Armbar Escapes

Whenever we roll after BJJ class I usually have my way with most of the guys but there are a couple guys that I dread having to roll with. There are a couple purple belts that it seems that all they know is the Armbar, armbar from the back, armbar from the mount, armbar from side controll, armbar from knee to belly, armbar from the guard,etc. Just as I think I have them they roll me into an armbar and I tap immediately. As the matter of fact I often have had to stop on my way home to buy ice for my arm. I have bought manuals and spent thousands of dollars on private lessons but nothing seems to work. So, if there are any grapplers out there who have found or know an effective armbar escape please post it.

Mahalo

 

Keep your elbows close to you body. Whenever the guy has a grip on your arm, work to free it back.

Once you're caught in armbar, you would have big problem to get out of it, especially if it comes from purple belts.

 

best technique is not getting caught. this should work if they're on top: when they move their leg to cross your face with it, tuck your chin in and move with them. im sure you've been shown how to do this, the trick is just to foresee their move and do yours quick enough (sometimes if im in a nasty situation i let my opponent go for something just so i can get out - most of the time you're fucked but it works every now and then). you'll end up in their guard.

 

er... sorry if this seems obvious, but dont let them get a good hold on your arm

 

if all they're going for is armbars then it is likely that you are making the same mistake over and over from different positions. when i roll with better guys there is rarely a sniff of an armbar, they're always aware of where their arms are. they keep it in tight and don't let me isolate an arm.

 

if you are rolling with much more experienced guys then you offcourse they'll be able to arm bar you and whatever escapes you know they will see coming and prevent them it doesn't mean that they don't work it just means the other grappler is better then you

but to answer your question i'd say the spin out escape or bumping the leg thats over your face (i wouldn't do that too much in training though as you might still get hurt) works best

 

What is your rank? How long have you been training?

 

what helped me is to just keep my elbow out between their legs, they cant really armbar you from their. That is alot easier to think about then getting your whole arm out. Just the elbow, shoot it to the floor if you have to.

 

Try stacking the person who has you in the armbar if possible.

 

I boxed in the Army (4 years) and took Vale Tudo for 2 years. As for BJJ I am a White belt. I have been taking classes for 4 months now (3x a week). The problem is that I work during the day so I can't attend the beginner classes. In the evenings the classes are for All Levels so there are plenty of blue and purple belts on hand.

 

Point your thumg to the wall so your palm is facing up, get their leg off your neck using your free hand, come round to side control.

Point your thumb towards the wall, roll backwards on the shoulder of the arm being armbarred.

 

In that case, any good purple is going to be tapping you all day long. Eventually, you will find tricks out of being in pure survival mode all of the time.

 

I find that if you twist your arm so the elbow is facing up, they cant armbar you but you have to manage that in between the time of them grabbing your arm and appying the lcok

 

...

 

The fact that you are having problems with purple belts might be a bit like me worrying that I can't bob and weave under Roy Jones Jr's punches. The best advice I can give you is to work on escaping the armbars of whitebelts, then blue belts, and then to work your way up to purple belts. Start a whitebelt (a non-spazzy whitebelt who isn't going to crank your arm if he gets it straight), let him put you in an armbar (with you in different positions) and then try to counter him. When you are successful most of the time then move on up the food chain.

Here is a simple armbar escape to get you started: www.grapplearts.com/Shooto-Armbar-Escape.htm

Good luck
Stephan Kesting
www.grapplearts.com

 

common man 4 months and you expect to be able to do something to guys who've been training for 5+ years? not gonna happened in fact those guys will most likely be able to sub you at will for years to come but as they do you will get better even if you don't notice it when rolling with them you will next time you roll with guys at your level

 

The escape looks very interesting in theory. Today we do No-gi classes and I am injured (Armbar casulty) so I will try it on Monday.

 

If u do try to spin out of it, do you spin towards your foot or towards your head? I hav seen suggestions of both

 

Both arms in (the guard) and even, or both arms out. Never isolate one arm unless it is protected by another limb, like a knee when standing.