Off-Balance Top: Hips Above and Lock the Shoulders vs Close the Legs or Wrestle Up
Mat mode
3:00
Tell the roomGet your hips above their hips and connect your hands around their shoulders.
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Notes (this phone)
TOP (OFF BALANCE, HANDS POSTED)
POSITION
Your partner is in seated guard or on their back. You start already off balance, posting on your hands (for example, after they sat back to guard from a single leg).
OBJECTIVE
Get your hips above their hips and connect your hands around their shoulders.
CONSTRAINTS
Your main task the whole round: keep your head higher than their head and your hips above their hips. Use your hands mainly to hold that alignment; pinning an arm is fine. Separate their legs and notice when they wrap around you so they can't close a connection. Alternate roles.
WIN CONDITION
Your hips are above their hips with your hands connected around their shoulders.
BOTTOM (GUARD)
POSITION
Seated guard or on your back; your partner starts off balance with their hands posted.
OBJECTIVE
Close a leg connection on them, or wrestle up.
CONSTRAINTS
Keep your feet active: point them at your partner to connect, or at the floor to push and stand. Don't let them drag. A closed leg connection counts whether your partner falls or stays standing, as long as you hold it for three seconds.
WIN CONDITION
Any closed connection with your legs held for three seconds, or a wrestle-up (feet on the floor, get up) that brings you above their hips or turns them over.
Reference video
Open video · The Brinkmanship Lab (Charles Roy)
Charles Roy, Submission Threats as a Means To Keep Them Down (free video on The Brinkmanship Lab YouTube channel; taught at the Accélérateur Martial camp at Jiu-Jitsu Saguenay, building on Chris Alfar's session).
Problem
Your partner is in seated guard or on their back.
Tell the room
Get your hips above their hips and connect your hands around their shoulders. Close a leg connection on them, or wrestle up.
Setup
Your partner is in seated guard or on their back. You start already off balance, posting on your hands (for example, after they sat back to guard from a single leg). Seated guard or on your back; your partner starts off balance with their hands posted.
Score
Your hips are above their hips with your hands connected around their shoulders. Any closed connection with your legs held for three seconds, or a wrestle-up (feet on the floor, get up) that brings you above their hips or turns them over.
Rules
- Your main task the whole round: keep your head higher than their head and your hips above their hips.
- Use your hands mainly to hold that alignment; pinning an arm is fine.
- Separate their legs and notice when they wrap around you so they can't close a connection.
- Alternate roles.
- Keep your feet active: point them at your partner to connect, or at the floor to push and stand.
- Don't let them drag.
- A closed leg connection counts whether your partner falls or stays standing, as long as you hold it for three seconds.
passing