Over the Head: Circle Around or Lock Shoulders and Arm vs Guard, Knees, or Body Lock
Mat mode
3:00
Tell the roomGo around them over the head, or lock up an arm on the way.
Show full gameHide full gameRules · how to win · video
Notes (this phone)
TOP (CONNECTED TO THE HIPS)
POSITION
Your partner is on their back. You are connected to their hips.
OBJECTIVE
Go around them over the head, or lock up an arm on the way.
CONSTRAINTS
This time you have to go over the head. Connect to their elbows the way you connected to the knees: work between the elbows or around the outside of them. Stay connected to the hips and keep them on their back. No finishing: the lock is the win, so stop there and reset. Tap and release the moment anything loads an elbow, shoulder, knee, or ankle; reset on a tap. Alternate roles for 6 minutes.
WIN CONDITION
You circle all the way around and back to your start, or you get two closed connections at once: legs locked around their shoulders and hands locked somewhere between their elbow and wrist.
BOTTOM (ON YOUR BACK)
POSITION
On your back with your partner connected to your hips.
OBJECTIVE
Gain height and free your hips.
CONSTRAINTS
Keep track of at least one of their hands. Holding one hand with both of yours gives you control but costs you mobility; a one-handed grip lets you start gaining height. Get your head above theirs or your hips above theirs. Tap and release on any arm or shoulder pressure; reset on a tap.
WIN CONDITION
You lock your legs around them (half guard counts), get onto both knees, or connect your hands around their hips with one leg between their legs.
Reference video
Open video · The Brinkmanship Lab (Charles Roy)
Charles Roy, Attack the Transition | Mutual Connections in Grappling (free video on The Brinkmanship Lab YouTube channel; taught in French with English subtitles at the Accélérateur Martial 12 camp at Jiu-Jitsu Saguenay).
Problem
Your partner is on their back.
Tell the room
Go around them over the head, or lock up an arm on the way. Gain height and free your hips.
Setup
Your partner is on their back. You are connected to their hips. On your back with your partner connected to your hips.
Score
You circle all the way around and back to your start, or you get two closed connections at once: legs locked around their shoulders and hands locked somewhere between their elbow and wrist. You lock your legs around them (half guard counts), get onto both knees, or connect your hands around their hips with one leg between their legs.
Rules
- This time you have to go over the head.
- Connect to their elbows the way you connected to the knees: work between the elbows or around the outside of them.
- Stay connected to the hips and keep them on their back.
- No finishing: the lock is the win, so stop there and reset.
- Tap and release the moment anything loads an elbow, shoulder, knee, or ankle; reset on a tap.
- Alternate roles for 6 minutes.
- Keep track of at least one of their hands.
- Holding one hand with both of yours gives you control but costs you mobility; a one-handed grip lets you start gaining height.
- Get your head above theirs or your hips above theirs.
- Tap and release on any arm or shoulder pressure; reset on a tap.
submissions · armbar