Trouble with cross body position

[kboxer]

I am having a real hard time with a cross body position. When I am on body and my opponent has side control, i.e. my opponent is on my right side and his left side ribs are right against my right rib cage, I can't breathe at all, to the point that I cant go on. With an opponent my weight or heavier I can escape. I beleieve his right arm is under my head also. Couldnt turn into him no matter how hard I tried. It is very shitty to be in a postion you cant do anything to escape

 

[VTJas81]

What works for me is to breathe with your stomach flexing instead of your chest. One it relaxes you and two he's putting pressure on ur chest not ur stomach. It won't help you escape but you won't have problem breathing.

 

[b0b]

Try to turn and get a leg in for half guard and work from there.

 

[stephensharp]

Use the breathing advice. Other than that, if you're rolling with someone who's got good pins, sometimes you just have to wait for them to move for something, and that's when you make your move. As you get good, you'll learn how to bait people into going for a sub, and popping out the backdoor or whatever.

 

[Sherdog_Mutt]

From side control, almost all of the escapes involve you doing one of three things:

1) Hip out while turning towards him (either establishing full guard, half guard, or to your knees if he gives you the space). In order to do these escapes, you cannot allow him to control your head.

2) Hip out while turning away from him (either continuing the motion to get to your knees or slipping out of his grasp while he's over you). You have to be careful with him taking your back with these escapes.

3) Some sort of bucking movement (either to create space to insert your legs in between or as a sweep).

 

[kboxer]

I tried hipping out but he is 280 or so. I go about 230 right now and he did have my head. I am going to continue to start there until I can escape properly. Prbably just a matter of experience too. His build is very awkward with that barrel chested build. It is far and few I will fight someone like him, but you never know. Thanks guys. Very intelligent answers.

 

[Zankou]

If somebody bigger and stronger than you gets a crossface from side mount, you are basically screwed. You can try to create space by pushing on their throat and getting your hips out. Other than that, you kinda just have to sit there.

I hate being sidemounted.

 

[Ryom]

If somebody bigger and stronger than you gets a crossface from side mount, you are basically screwed. You can try to create space by pushing on their throat and getting your hips out. Other than that, you kinda just have to sit there.

I hate being sidemounted.

Yeah i second that, I actually prefer being mounted than side mounted .

Else, I usally do the hip movement, but if I get the room to it, I turn around and get to my legs/knees and take it from there, depending if you want to stand up or keep fighting on the ground. I kinda lack the words to descripe it :icon_surp

 

[Sherdog_Mutt]

I tried hipping out but he is 280 or so. I go about 230 right now and he did have my head. I am going to continue to start there until I can escape properly. Prbably just a matter of experience too. His build is very awkward with that barrel chested build. It is far and few I will fight someone like him, but you never know. Thanks guys. Very intelligent answers.

His weight is not as important as his crossface in controlling you. You absolutely need to escape your head in order to do something. Try putting your hand up to block the control in the first place. If he's already established a cross face, try bucking up to create space and snake your hand in to block his control. When you're ready to hip out, with your hand blocking his control, simply hip out while brushing his arm over your head. It'll be a battle but you absolutely need to get rid of his crossface.

 

[Bubble Boy]

I've found that the slightest shift in my position can free up a little breathing room. What I'm trying to say is, if I can't breath because of the pin, I worry about shifting just a bit so that I can breath better, NOT escaping the pin itself...yet.

But listen to the blokes posting above. They've got some good shit for you in their various bags of tricks!

 

[350 lbs fist]

Try digging both arms under his body along your own body. Buck up to create space if he's too tight. Then buck up again and throw him off with your arms. If he doesn't secure North/South you'll be able to get up, get to your knees or swing round and catch him in guard.
Works for me.

 

[Weonlywonsixtwo]

You should have one arm by the neck, and one by the torso. I hate side also, I try to get guard right away otherwise I'm fucked. I need to work on escapes.

 

[bluemizuno]

The guy I get the most reps with outweighs me by about 80 pounds. It took me 3 months to stop tapping from his side mount - not the ude garame he would slap on given half a chance, just the pressure and suffication. I finally decided that first thing was I wasn't just going to give up - now I either get my hips out to the side so that I'm not crushed (still tough to be pinned on my side) or if I quick enough I catch a half guard. If he is on top and you can't breath try doing a slight bridge - the extra space even if it's just an inch between you and the mat gives you some room to breath. This works for me.