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Open GuardBottom
AdvancedArm Drag to Back Take
Taught by:Adam FarnslerAndre GalvaoBernardo FariaCraig JonesGordon RyanJohn DanaherKeenan CorneliusLachlan GilesMarcelo GarciaMikey MusumeciNathan MerkleRob BiernackiRob ShifflerRoger Gracie
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About This Technique
Arm Drag to Back Take: Detailed Technique Guide
Position: Typically initiated from the seated guard or standing, but can also be executed from other open guard variations.
Japanese Name: N/A
Execution Steps:
From Seated Guard:
-
Grip Establishment:
- Sit up in your guard with your opponent on their knees or standing.
- Use your right hand to grip your opponent's left sleeve or wrist.
- Simultaneously, use your left hand to reach across their body and cup the triceps of their right arm.
-
The Drag:
- As you pull their right arm across their body using your left hand, push their left wrist towards the ground with your right hand.
- Engage your core and rotate your upper body to your left side, maintaining a tight grip on their arm.
-
Initiating Movement:
- Slide your hips slightly backward and to your left side, creating a path to their back.
- As you drag them forward, lift your butt off the mat for better leverage.
-
Securing Position:
- Quickly shift your position, swinging your right leg around back, placing your right foot on the ground for support.
- Free your left leg and shoot it over, aiming to establish a hook inside their thigh (or hip, depending on position and personal preference).
-
Taking the Back:
- Pull down with both hands to control their arm tightly against your chest, preventing them from turning back into you.
- Insert both hooks (feet) onto their inner thighs to secure the back control.
-
Control and Stabilization:
- Use your right arm to wrap around their waist or torso while establishing chest-to-back contact.
- With your left arm, aim to secure a seatbelt grip, which consists of gripping your right wrist.
-
Final Control:
- Adjust your positions, such that your knees flare out slightly, your core stays tight, and you maintain a strong forward pressure ensuring that their scapula are pinched towards you.
- Stay alert for any openings to transition into submissions, such as rear naked chokes.
Key Points:
- Maintain grip pressure throughout the arm drag.
- Your core and hip movements are essential for successful execution.
- Balance maintaining control and position adaptation based on opponent's reaction.
By mastering the arm drag to back take from various guard positions, practitioners can add a dynamic, effective technique into their repertoire, with versatile applications in both gi and no-gi scenarios.
How to Execute
# Arm Drag to Back Take from Open Guard
## Setup
- **Initial Position**: Start in an open guard position with your opponent kneeling or standing in front of you.
- **Grips and Controls Needed**:
- Secure a cross grip on your opponent’s opposite-side wrist (e.g., your right hand grips their left wrist).
- Use your free hand to reach and control the tricep area of the same arm you have gripped.
## Steps
1. **Create an Angle**:
- Shift your hips slightly to the side opposite your grip (e.g., if you grip their left wrist, move your hips to your right) to create an angle for the arm drag.
2. **Execute the Arm Drag**:
- Pull your opponent’s wrist across your body using your cross grip.
- Simultaneously, use your tricep grip to guide their arm past your body, moving it towards your opposite hip.
3. **Move Your Hips**:
- Scoot your hips further to the side to create space, allowing their arm to be effectively dragged across.
- Use your legs to assist in this movement by pushing off their hips or torso if needed.
4. **Rotate and Hook**:
- As you complete the arm drag, rotate your body towards your opponent’s back.
- Use your nearest leg to swing around and hook their far hip or leg to assist in closing the distance.
5. **Secure the Back**:
- Quickly bring your chest to their back, maintaining tight control.
- Insert your first hook by threading your leg around one side of their body and securing it with your foot or shin.
6. **Establish Control**:
- With one hook in place, work to establish the second hook, usually by pulling their hips closer and sliding your other leg into position.
- Control their upper body by reaching one arm across their shoulder, aiming to secure a seatbelt grip or directly going for a rear-naked choke grip if the opportunity arises.
## Key Points
- **Important Details to Remember**:
- Maintain a strong grip on your opponent’s wrist and tricep to effectively control their arm.
- Use your hips dynamically to create angles and space for effective arm dragging.
- **Common Mistakes to Avoid**:
- Failing to create enough angle with your hips can lead to an ineffective arm drag.
- Neglecting to maintain tight chest-to-back contact may allow your opponent to turn and escape.
- Overcommitting to the arm drag without securing adequate grips or positioning can lead to loss of control and vulnerability to counters.
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