Issue 103
July 2013
The last guide you’ll ever need to mastering the MMA staple
Phase one: Controlling the posture and achieving the tie-ups
1. Pete (bottom) has Dan in his closed guard. Pete has an overhook on the far side and with the near side he holds Dan’s head.
TIP: Keep your head above theirs to prevent them striking you effectively.
2. As Dan attempts to punch with his free hand, Pete switches from head control to biceps control.
3. Pete shifts his hips out toward the overhook, and, pressing on the biceps tie, slides the knee through and posts his foot on Dan’s hip. TIP: The foot on the hip gives control over Dan’s ability to drive in and gives Pete greater freedom to move his hips.
4. Changing the tie-up on the near side yet again, Pete goes to a wrist control. A common error is to let go of the arm. Releasing the arm will make the possibility of picking up the wrist again potentially very difficult. Swipe the arm down until you reach the wrist. TIP: Having released the head, Pete’s posture control is lessened. Pete places his leg on the back of Dan’s neck to add control of the posture.
Phase two: Clearing the arm and establishing the triangle
1. Posting the foot on the crook of the elbow, Pete twists the wrist control, as though revving a motorcycle, to create space.
2. Pete passes the leg over Dan’s shoulder, both legs now weighing down his shoulders.
3. Pete switches his legs over, the near leg going under the top leg.
4. Pete locks the triangle, with some assistance from his hand. The main aim of locking the legs at this point is to prevent Dan from escaping the hold. The most common error when closing the triangle is to lock the triangle on the foot. The triangle should be locked on the shin, avoiding strain on the ankle joint. TIP: Don’t pull on the foot. Grab the shin underneath the overlocking leg, this will make a tighter hold.
Phase three: Switching the arm and tightening
1. Pete lifts his hips and releases the overhook simultaneously. Dan’s arm springs to the center. TIP: Although it is possible to finish the triangle with an overhook, getting the arm to the near side makes a finish easier, and when first learning to apply triangles this should be your aim
2. Pete guides the arm over with the far side hand as he drops the hips
3. Pete applies finishing pressure. Here he pulls down the head, forcing Dan to tap out or pass out. TIP: Ensure the pressure is lateral, pressing on the arteries.
FINISH BREAKDOWN
When drilling against a compliant partner, simply achieving the correct angle and locking up the legs correctly should complete the choke. However, any skilled or strong opponent will resist in real combat. Here are three different grips to increase pressure on the triangle.
1/ PULLING THE HEAD DOWN
When the arm is on the near side, pulling down on the head will press the shoulder into the neck, applying lateral pressure on one side. Make sure to lift the hips as simply pulling down will allow space below your hips that will alleviate some pressure on the opponent’s neck.
2/ GRIPPING BOTH KNEES
Use an ‘S’ grip to clamp your fingers together whilst hugging the knees in the crook of the elbow. The lateral pressure will squeeze both arteries.
This grip will function well when the arm is wrapped around the hip, beneath the attacker’s back.
3/ KNEE AND HEAD COMBINATION
If the opponent is large or your reach is short, gripping your arms around both knees can be extremely difficult. Using a gable grip around one knee and the head is a viable second choice. Be sure to emphasize the squeeze on the unsupported knee. .
DRILL: SPINE ROCK DRILL
This drill is useful when warming up, to get the back and hips moving and with specific movement patterns. Additionally, this drill is useful for beginners to get familiar with which side to close their triangle on, how the legs should lock up and moreover being able to spot the opportunity. Pay attention to cutting the angle as you drop the hips back down.
EXAMPLE: Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, UFC 117, 2010
In his incredible fifth-round comeback triangle over Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva triangled Sonnen with a classic punch-through set-up. Once the triangle is locked like this, there is very little one can do to escape a supplemental armlock. Anderson finished a resilient Sonnen with the attack to the arm in addition to the triangle chokehold.
...