ground fighting

[Strider]

Wassup y'all. Need your input. I've been sparring with a couple of my buddies at class and outside of class, and this happens all the time. Whenever I get my opponent in the guard and go for the triangle..he manages to get up and stand..when he does that I usually get rolled onto my neck..which I try to avoid breaking by tucking it in. Is there a better form or technique I have to use to avoid getting lifted up and power bombed??

[Strider]

does anyone know the answer??

[Sean Dempsey]

If you are getting lifted up in a "power bomb" fashion, you should probably release your feet and drop them down onto the ground, or hook your feet inside his knees and rest your bodyweight there. Or drop your feet down, then hook a foot around the outside of his calf and go for a takedown again, getting you in the mount.

There's no 1 perfect more or 1 solid hold, sometimes you just gotta do 10% of 10 different moves to end up at a 100%..

[jitzmandala]

When you catch a guy in a triangle and his response is to posture up, it's important to realize that in order for him to do this he needs to be able to raise his head.

When you go for a triangle from guard:

1. Leg over the shoulder should reach down his back as far as you can (hips up into him) before you 'pull' him in with that leg.
2. When you pull him in, control his inside arm and angle your hips simultaneously.
3. It's important that the ankle your hooking over have it's toes pulled back, if you're hooking your foot, it's not as good as hooking at your ankle or above.
4. If it feels like you have not got your triangle closed all the way, reach up to the ankle of the leg thats accross the back of his neck with the opposite hand. This will create a frame between your arm and your leg, use this frame to keep his head down, while you adjust your triangle for a better lock.
5. The better you can get the angle with your hips the tighter the lock. If your straight on, you may have to pull on the back of his head to get it to work.

If at any time you allow him to have control of his own head, and posture up, you may lose the triangle. Even if you don't get the triangle, controling his head will set you up better for armbars or sweeps.

You should find someone to practice with that doesn't just want to fight you, but see if you can get the technical aspects to work so you can both learn more. Every time you succeed in grappling via proper leverage and technique, both players benifit.

Dave in Oregon

[DRLashambe]

To further the point made by Dave in Oregon, I found that I was suffering the same problem you were, and it was "shrimping out" to apply the triangle from one side rather than straight on that improved the technique for me.

[Sean Dempsey]

Whenever I am in a triangle, I am usually choked out within a few seconds.. it never occurs to me to stand up because I am losing the blood to my brain..

maybe your triangle isn't on right, in which case if they are standing up (since they obviously aren't choking), just release it and go for an angle lock or cliinch onto this leg and take him down again.

If a move isn't working, abandon it and go for something else. Triangles are pretty brutal chokes and hard to get out of, so if they are just standing up, I'd evaluate your triangle, and maybe ask a buddy to tell you when you're applying the choke correctlyl

[Mr. Miyagi]

You have to turn your body when you're applying the triangle (towards the side you have his head trapped with). This gives you the leverage to keep your opponent trapped.
As Sean said, the triangle should work pretty quick, if it takes 10-20 secs for the guy to feel it and tap out you're doing something wrong. If you've been sparring for several minutes and your opponent is worn down then you can get away with it, but if you apply it in the first few minutes it has to be done right.
As practice you could position the triangle on your partner and then tell him to try to escape as you apply pressure. This will probably be the best way to help you feel the correct position.

[Strider]

haha probably. Thanks for the idea Miyagi. Never thought about doing that. Im just so focused on learning the move in one try. I never focus on the small details or anything..thankz for the post all

[jitzmandala]

I should have clarified on the following:

"5. The better you can get the angle with your hips the tighter the lock. If your straight on, you may have to pull on the back of his head to get it to work."

Thanks Miyagi for pointing it out to Strider.

You gotta get a good angle with your hips and get your leg accross the back of the neck for the triangle to be effective.

Biggest problem I encounter is if they posture up fast and I can't control the head / arm and they pull out. But then... there's the 'armless' triangle...heheheh

Much luv to my brothas practicing jitz.

Dave