as a hip-position task under light resistance. Partner stands and attempts to prevent the entry by framing or stepping clear…Inside-Space Maintenance Under Extraction PressureDemonstrates INV-LE01 through a direct structural comparison. From established ashi garami, the drill partner attempts leg extraction for 30 seconds with…Inside Heel Hook FinishFull inside heel hook finish mechanics from cross ashi (saddle) — the highest-risk leg lock finish. Extensive partner communication protocol is…Connection-First Entry DrillTrains the sequential requirement of INV-07 through alternating leg entanglement entry variations. Variation one reaches for the heel before seating the…Simultaneous Close — Level Change and Contact EntryTrains the double-leg takedown entry with the level change and chest-to-thigh contact occurring at the same moment. Variation one performs the level…Fixed-Point Removal — Teaching the Armbar's AnchorDemonstrates INV-12 through a mounted armbar vehicle. Attacker establishes pressure on the elbow over the hip brace — partner confirms pressure. Attacker…Kimura Fixed-Point HuntFrom a side control kimura grip, the drill partner is instructed to find any movement that eliminates submission pressure without releasing their arm…K-Guard to Ashi CompletionDrills the final completion step from K-guard to full ashi garami — K-guard is a designed entry that pre-establishes the inside hook, but the completion…Kimura-to-Armbar Transition DrillIsolates the arm-bend dilemma — detecting when the partner straightens the trapped arm to defend the kimura and converting immediately to a straight…Figure-Four Grip Entry IsolationIsolates the mechanics of closing the figure-four loop from side control. Partner feeds a passive arm — no defence. Trains the hand sequencing and…Kimura Grip Maintenance Under Frame ResistanceIsolates the ability to maintain the figure-four loop when the partner applies a light defensive frame against the attacker's posture. No grip-breaking…Kimura Grip as Guard Recovery CounterIsolates using the kimura grip to prevent the bottom player from recovering posture and reconstructing guard. Partner has full guard recovery intent…Hip Lever Positioning for Kimura ForceIsolates the attacker's hip placement relative to the trapped arm. Partner remains passive. Trains the mechanical relationship between hip angle and…Kimura Rotation Mechanics Without FinishIsolates the shoulder rotation arc — lifting the elbow off the body and driving the rotation — without committing to the submission point. Partner does…Shoulder Rotation Under Defensive FramingIsolates completing the kimura rotation arc while the partner actively frames with their free arm. Partner may post and extend the free arm but cannot…Kimura-to-Back Conversion EntryIsolates the back-take pathway that becomes available when the partner defends the kimura finish by gripping their own leg. Partner resists only by…Kneebar AlignmentDrills the hip placement, foot trap, and body alignment for the kneebar from turtle and leg drag positions — the mechanics required before any…Kuzushi Ladder — Loading the Near FootCooperative drill that builds the kuzushi (off-balance) skill.Inside Space MaintenanceAttacker maintains inside space ownership in ashi garami against a partner actively attempting leg extraction — hip repositioning, leg extraction…Standing Reap EntryDrills the standing reap entry sequence into ashi garami — attacker catches a stepping partner's leg with a shin grip and sits into the entanglement as…Solo Level Change RepetitionsSolo drill that builds the level-change motor pattern with hip-line reference.Osoto-Gari Entry from Over-UnderCooperative drill for the footwork-only osoto entry from over-under clinch.Outside Ashi Entry TransitionDrills the transition from ashi garami to outside ashi garami when the partner turns away — the correct mechanical response to an opponent rotating…Outside Heel Hook FinishFull outside heel hook finish mechanics from ashi garami against light partner resistance — hip connection, heel cup grip, and torso rotation to the…Shot Defence Ladder — Sprawl, Reshot, ReturnResisting drill that builds shot defence under continuous pressure. Defender sprawls; attacker reshots; defender re-sprawls and returns to stance.Tap-Release ReflexPartner communication training drill — explicitly builds the tap-to-release reflex before it is needed at speed. No submission force is applied. Both…Toe Hold Entry MechanicsIsolates the figure-four grip setup and wrist alignment for the toe hold — the grip that must be established before any pressure is applied. Cooperative…Triangle Arm Isolation — Clearing the Arm AcrossIsolates the arm-clearing movement that traps one of the opponent's arms inside the triangle, making the choke bilateral. Partner cooperates by keeping…Triangle Entry from Failed ArmbarTrains the armbar-to-triangle reversal when the opponent defends an armbar attempt by stacking. Partner performs a slow stacking movement — practitioner…Triangle Hip Angle AdjustmentIsolates the hip-angle rotation that converts a loose, ineffective triangle into a tightly angled choking position. Partner holds still with the triangle…Triangle Leg Placement IsolationIsolates the leg geometry of the closed triangle — shin-on-back-of-neck, ankle-behind-knee contact, and leg-lock closure. Partner holds still in the open…Triangle Posture Adjustment Under Stack PressureTrains maintaining and adjusting the triangle position while the opponent applies a stacking or driving defence. Partner applies gradual forward stack…Triangle Posture Break and Guard EntryIsolates the posture-breaking movement that creates the triangle entry window from closed guard. Partner kneels upright in the guard with hands on the…Triangle Squeeze Mechanics — Leg Drive and Head PullTrains the active finishing squeeze of the triangle choke — the coordinated combination of choking leg drive, head pull, and hip extension. Partner holds…Triangle to Armbar TransitionTrains the pivot from triangle to armbar when the opponent postures out of the triangle. Partner performs a slow posturing movement (driving the head up)…Underhook Pummel — No-GiClassic pummel drill, no-gi specific.
