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Intermediatespider plow
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About This Technique
Technique: Spider Plow
Position: Open Guard
Description:
The Spider Plow is a dynamic transition technique used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that combines the principles of the Spider Guard and inverting to control your opponent and create sweep opportunities. It's particularly effective against standing or kneeling opponents, allowing you to exert control and transition to superior positions.
Steps to Perform the Spider Plow:
-
**Establish Your Base: **
- Begin in the Open Guard with your back on the mat.
- Position yourself with your legs dexterously wrapped around your opponent's arms — typical of the Spider Guard.
- Use grips on their sleeves to control their upper body. Aim to have one foot on the opponent's bicep and the other on their hip.
-
Create Distance:
- Use your leg on the opponent's bicep to push them slightly away, causing them to adopt a more upright posture.
- Ensure your other foot is effectively anchoring against their hip or thigh to manage distance.
-
Start the Inversion:
- Perform a back roll by tucking your chin and curling your body backward, using the momentum from your legs.
- As you go upside down, use your grips to stabilize and adjust your trajectory.
-
Sweep the Leg:
- Swing your leg that was on the opponent's bicep underneath their body like a plow.
- With fluid motion and leverage your grip, push their arm down slightly to disrupt their base.
-
Deploy Your Hook:
- As your body completes the inversion, adjust your trapped foot from their bicep to hook behind their knee for control. It acts as leverage to unbalance them.
-
Final Sweep and Take Top Position:
- Use the hooked leg and your opposite foot or hand to flip the opponent over onto their back.
- Move with the rollover to secure a dominant top position — often leading into a full mount or side control.
-
Secure and Stabilize:
- Follow through by engaging in a stable position—maintain pressure to prevent your opponent from escaping.
Tips for Mastery:
- Maintain strong, secure grips on your opponent’s sleeves to dictate the movement.
- Focus on the quick, smooth, and coordinated application of the inversion and hooking motion.
- Experiment during drilling to find optimal time for executing the technique against varying opponent resistance.
Common Mistakes:
- Over-reliance on strength rather than technique when flipping the opponent.
- Failure to maintain proper grips, which can lead to lost control during the inversion.
How to Execute
# Spider Plow from Open Guard
## Setup
- **Initial Position Details**: Begin in the open guard position, with your back on the mat and your opponent standing or kneeling in front of you. Your legs should be active, with your feet positioned on your opponent's biceps, creating a "Spider Guard."
- **Grips and Controls Needed**: Secure a firm grip on your opponent’s sleeves, ideally close to their wrists. Your feet should be pushing into their biceps, using your legs to control their movement and maintain distance.
## Steps
1. **Create Distance**:
- Use your grips and foot placement on the biceps to maintain distance and control over your opponent's posture. Your hips should be slightly elevated, giving you better mobility.
2. **Foot Placement**:
- Slide one of your feet from their bicep down to their hip, maintaining pressure to control their movement. This foot will help guide their hips and destabilize their base.
3. **Initiate the Sweep**:
- With the foot that remains on the bicep, apply pressure to push your opponent's upper body backward slightly. Simultaneously, use the foot on their hip to pull and elevate their hips, causing them to lose balance.
4. **Control and Roll**:
- As your opponent begins to tip backward, turn your body slightly to one side while pulling with your grips. Use the momentum to roll them over the shoulder of the side you are turning towards.
5. **Follow Through**:
- As your opponent flips, move your hips forward to follow their motion. Release the grip on their sleeve if necessary to maintain balance and control.
6. **Establish Dominant Position**:
- Once your opponent is on their back, move to establish a top control position like side control or mount, ensuring you maintain pressure and control to prevent their escape.
## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember**:
- Keep your grips tight and your legs active at all times to maintain control.
- Use your hips and legs to create leverage, making it easier to unbalance your opponent.
- **Common Mistakes to Avoid**:
- Losing grip of the sleeves, which can allow your opponent to regain posture and balance.
- Not maintaining proper foot placement, as incorrect positioning can lead to losing control or being passed.
- Failing to follow through with the roll, which can result in losing the sweep and ending up in a disadvantageous position.
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