BJJ Beginners

Lesson 23 – Standing Headlock Defence

Position:

Standing

Overview:

Once you establish the clinch on the bully, there is a good chance that they will get desperate and catch you in a headlock. Without the proper escape strategy, it can be a very painful and demoralizing experience, but with the proper technique you can turn the tables and use their headlock to your advantage.

Technical Slices:

Standing Headlock Defence

• Indicator: Bully catches you in a headlock while standing.
• Essential Detail: Step, sit, and spin in one fluid motion.
• Most Common Mistake: Incorrect sitting position and bending the back leg.
• Safety Tip: Sit and turn in a way that doesn’t crush the child’s body.
• Transfer Teaching Tip: Use a strategic sit to help the child until they build their confidence.

Bully Battle

• Practice the Standing Headlock Defense in combination with all of the previously learned techniques at various intensity levels. Give special emphasis to Headlock Escape 2 (Lesson 20).

Final Thoughts

• Once caught in the headlock, don’t hesitate, just step, sit and spin. If you don’t go right away, they may take you to the ground and gain the upper hand (forcing you to resort to another technique). Keep in mind that this technique must be conducted in one smooth motion for the momentum to take full effect.