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BJJ Fundamentals

Lesson 7 – Open Guard Triangle

Warm Up (5min)

Partner Drills

  • Collar, Sleeve & Bicep Control

    Lesson (25min)

    1. Triangle – Open Guard Entry
    2. Start in collar, sleeve & bicep guard
      • Bring uke’s posture down so that their hand is forced to post on the mat
    3. Use your collar grip to pull down, and use your leg to stretch uke’s knees apart
    4. Bring your leg inside of uke’s posted arm and lock a trap-triangle around their head and arm
    5. Keep uke’s posture down and scoop grip on their leg to turn to an angle
      • You can either hold uke’s head, or grip your own shin to control their posture
    6. Lock your triangle fully and squeeze to finish the submission

    Triangle – Strangle Details

    1. Continue from trap triangle
    2. When turning to an angle, connect the crook of your knee directly to uke’s carotid artery
      • Bringing your knee too high creates a poor connection, which can make the strangle fail even if your triangle is fully locked
    3. Ensure that the lock of your triangle (where your knee of one leg goes over the shin of the other) is behind uke’s head, not behind their shoulder
      • The key is to turn to an angle; make full use of the scoop grip on uke’s leg to turn your body under uke’s shoulder
    4. Finish the submission by pulling your heels to your butt, and pulling your knees to your chest

    Triangle – Head Pull

    1. Advantage: more strangle pressure (more raw force)
    2. Disadvantage: committing both hands to pull uke’s head down means it’s hard to turn to an angle, making you vulnerable to forward pressure
    3. Conclusion: use the head pull when you can’t get to an angle, and need to somehow make up for it
      • If you’re going to pull the head down, ensure your hips also come up so that you get opposing forces working together
      • If possible, turn the uke’s head so that your hamstring presses against their throat, creating a more immediate effect (be gentle with this! the pressure comes on fast so there’s no need to be forceful)

    Triangle – Arm Across the Centre

    1. Advantage: easier transition to the straight armlock, and makes it easier to pull the head down
    2. Disadvantage: makes it easier for uke to tilt you onto your side, preventing you from getting to an angle
    3. Conclusion: default to keeping the arm to the outside, and focus on getting to an angle to finish the strangle. If the arm is already across the center and uke is preventing you from getting to an angle, then you can use either the head pull or the straight armlock as alternatives methods of submission