John Danaher's north-south strangle, finishing with two hands. Also a defence lesson: fight the second hand before it locks.
Escapes
Submission Defence
General principles for defending submissions early and late, and the specific counters for the most common attacks.
Also called defending submissions, late defence, escaping submissions, submission escapes.
Where it shows up
- Side Control · Side Control Bottom · Submission Defence
- Kesa Gatame (Scarf Hold) · Kesa Gatame Bottom · Submission Defence
- Knee on Belly · Knee on Belly Bottom · Submission Defence
- North-South · North-South Bottom · Submission Defence
- Mount · Mount Bottom · Submission Defence
- Back Control · Back Control (Defending) · Choke Defence and Hand Fighting
- Crucifix · Crucifix Bottom · Escapes
- Front Headlock · Front Headlock Bottom · Choke Defence
- Leg Entanglements · Leg Lock Defence and Escapes · Submission Defence
- Fundamentals and Concepts · Principles · Defensive Principles
Related techniques
Resources
25 resources
YouTube videos
Lachlan Giles shows how to defend the americana from bottom side control by keeping the elbow tight and turning the hand before the figure-four locks.
Late-stage RNC defence for when the choke is already locked: last-ditch hand fighting before you have to tap.
An Amazing Submission Counter Attack For The Front Head Lock by Neil Melanson
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics YouTube
Neil Melanson's counter-attacks from the bottom of a front headlock, useful when you cannot simply pop the head out.
Chewy on not just escaping the BJJ scarf hold but coming up with an armbar, which also means hiding your own trapped arm on the way out.
Stephan Kesting on escaping the rear naked choke itself: fighting the choking arm, tucking the chin and turning into the choke.
Stephan Kesting on escaping the crucifix: freeing the trapped arm before they roll you over, and what to do if they already have.
Choking Mechanics You WON'T Learn In Class... D'arce, Anaconda & Arm-In Guillotine Complete System
Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu YouTube
Jordan's full system for D'Arce, anaconda and arm-in guillotine mechanics. Understanding the choke also tells you how to defend: hide the neck and fight the locking hand.
Brandon McCaghren's three armbar escapes, mostly against the armbar from mount and S-mount: early elbow retraction, the hitchhiker and stacking.
How to Escape the Crucifix - Andre Galvao
Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ | World's Best BJJ Academy - Home Page YouTube
Andre Galvao's long look at escaping the crucifix, including late-stage defence once you are already rolled over.
Side Control Escape & Defense Concepts - Andre Galvao
Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ | World's Best BJJ Academy - Home Page YouTube
Andre Galvao teaches an extended class on defending and escaping side control, covering arm safety, frame structure and how to stop the top player advancing. Long but thorough.
Quick no-gi americana escape from bottom side control, rotating the arm and hips to take the pressure off the shoulder.
Knee on belly escapes taught by the professor who gives the most painful knee on belly
JeanJacquesMachado YouTube
Machado on escaping knee on belly, including how not to give up the armbar while you get the knee off.
Machado on escaping north-south from side control, including protecting the neck from the choke while you move.
Three layers of arm triangle defence from prevention to a late escape, covering the head-and-arm choke that usually starts from mount.
How to defend collar chokes, including the cross collar choke from mount: fighting the second grip, chin and shoulder position and when to abandon defence and escape.
A long look at scarf-hold escapes, including how to protect the trapped arm while you bridge.
The Most Basic BJJ Move Ever - The Right Ways to TAP (and Some Wrong Ones Too) (BJJ/Jiu-Jitsu/Judo)
Brian Glick YouTube
Brian Glick on the most basic move in BJJ: tapping correctly, and the wrong ways people do it.
Surviving knee on belly: the objective and the mechanics of keeping the far arm and neck safe while you escape.
A long, systematic look at defending the armbar from mount, from preventing the arm isolation through to late escapes once the leg is over the face.
Jon Thomas on escaping north-south, with the frames that keep the choke from closing while you spin.
Priit Mihkelson's quick introduction to Defensive BJJ: survival as a system, not a collection of escapes.
When to tap in jiu-jitsu: the practical answer for people who hold submissions too long.
Heel hook defence 101: a structured look at hiding the heel, the boot and when to tap.
Beginner tutorial on americana defence: recognising the setup, hiding the wrist and re-establishing the frame to escape.