Armbar Details

Saturday Mixed Levels Class
Instructor: Jeremy

Just some details to help with executing the armbar:

• Never forget the basics: keep everything tight - knees, tombstone, feet - and don't try to muscle. Use a STRAIGHT back to break the grip.
• If the grip won't budge, FIRST try readjusting your grip: Hold (control) their gable grip with one hand while you bring your elbow pit higher on their forearm, creating more leverage, then break.
• SECOND (if the first doesn't work), try the feet approach - first use your INSIDE foot, then if that isn't enough use both.

Armbar Attempt to a Bicep Slicer:

1. So you've attempted the armbar, but they've grabbed their own lapel and are preventing you from finishing. So you have one arm locked in their arm already.
2. Grip your thigh with that arm to maintain control.
   
3. Hold their grip with your other hand while you bring the opposite-side foot over their grip.
4. Immediately grab your own foot, securing it tightly on top of their wrist (this is a quick little switch in the location of your hand gripping).
5. Triangle lock that foot with your other foot that was controlling the head (replacing your hand in securing the grip).
6. Rotate your arm that is in the elbow pit of your opponent (effectively increasing the width of the part of the arm pressing against his forearm and his bicep).
7. Pinch things tight with legs and arch your back. This will cause a really quick tap if secured.
   

Knees and Toes

Wednesday Night Advanced Class
Instructor: Damian

Damian went at the legs again:

Straight Ankle Lock Defense

1. As SOON as you sense you're being ankle locked, you MUST come forward (lurch!) and grab your opponent's lapel, neck, or anything to prevent him from locking things down and destroying your ankle
2. Only then should you wrap an arm around HIS knee, so that your forearm is in his knee pit.
3. Move your butt forward, closing his knee to his butt. This will create pressure in his knee and he will tap. This is very painful and scary - it messes with the MCL/ACL (I think).
   
4. With the other hand make sure you MAINTAIN grip on the neck, lapel, or whatever, to ensure that he can't get enough space to get at your ankle

Ankle Lock to a Twisting Leg Thing That Sucks Like Hell (Damian teaches this; what else WOULD it be called?)

1. So your opponent is on the ground, you're standing, but you've got his ankle and you're thinking of sitting down into a straight ankle lock for the finish. However, you can't get enough space to do that.
   
2. If you're trying to lock up his ankle on your right side, take your left hand and thread it OVER his leg and under. You're switching grips here, attacking the foot.
3. Let go of the ankle with your right hand, switch the grip to grabbing the outside of his foot (right at the toe joint), and twist.
4. Do this slowly, you can really screw someone up doing this.

Note: To prevent your feet from getting ankle-locked when you're in open guard, make sure your feet are ON THE HIPS, not off to one side of his hips. Make it a little hard for them, you know.