Cross legs (armbar)

[tdk_tdk]

This seems like a common question but the search engine was broke.

When going for a straight armbar do you cross your legs or leave them uncrossed???

 

[lonewolf_454]

Either way is valid, but if you cross your legs (ankles) make sure you squeeze your knees together. The pro to crossing is that you have a more secure lock but by crossing ankles you tend to release pressure between the knees making the armbar looser.

 

[tdk_tdk]

Either way is valid, but if you cross your legs (ankles) make sure you squeeze your knees together. The pro to crossing is that you have a more secure lock but by crossing ankles you tend to release pressure between the knees making the armbar looser.

Thanks

 

[mmahamzah]

they can get in your guard easier if u dnt cross your legs aswell

 

[aaron_mag]

I'm no expert, but I thought you crossed your legs when you have the persons neck (as in you were going for the triangle, but there posture was too much).

When you only have their armpit (typical armbar) I thought that the other leg was meant to secure the head and keep them from coming into guard...

 

[I-Shoji]

I perfer to dig the foot of the leg that is covering their face under their armpit. This keeps them from using the spin-out escape that has become so common.

 

[Enron Exec.]

Its good technique and habit to leave them uncrossed. You are supposed to squeeze your knees together and push your hip up and its makes it alot harder to do it with your legs crossed.

 

[Balto]

My experience leads me to believe that it is a slight technical flaw to cross your legs in an armbar. The armbar is generally tighter and more effective when the legs are uncrossed.

However, I find myself crossing my legs accidentally sometimes. Most of the time I am able to finish the armbar anyway. Crossing the legs does not seem to be a critical flaw.

I would probably concentrate more on getting your body perpendicular to your opponent and controlling him appropriately. Those things are more important than crossing the legs.

 

[Asel1]

for what its worth, Bas always says on the pride shows to cross the legs, i find that depending on how the guy is trying to get out, both work fine

 

[hamoom]

if i cross my legs, i usually try to cross my feet under their opposite shoulder. it's impossible for them to spin out of the armbar when that shoulder is stuck

 

[lonewolf_454]

oh yeah.. make sure that the foot on bottom is the one against the head. I think technically, a perfect armbar does not have ankles crossed. but depending on the situation it can be helpful. I cross because i have short ass legs.

 

[aaron_mag]

I perfer to dig the foot of the leg that is covering their face under their armpit. This keeps them from using the spin-out escape that has become so common.

Damn! Good idea. Never considered that...

Thanks.

 

[alexgncw]

i don't cross my legs i think if you do it makes it easier for the person to spin out and stand up ... instead use your legs to keep the guy down sorta works like a cage

 

[Enron Exec.]

for what its worth, Bas always says on the pride shows to cross the legs, i find that depending on how the guy is trying to get out, both work fine

ya you havent seen Bas's escape from a triangle either. Bas lost all credibility after I saw his way of gettin out of the Triangle. I saw it on a video like 2 years ago someone find it ?

 

[Asel1]

ya you havent seen Bas's escape from a triangle either. Bas lost all credibility after I saw his way of gettin out of the Triangle. I saw it on a video like 2 years ago someone find it ?

how does he escape? is it a circus move or sumthing??

 

[Foolkiller]

Cross your ankles if they are past the opposing tricep, do not cross them if they aren't.

 

[Freestyler]

I do not cross...Weakens the hold

 

[Enron Exec.]

how does he escape? is it a circus move or sumthing??

I forget what the exact way he told to get out I just know it was a way you should never try to escape I remember that much hahaha

 

[TheHighlander]

if i cross my legs, i usually try to cross my feet under their opposite shoulder. it's impossible for them to spin out of the armbar when that shoulder is stuck

I used to do it that way. Stops the spin out but he can still sit up pretty well if his neck isn't strongly controlled by your top leg. Just had somebody prove that to me last week and I don't see any holes in his argument.

Both feet on the ground, knees tight, one foot in his armpit and the other squeezing his neck up against your butt. Other versions can be made to work, but that one is the most solid I've seen.

 

[I-Shoji]

Damn! Good idea. Never considered that...

Thanks.

Np.

Don't agree with the statement that this allows them to sit up. Ive never had someone be able to sit up in that situation, and I'm a 165 lbs guy who grapples primarily 180+ guys. Besides, I also believe in bending the arm so his thumb points down to his feet and hipping into it at an angle, so he can sit up all he wants. This also prevents spinning out squirreliness, and incidentally comes off the Bas Rutten DvD's.

So that piece of info is good at least

Bas shows a few ways of getting out of the triangle on his new dvd's, all of which are pretty basic solid techniques. Perhaps the video you saw was old stuff, but the new dvds clearly were collaborated on with people who knew more about grappling then Bas.