Below, you will find my notes summarizing and reflecting upon the stand-up grappling practice that I led at Fit Factory Jiu Jitsu, 3814 Boyd’s Creek Highway, Sevierville, TN on April 22, 2024.
I’m still working out the details for today’s drill of interest.
So instead of detailing the exercise, let’s dig in on what I’m trying to accomplish and the biomechanical and strategic underpinnings.
Strategically, today we are working with “control point arithmetic”. Pretty simple stuff really. Dominate two (or in some special cases, even three) control points simultaneously and the takedown almost happens by itself.
I’m tempted to say that the armpit control point is the best. But I’ll hedge that statement and say instead that it’s the most versatile.
From an underhook, 2-on-1, or armdrag, the attacker can readily access the defender’s head, near-side knee, or far-side armpit. Since, in the process of securing any armpit control, the attacker has already beaten the defender’s lead frame, they can no longer downblock a shot, they can no longer collar tie to counter an attack on their head, and the far armpit is only a rib cage distance away. There are three distinct paths the attacker can choose, which allows for ample misdirection and diverse strategies for securing the coveted second control point.
One the contrary. If the attacker goes for the legs first (and only secures a single leg), they must work their way up to an armpit control, fighting against gravity and against both of the opponent’s frames. Instead, the attacker can work to secure the second leg (typically preferred) which is absolutely do-able, but lacks the optionality available from the armpit control. A skilled defender knows exactly what the attacker needs here and the attacker lacks the depth of opportunity for subterfuge and misdirection. There are definitely viable tricks, but they’re variations upon a single path (control the second leg) whereas the armpit option has 3 distinct paths to choose from in pursuit of the second control point.
What happens when our opponent knows what we know?
Once people realize that you prefer the armpit control point, they fight harder to keep you off of it. When you can’t simply march up to your opponent and punch an underhook “at will”, how do you get to it?
Here’s one option, feint after the head or the knee to force a defensive reaction and use the opening created to secure control at the armpit.
What does a feint to the head or knee look like? Head pull and knee pull.
I described the head hang/head pull in detail in MATREP #31 and I’ll dig in on the knee pull sometime soon. But suffice it to say that the two techniques are very similar. The head pull can set up the snapdown but doesn’t have to, it can just be used to harry the opponent. Same goes for the knee pull. It be used to fully pick up the leg and begin attacking the single leg (think snatch single), but it can also be used to harry instead of committing.
But which target do I feint towards, head or knee?
Your opponent can make the postural decision to stand more upright which will protect their head but give you better access to their knee (Judo, Greco, and ADCC). Or they can be more bent at the waist which limit access to their knees but give you better access to the back of their head (Freestyle or the IBJJF double-guard-pull). They can attempt to protect both equally, but that kind of posture rarely survives contact with the enemy.
So which target should you feint towards — whichever target the opponent gives you.
I’ll report back later, once I’ve had time to experiment with various drills to impart this lesson.
Good Hunting,
Charles