Creeping into Position

Ideally, closing a submission in sport grappling is like taking the key out of the ignition – the parking brake is on, the car is out of gear and the engine has stopped running.  Put another way, the car isn’t going to move.

In a similar fashion, the ideal submission should be the endpoint of several chained events.  Your partner shouldn’t be able to use their legs against you.  Your partner shouldn’t be able to fight you with their hips.  Your partner shouldn’t be able to fight you with their arms.  You should be able to take your time to turn the key put on the submission in a slow, safe and controlled way.

Sounds wonderful but impossible, right?  It is wonderful but also completely possible.  The key is to move methodically to shut off your partner’s options.  Today we looked at shutting off options from the cross body.  First, we took away the hips and legs by sliding up higher onto our partner (putting our knee under their armpit).  Second, we flipped our hips back over, pinning this arm and effectively taking it out of the picture.  Finally, we reached across and took our time closing the key lock as a submission.

Certainly, there are mistakes to be made and people tend to cooperate much less than car ignitions (especially when they know you’re trying to simulate ripping their shoulder off).  Never the less, with practice and strategic thinking, getting a submission can be as easy as pulling the key out of the ignition (as opposed to it being contest of strength and/or will).

Check the whiteboard for the lesson plan.  Thanks to Bill of Alive MMA for the hierarchy of shutting down your partners ability to resist (legs, hips, body, arms, move freely).