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banana splitter

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About This Technique

BJJ Technique: Banana Splitter

Position: Back Mount

Step-by-Step Instructions


  1. Set Up Your Back Control

    • Begin with back control on your opponent, securing the position with your hooks in and your hands latched tightly by your opponent’s shoulders.
    • Ensure you maintain chest-to-back contact with your opponent, stabilizing your back mount position effectively.
  2. Transition to One Side

    • Choose a side and guide your opponent slightly to the side by pulling with your grip.
    • Focus your control on the side your opponent is falling towards, and sneak one leg underneath theirs.
  3. Establish a Triangle Trap

    • Cross one foot over the opponent's leg, situating it in the crook of their knee.
    • Triangle your legs around your opponent's leg, securing it efficiently to prevent any escapes.
  4. Stretch and Isolate

    • With their leg securely trapped, extend your other leg, looping it around their existing leg while keeping your hooks snug.
    • Your extending leg should aim to isolate their knee by stretching it backward.
  5. Apply the Submission

    • Using your arms, pull the opponent’s upper body towards you, employing the back control grip to leverage the stretch.
    • Simultaneously, drive your hips and head backward while stretching their legs apart.
    • Maintain secure, controlled pressure to execute the split effectively, hence forcing a tap due to the pain in the opponent's groin and hamstrings.
  6. Adjust and Maintain Pressure

    • Adjust the grip as necessary to ensure constant tension.
    • Be mindful of applying the submission gradually to avoid injury to your training partner.

Additional Details

  • Focus: This technique targets the opponent's groin, hamstrings, and lower back by applying a split-like pressure.
  • Common Counters: A proficient opponent may attempt to unhook your feet, so ensure secure triangulation of your legs and adjust your torso and grip as necessary to maintain control.

How to Execute

# Banana Splitter from Back Mount

## Setup

### Initial Position
- Begin in the back mount position with your opponent, having both hooks (your feet) secured inside their legs.
- Your upper body should be close to their back, maintaining control with either a seatbelt grip or double underhooks.

### Grips and Controls Needed
- Use a seatbelt grip (one arm over the shoulder and the other under the armpit) to maintain control.
- Ensure your head is positioned next to theirs to prevent escapes.
- Keep your hooks deep and active, ready to transition.

## Steps

1. **Isolate One Leg:**
   - Use your arm that is under their armpit to reach down and grab their opposite ankle (the ankle on the same side as your over-the-shoulder arm).
   - Pull the ankle up towards their buttocks, breaking their posture and creating space.

2. **Remove One Hook:**
   - With the ankle pulled up, remove the hook on the side you are pulling. This same-side leg will be used to further isolate and control their leg.

3. **Transition to a Half Guard Hook:**
   - Slide the removed hook leg over and under their isolated leg, placing your knee behind their knee joint.
   - Use your foot to hook inside of their thigh, similar to a half-guard position.

4. **Control and Secure Opponent’s Leg:**
   - With the other hand (the one that was over their shoulder), reach down to grab their ankle or shin of the isolated leg.
   - Pull their leg towards their head while extending your body slightly backward to create tension.

5. **Apply the Submission:**
   - With both hands controlling the leg, keep pulling their leg towards their head.
   - Use your hooked leg to push outwards on their thigh, creating a splitting motion.
   - Apply steady pressure until your opponent taps.

## Key Points

- **Important Details to Remember:**
  - Maintain tight control with the seatbelt grip before transitioning to the leg.
  - Keep your chest close to their back to prevent them from escaping or turning.

- **Common Mistakes to Avoid:**
  - Do not rush removing the hook; ensure their leg is properly isolated first.
  - Avoid losing your grip on the ankle; this is crucial to prevent them from straightening their leg.
  - Ensure your head stays tight to theirs to prevent them from rolling out or escaping.

- **Safety Considerations:**
  - Apply pressure gradually to avoid injury; this technique can put significant strain on the groin and knee.
  - Be ready to release the submission immediately once your opponent taps.

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