Keep the Arms Apart
Mat mode
5:00
Tell the roomTop works the bottom's hands apart and keeps that arm touching nothing.
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TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Locked in the armbar, one leg across the chest, one over the head.
OBJECTIVE
Work the bottom's hands apart and keep that arm touching nothing. The top has nothing to win. Every bottom escape switches the roles.
CONSTRAINTS
No finishes. Straighten the arm, no breaking pressure, no taps. Bottom connects to their own body. Other arm, a leg, their own shorts. Nothing of the top's. Keep the leg over the head. If the top's head-side leg comes off, that counts as an escape. Reset when the bottom player pulls the trapped elbow past the top's knee line; when the bottom player turns in and gets both shoulders off the mat; or when the top's head-side leg comes off. Every bottom escape switches the roles. 5-6 min rounds.
WIN CONDITION
No score to chase. Break the connection, hold it broken, give up fewer escapes.
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
Under the armbar, arms joined however they like, elbow pulled in tight.
OBJECTIVE
Reconnect the trapped arm to the other arm, a leg, or anything of their own.
CONSTRAINTS
Same no-finish, connect-to-own-body, keep-the-leg-over-the-head, and named reset rules. Every bottom escape switches the roles. 5-6 min rounds.
WIN CONDITION
Pulls the trapped elbow past the top's knee line; or turns in and gets both shoulders off the mat.
Grapplers Collective, Keep the Arms Apart. 5-6 min rounds.
Problem
Breaking the armbar defense apart and keeping it apart, with no finish allowed.
Tell the room
Top works the bottom's hands apart and keeps that arm touching nothing. Bottom reconnects it to their other arm, a leg, anything of their own. The top has nothing to win. Every bottom escape switches the roles.
Setup
Start locked in the armbar. Top has the armbar, one leg across the chest, one over the head. Bottom's arms are joined however they like, elbow pulled in tight.
Score
Every escape switches the roles.
- Bottom — pulls the trapped elbow past the top's knee line
- Bottom — turns in and gets both shoulders off the mat
- Top — no score to chase. Break the connection, hold it broken, give up fewer escapes
Rules
- No finishes. Straighten the arm, no breaking pressure, no taps.
- Bottom connects to their own body. Other arm, a leg, their own shorts. Nothing of the top's.
- Keep the leg over the head. If the top's head-side leg comes off, that counts as an escape.
Adjust
Easier
Bottom may only join hand to hand, no gripping legs or clothing. One connection to break.
Harder
The bottom also escapes by sitting up onto an elbow, so the top keeps the shoulders down too.
If it stalls
If the top saws with both hands and loses the elbow, ask what their knees and hips are doing.
pins