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BeginnerBridge and Roll Escape
Ushiro-ukemi
Taught by:Adam FarnslerAndre GalvaoBernardo FariaJohn DanaherMarcelo GarciaNathan MerkleRob BiernackiRob ShifflerRoger Gracie
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About This Technique
Bridge and Roll Escape
The Bridge and Roll, also known as an upa escape, is one of the fundamental techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that allows the practitioner to escape from an opponent's mount. This technique relies on using leverage and timing to displace the person on top.
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Assess Your Situation:
- Start by recognizing that your opponent is fully mounted on you. This means they are sitting on your torso with their knees at your sides.
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Protect Your Neck:
- Keep your elbows in and your hands close to your neck. Ensure your chin is tucked to prevent collar chokes.
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Control an Arm:
- Pick a side to roll towards. Let's say the left.
- Use your left hand to reach across and grab your opponent's right wrist, securing it firmly against your chest.
- With your right hand, cup their right elbow, locking their arm to your body.
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Trapping a Leg:
- With your left foot, bridge your hips upward slightly to trap their right foot by placing your left foot outside their ankle.
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Execution of the Bridge:
- Lift your hips powerfully off the ground by bridging upwards, creating momentum.
- Simultaneously, rotate your hips towards the right while maintaining control of the trapped arm and leg.
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Rolling the Opponent:
- Continue to roll your body towards your right, using the momentum to off-balance your opponent, effectively turning them over and landing in their closed guard.
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Post-Roll:
- Once in their guard, immediately start working to establish a strong posture by bringing your hands to the inside of their hips and sitting back slightly.
Key Details to Remember
- Timing is Critical: Execute the move quickly once you've trapped the limb and their foot to prevent your opponent from re-adjusting.
- Hips Matter: The power of the escape comes from the hips. Bridging needs to be explosive and fluid.
- Secure the Opponent's Arm: If their arm is free, they'll easily post it out and prevent the roll.
How to Execute
# Bridge and Roll Escape from Mount
## Setup
- **Initial Position Details:** You are on the bottom in the mount position with your opponent sitting on your torso. Your opponent's knees are on the mat, and their weight is distributed on your body.
- **Grips and Controls Needed:** Secure one of your opponent's arms by trapping their wrist with your hand on the same side, and use your other hand to control their elbow by pulling it towards your chest. Additionally, trap their foot on the same side by placing your foot over theirs to prevent them from posting.
## Steps
1. **Trap the Arm:**
- Use your same-side hand to grab your opponent's wrist.
- Bring your other hand over to hug their elbow, pulling it tightly against your chest. Your goal is to keep their arm from posting out when you bridge.
2. **Trap the Foot:**
- On the same side as the trapped arm, use your foot to hook over and trap your opponent's ankle. This prevents them from widening their base and stabilizing themselves during your escape attempt.
3. **Bridge:**
- Plant your other foot firmly on the mat to generate power.
- Explosively bridge your hips upwards and towards the side of the trapped arm and foot. This motion should be strong enough to off-balance your opponent.
4. **Roll:**
- Continue the momentum from the bridge by rolling over your shoulder on the side of the trapped arm. The combination of the bridge and roll should cause your opponent to topple over.
- As you roll, aim to turn your body fully so you end up in your opponent’s guard or on top in their closed guard.
5. **Establish Control:**
- Once on top, immediately look to establish a stable base. Posture up or secure grips to prevent a counter-attack or escape attempt from your opponent.
## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember:**
- Make sure to trap both the arm and the foot on the same side to effectively limit your opponent's ability to post and balance.
- The bridge needs to be a powerful, explosive motion to adequately unbalance your opponent.
- **Common Mistakes to Avoid:**
- Failing to trap the foot allows your opponent to post it out and maintain their balance.
- Using insufficient force in the bridge can result in your opponent regaining balance, making the escape ineffective.
- Not securing the arm tightly against your chest might enable your opponent to free their arm and post out during your escape attempt.
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