Front Headlock Flatten
Mat mode
3:00
Tell the roomThe attacker starts in a front headlock on a broken-down defender and must put them flat without ever releasing the grip.
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TOP PLAYER (ATTACKER)
POSITION
Attacker over the near shoulder, arm around head and armpit, hands clasped, chest on the back.
OBJECTIVE
The attacker starts in a front headlock on a broken-down defender and must put them flat without ever releasing the grip. Both shoulder blades on the mat for a 1-second count.
CONSTRAINTS
Never release the headlock. Sweeps, hooks, and trips all count; if the grip breaks, the defender scores. Keep an elbow on the mat. At least one of the defender's elbows stays down at all times. No submissions while flattening. Strangles and joint locks score nothing during the round. Reset when both of the defender's shoulder blades touch the mat for 1 second; when the defender peels the headlock, gets both hands off the mat, and reaches a neutral base; or when the headlock grip breaks. 3-5 min rounds.
WIN CONDITION
Both of the defender's shoulder blades touch the mat for 1 second.
BOTTOM PLAYER (DEFENDER)
POSITION
Defender on hands and knees.
OBJECTIVE
Peel the headlock and get to a neutral base.
CONSTRAINTS
Same never-release-the-headlock, keep-an-elbow-on-the-mat, no-submissions-while-flattening, and named reset rules. 3-5 min rounds.
WIN CONDITION
Peel the headlock, get both hands off the mat, reach a neutral base; or the headlock grip breaks.
Grapplers Collective, Front Headlock Flatten. 3-5 min rounds.
Problem
Putting the broken-down partner flat on their back without leaving the front headlock.
Tell the room
The attacker starts in a front headlock on a broken-down defender and must put them flat without ever releasing the grip. Both shoulder blades on the mat for a 1-second count.
Setup
Start in a broken-down front headlock. Defender on hands and knees. Attacker over the near shoulder, arm around head and armpit, hands clasped, chest on the back.
Score
Flat on the back.
- Attacker: both of the defender's shoulder blades touch the mat for 1 second
- Defender: peel the headlock, get both hands off the mat, reach a neutral base
Rules
- Never release the headlock. Sweeps, hooks, and trips all count; if the grip breaks, the defender scores.
- Keep an elbow on the mat. At least one of the defender's elbows stays down at all times.
- No submissions while flattening. Strangles and joint locks score nothing during the round.
Adjust
Easier
Putting the defender on their side for 3 seconds scores. The no-release rule stays.
Harder
Add a 45-second clock per exchange. If the defender is not flat in time, they win the round.
If it stalls
If the attacker keeps reaching for a leg, cue: “Your head arm is the leg.”
transitions