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Soumissions

The Ultimate Goal

Submissions are the greater objective of the fight. They occur most commonly:

  • After immobilizations - When the opponent has difficulty using their whole body to defend
  • From the guard - Where the bottom player can threaten using their legs
  • During transitions - Catching opponents between positions

💡 Key Insight: A submission can occur at any moment, even without clear positional dominance, creating possibilities for both the dominant and dominated player.

Two Categories of Submissions

1. Joint Locks

Attacks on the joints targeting:

  • Arms - Armbar, kimura, americana
  • Shoulders - Omoplata, shoulder locks
  • Knees - Kneebar
  • Ankles - Straight ankle lock, toe hold
  • Spine - Twister (advanced)

How They Work: Apply pressure beyond the joint's natural range of motion, forcing a tap before injury occurs.

2. Strangulations

Cutting off blood or air supply through:

  • Blood Chokes (Vasoconstriction) - Restrict carotid arteries
    • Rear naked choke
    • Triangle choke
    • Guillotine variations
  • Air Chokes - Compress the windpipe
    • Less common in sport BJJ
    • Often painful before effective

How They Work: Blood chokes cause unconsciousness in 3-8 seconds if properly applied. Air chokes take longer and are less reliable.

Fundamental Submissions

Strangles (Blood Chokes)

Rear Naked Choke

  • Most dominant submission
  • From back mount
  • Highest finish rate
  • Blood choke using forearm and bicep

Triangle Choke

  • Guard player's weapon
  • Uses legs for power
  • Leads to armbars

Guillotine

  • Standing and ground application
  • Excellent takedown defense
  • Front headlock position
  • Quick finish when timed correctly

Arm Triangle

  • From contrôle latéral/mount
  • Uses opponent's shoulder as weapon
  • Walk to perpendicular angle for finish
  • Very tight when properly locked

Joint Locks (Arms & Shoulders)

Armbar

  • Most versatile submission in BJJ
  • Works from every position
  • Hyperextends elbow joint
  • Thumbs-up grip essential

Kimura

  • Figure-4 shoulder lock
  • Works from top and bottom
  • Excellent for sweeps and transitions
  • Control position, not just finish

Americana

  • From mount and contrôle latéral
  • Shoulder rotation toward mat
  • Opposite direction of kimura
  • First submission learned from mount

Attaques aux Jambes

Straight Ankle Lock

  • Clé de jambe fondamentale
  • Légal à tous les niveaux de ceinture
  • Hyperextension de la cheville
  • Disponible depuis ashi garami

Kneebar

  • Hyperextension du genou
  • Marron+ (Gi), Bleu+ (No-Gi)
  • Mécanique similaire à l'armbar

Toe Hold

  • Attaque rotationnelle de la cheville
  • Marron+ (Gi), Bleu+ (No-Gi)
  • Prise en figure quatre essentielle

Heel Hook

  • Attaque rotationnelle du genou
  • INTERDIT en IBJJF (toutes ceintures)
  • Légal en ADCC, événements EBI

Calf Slicer

  • Clé par compression
  • Marron+ (Gi et No-Gi)
  • Commun depuis position truck

Leg Lock Defense

  • Position boot et échappatoires
  • Stratégies de prévention
  • Essentiel pour tous les niveaux

Additional Submissions (Coming Soon)

Leg Attacks

  • Straight Ankle Lock
  • Kneebar
  • Heel Hook
  • Toe Hold

Advanced Chokes

  • Bow and Arrow
  • Loop Choke
  • Ezekiel Choke
  • Baseball Bat Choke

Shoulder Attacks

  • Omoplata
  • Tarikoplata
  • Monoplata

Training Concepts

Submission Mechanics

  • Breaking Defensive Grips - Hand fighting strategies
  • Isolation Principles - Separating the limb from the body
  • Leverage Points - Using your whole body vs their limb
  • Finishing Details - Small adjustments that ensure success

Position-Specific Attacks

  • From Mount - High percentage submissions
  • From Back - Choke dominance
  • From Guard - Bottom attacks
  • From Contrôle latéral - Pressure submissions
  • From Transitions - Catching in between

Submission Defense

  • Early Recognition - See attacks coming
  • Defensive Postures - Preventive positioning
  • Escape Sequences - Getting out of deep attacks
  • "Hitchhiker" Escapes - Last resort movements

Advanced Concepts

  • Submission Chains - Connecting multiple attacks
  • Dilemma Creation - Defend this, expose that
  • False Submissions - Using attacks to advance position
  • No-Gi Adaptations - Adjustments without the gi

In The Meantime

Available Resources

Immobilizations - Master positions before submissions ✅ Guard System - Many submissions start here ✅ Body Reading - Recognize submission opportunities

Training Priority

While waiting for detailed content:

  1. Master ONE submission from each position first
  2. Learn the defense before the offense
  3. Drill the entry more than the finish
  4. Practice on both sides for balanced development

Safety First

⚠️ Important: Always tap early in training. Submissions cause real injury if applied fully. Your training partners' safety is your responsibility.

💡 Quick Tips

The Submission Formula

Position + Isolation + Leverage = Submission

  1. Secure dominant position
  2. Isolate the target limb/neck
  3. Apply leverage using your whole body

Common Beginner Mistakes

  • Hunting submissions without position - Control first, submit second
  • Using strength over technique - If you're muscling it, the technique is wrong
  • Giving up position for submissions - Never sacrifice mount for a low-percentage attack
  • Not letting go after the tap - Release immediately when partner taps

Want to Contribute?

If you're experienced with submission techniques and want to help complete this section, please contribute on GitHub or contact us.