How effective is body triangle?

[tavio]

When is it good to use body triangle when taking someone's back? I have long legs so I have no trouble locking it in. But what are the Pros and Cons to the body triangle as oppose to using hooks (in gi and no gi).

 

[HEELHOOKURAZZ]

I do no-gi and I usually lock the body triangle when I am pretty sure I have the choke and my forearm is fully under their chin. If some how I dont finish with the choke, everytime my oponent breathes in I tighten the body triangle to restrict their breathing. I usually always use hooks to controll the person and just generally have their back. A body triangle IMO wastes a lil bit of energy and can leave you and your legs a llittle fatigued. So I generally just youse it when/if I get the choke.

 

[Mike Wilson Jr.]

The biggest con is you dont get your 4 points for back mount with the body triangle. (IBJJF rules)

Other than that, its personal preference. I have the legs to do it in most cases, but i prefer the hooks. Having the ability to flatten them out if they roll belly down makes having the hook better imo.

I like the body triangle from guard on occasion though. Makes it very difficult for the guy to pass on bottom. Standing pass its tough for them to keep their balance as well.

 

[FuneralPyre]

I'm no expert, but the body triangle offers better control and makes it harder for him to turn into you, whereas the hooks offer better mobility, which means you can switch to other subs than a rear choke. With the triangle, there's not really anything you can do except work for the choke. Also with the hooks you have a better chance to trap one of his arms. Lastly if you use the hooks you can use them to move your opponent around with your legs. For example if he starts getting too high on you, you can move him down with the hooks.

What are some good escapes from the triangle? I tend to get stuck in that position.

 

[Droogan Leader]

I've had a guy actually tap out from a body triangle that I wasn't even constricting. I somehow actually have never been put into one oddly enough, but I heard it can be very uncomfortable.

A con would probably be that if your opponent slams down the locking side or cracks it, your effed. Always keep the locked side away from the mat is what we learned!

 

[The Dragon777]

I've been subbed by a body triangle (Guy had long limbs, a lot of weight/strenght and height on me) and I've come close to subbing someone with it because i was stronger and had longer limbs. It is very uncomfortable and makes it hard to pass if applied from guard. May not get you points in tournies however like someone mentioned earlier

 

[Hamburger Legs]

Body triangle is very effective if your opponent doesn't know how to escape it. If your opponent knows the escapes, it's considerably less effective IMO. It seems that most people do not know the escapes to the body triangle though. It's important to note that you give up a lot of control over your opponent from the back if you use a body triangle instead of hooks or a belt-line hook with leg monitor.

 

[Murci]

i love the body triangle, if your going hard what i like to do is watch their breathing and tighten it when they exhale, it makes it hard for them to breathe and tires them fast.
or, if i get the chance, pull an arm down and trap it in the triangle leaving them very exposed.

the only down side is that if they roll you to one side they can get your ankle.

 

[Supereem]

cons:

You can have your foot broken if the guy is calm and knows whats what. We drill this alot so when people who watch alot of MMA do it in comps we can fuck them over.

Its easier for them to turn into you, although it is easily countered if you know whats what. what.

 

[Art of War]

Body triangle is very effective if your opponent doesn't know how to escape it. If your opponent knows the escapes, it's considerably less effective IMO. It seems that most people do not know the escapes to the body triangle though. It's important to note that you give up a lot of control over your opponent from the back if you use a body triangle instead of hooks or a belt-line hook with leg monitor.

belt-line hook with leg monitor

What's this

 

[davou]

You gotta be careful; there's a way to make someone 'toehold' themselves when they close a body triangle on you. Since I hit someone with that at my school, many less people are doing body triangles.

 

[_Glorfindel_]

Yup, that alway surprise me that even in the ufc calibre, guys dont know how to counter a body triangle.

 

[SuperiorHands]

Think it's effectiveness is largely dependent on your limb length compared to the other persons body proportions.

As for the people attacking the feet, I've yet to see this defense but I can't imagine that working well against competent grapplers if it requires your hands, because if I have you in a body triangle and you drop your hand or hands to attack my feet I'll be choking you immediately.

 

[davou]

the hands help to increase pressure, but you can do it without hands and doing it with a single hand is definitely possible.

here ya go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYg5_A3c-uw

 

[RTD1]

There's a guy at my gym who has a sick body triangle. He's tapped a number of people with it. He caught me in it once and it was very uncomfortable (not to the level of tapping though). I rolled over on his foot. Let's just say he hasn't tried to body triangle me since.

 

[TheHereticJay]

belt-line hook with leg monitor

What's this

I'm going to assume that he means when you have your bottom hook and your top leg is free to do one of two things. If they try to roll to their knees, you hook like normal. If they try to turn into you, you hook behind the knee to keep them squared to you.

This is my go to instead of double hooks instantly.

 

[Gambledub]

I'm going to assume that he means when you have your bottom hook and your top leg is free to do one of two things. If they try to roll to their knees, you hook like normal. If they try to turn into you, you hook behind the knee to keep them squared to you.

This is my go to instead of double hooks instantly.

I assumed it was the control where you have your bottom hook low across the body (like a disconnected body triangle) with your top hook checking the hip or leg. I'll try post gifs when I get home.

 

[pistol3]

In the gi, it is great for control so you have more freedom to use your arms to hunt for choke grips. However, if you want to finish something like a bow and arrow choke, you will pretty much have to let it go. So good for control and setting up subs, but bad for actually finishing them.

 

[Gambledub]

I assumed it was the control where you have your bottom hook low across the body (like a disconnected body triangle) with your top hook checking the hip or leg. I'll try post gifs when I get home.

Like this control

Which allows you to be active with the free leg for body triangles or arm traps

 

[TheHereticJay]

Like this control

Which allows you to be active with the free leg for body triangles or arm traps

Ahh yeah, never really use that... maybe I'm afraid of leaving my heel in the air, knowing that a reverse toe hold from there would be faster than a RNC if someone attacked it instead of defended the neck. But I could totally see it being a viable back control, knowing of any counter attacks of course.