BJJ Beginners

Lesson 2 – Americana Armlock

Position:

Mount

Overview:

The goal in the fight is to achieve the mount, exhaust the bully, and then win the fight. Punching the bully from the mount is not recommended since it will exhaust your energy, risk your balance, and could injure them more seriously than desired. We prefer to use leverage-based submissions instead so that we can maintain better control and save energy. The Americana Armlock is a highly effective submission that can be used with minimal effort to defeat a bully.

Technical Slices:

Basic Application

• Indicator: Bully uses both hands to protect from punches.
• Essential Detail: Effective hand positioning and solid monkey grip.
• Most Common Mistake: All lift without any slide.
  Safety Tip: Tap out when slight discomfort is felt in the shoulder.
• Transfer Teaching Tip: Check the legitimacy of the grip by slowly extending your arm.

Bully Battle

• Practice the Americana Armlock in combination with the Headlock Variation of the Trap and Roll Escape (Lesson 1) and all the Gracie Games at various intensity levels.

Final Thoughts

• The beauty of submissions is that they give you the ability to control the bully without causing any unnecessary harm. When using the Americana Armlock, be sure to focus on using your legs for stability while you apply pressure, and don’t forget to negotiate.