How to escape the triangle choke: a BJJ tutorial I made

[goatfury]

This is a "late stage" triangle escape sequence I really like to use, centering on two main techniques. Check it out and let me know what you think:

http://revolutionbjj.hubpages.com/hub/Escaping-the-Triangle-Choke-a-BJJ-Tutorial

 

[Kaffe]

Good stuff as always. I use both of these reasonably regularly, and they work wonders for me. The knee pin has saved my butt lots of times.

 

[Russky]

Thanks, great stuff.

In my humble experience the best triangle defense starts from posture. Do not look down at your opponent in the guard and keep your hips close to his.

Once you caught in the triangle and your hips are far away "Elbow Down" escape will turn into kimura or omoplata, and "Knee Pin" escape will get your opponent sitting on top of you finishing triangle.

However, I made a mistake and got submitted with triangle just yesterday; so take whatever I say with a big grain of salt.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Once you caught in the triangle and your hips are far away "Elbow Down" escape will turn into kimura or omoplata, and "Knee Pin" escape will get your opponent sitting on top of you finishing triangle.

no it wont, elbow donw is not the same as hugging your leg defense, is very very hard to do a kimura, although possible from the elbow down defense. Omoplata? even harder the moment you let go the triangle to transition to the omoplata the person is out, you have no control over the trapped arm.

 

[goatfury]

Thanks, great stuff.

In my humble experience the best triangle defense starts from posture. Do not look down at your opponent in the guard and keep your hips close to his.

This is 100% correct. These are "late stage" defenses, for sure.

 

[Dayman1984]

Excellent stuff.

 

[goatfury]

Excellent stuff.

You're a master of karate and friendship for everyone.

 

[Leify]

no it wont, elbow donw is not the same as hugging your leg defense, is very very hard to do a kimura, although possible from the elbow down defense. Omoplata? even harder the moment you let go the triangle to transition to the omoplata the person is out, you have no control over the trapped arm.

Nope. Two on one behind the elbow of the trapped arm and peel it to you. Opens up the kimura and omoplata, among other things.

Pinning the knee is legit and tough to deal with if you don't have a good triangle. Pretty sure Ryan Hall even gives Andrew a shout out for this defense in his triangle series.

 

[Zankou]

I will give up omoplata any day over the triangle!

Extremely unlikely you will get subbed with omoplata. Worst is usually you give up a sweep.

Getting caught in a good triangle sucks balls.

 

[goatfury]

Nope. Two on one behind the elbow of the trapped arm and peel it to you. Opens up the kimura and omoplata, among other things.

Pinning the knee is legit and tough to deal with if you don't have a good triangle. Pretty sure Ryan Hall even gives Andrew a shout out for this defense in his triangle series.

I do the "elbow down" escape and never, ever give up the omoplata or Kimura. If you keep your elbow in very close, it's really, really hard to peel it away. Then again, I might be pretty good at this one, having done it for a few years now.

Ryan does give me a shout, saying he lost sleep over this one That was pretty funny when I first found out about it. For me, I was just trying to survive!

 

[SummerStriker]

That knee pin escape is great. I don't think I've been triangled since I learned it.

 

[goatfury]

That knee pin escape is great. I don't think I've been triangled since I learned it.

Awesome! Did you learn it from me, or elsewhere? Either way, it's a killer technique.

 

[Irenaeus]

Awesome! Did you learn it from me, or elsewhere? Either way, it's a killer technique.

I've been using this for five years, and I think it's money. I can't speak for the other guy, but I actually reverse-engineered it from Hall's counters to it on his Triangle DVD set. Amazing to see the source and an actual instructional on it. Thanks!

 

[SummerStriker]

Awesome! Did you learn it from me, or elsewhere? Either way, it's a killer technique.

I learned it from a purple belt who was giving a little seminar to us lowly cross training types, but I go to a real BJJ class and it works just fine on them as well.

The way he taught it, I think was no gi. We clinched the knee pretty tight, turned a full 90 and sprawled to the floor, driving the shoulder until the legs popped all the way. On occasion I've done it closer to the way you are showing, but I couldn't decide if I was being lazy or if I was refining some extraneous movement. Yours is a lot tighter than how I was doing it with smaller motions, so if I can make it work that way it will be easier.

 

[sha]

I learned it from a purple belt who was giving a little seminar to us lowly cross training types, but I go to a real BJJ class and it works just fine on them as well.

I remember first learning it from a Marcelo Garcia video, except he does it a bit more explosively. Works especially great in nogi.

 

[Leify]

I do the "elbow down" escape and never, ever give up the omoplata or Kimura. If you keep your elbow in very close, it's really, really hard to peel it away. Then again, I might be pretty good at this one, having done it for a few years now.

Do you fight to keep the angle so that you're turned towards the side of the tucked arm? Also, do you gable grip your hands under their hips to stop the free side straight armlock/razer?

Just curious.

 

[DocSooner]

Good stuff. Is this the same as the "Roger Gracie defense" referenced in Hall's set?

 

[goatfury]

I've been using this for five years, and I think it's money. I can't speak for the other guy, but I actually reverse-engineered it from Hall's counters to it on his Triangle DVD set. Amazing to see the source and an actual instructional on it. Thanks!

Hey, that's awesome - kind of full circle. That's exactly the ideal way to escape, defend, and counter - to reverse engineer. I always encourage my students to do exactly that. Seek first to understand fully what it is that you're trying to defeat.

 

[goatfury]

I remember first learning it from a Marcelo Garcia video, except he does it a bit more explosively. Works especially great in nogi.

Yeah, I can see that. I am more or less the opposite of explosive.

 

[goatfury]

Do you fight to keep the angle so that you're turned towards the side of the tucked arm? Also, do you gable grip your hands under their hips to stop the free side straight armlock/razer?

Just curious.

"Razer" = reverse armlock, right? No, I generally just put my free hand on top of my other hand. This does the job. Again, though, it takes practice, especially keeping your elbow flush with their hip.