The language of control
Coaches use a small set of words for control. This tutorial explains them, and the five ways a roll can change position.
Base and posture
Base is your balance: knees wide, hips low, head up. A sweep has to tip you over, and a wide, low shape is hard to tip.
Posture is your shape: straight spine, head up, hips under your shoulders. If your head goes down, your body follows it.
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Your head is up, your back is straight, and your hips are under your shoulders. Posture in the library ›
Breaking posture means pulling the top player's head and chest down. Then the guard player can sweep and attack.
You are inside closed guard. Your partner pulls your head down to their chest. Your one job now is to rebuild posture. Get your hands back on their chest, then lift your head and bring your hips forward.
Frames and grips
A frame is a bent forearm or shin braced against your partner. Their weight sits on your bones, not your muscles. A frame holds; it does not push.
Grips are your holds. In the gi, the main grips are the collar, sleeve, lapel and pants. In no-gi, you hold the wrist, the head, or use a collar tie (a hand behind the neck).
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Your hands fight for their wrists before you take a grip of your own. Grips in the library ›
Hooks, underhooks and the seatbelt
- Hooks: your feet or heels inside their thighs, used to move them or stay attached.
- Underhook: your arm under their arm, hand toward their back. It helps you control their chest.
- Overhook (also called whizzer): your arm over their arm, pinning it.
- Seatbelt: one arm over their shoulder, one under their armpit, hands joined on their chest.
- Crossface: your shoulder or arm across their jaw, turning their head away.
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The seatbelt from turtle: one arm over the shoulder and one under the arm. Seatbelt in the library ›
Back control means chest on their back with both hooks in and feet not crossed. Crossed feet are not hooks.
Common mistakes
- Pushing with straight arms instead of framing.
- Letting the top player get the underhook in half guard.
- Turning your head away under side control. It gives them the crossface.
- Posting a straight arm on the mat inside closed guard.
Your partner has side control. Their shoulder slides across your jaw. You put a hand on their bicep and turn your chin toward their hip. Your face stays toward them, so you can still turn in.
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Their shoulder is across your jaw, and it turns your face away from them. Crossface in the library ›
You are on top in half guard. Your partner slides their arm under your arm, hand toward your back. What do they have?
Five ways a roll changes
| Word | What it means | Points (IBJJF) |
|---|---|---|
| Escape | You get out from under a pin or a hold | None |
| Sweep | From guard or half guard, you come up on top | 2 |
| Pass | You get past the legs to a pin | 3 |
| Takedown | From standing, you bring them down and land on top | 2 |
| Submission | They tap | Ends the match |
Train it on the Path
Reading is the first step. The language of control unit has 5 short lessons: you see a position and pick the best move.
The Path goes in order: start free from lesson one and you reach The language of control on the way. With Rolla Plus you can jump straight here.