Movements you need
A few movements are inside almost every escape in BJJ. This tutorial shows the bridge, the shrimp, the technical stand-up, frames, base and grips.
The bridge
The bridge lifts your hips high, so your weight sits on your shoulders. It is the main movement in the mount escape.
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Under mount, your feet stay flat and close to your hips, ready to bridge. Bridge in the library ›
- Lie on your back with your feet flat near your hips.
- Drive your hips up high.
- Push up and over one shoulder, not straight up.
Your partner has mount. You trap their right arm against your chest and their right foot with your foot. Then you bridge toward the trapped side. They cannot post with the trapped arm, so they roll over.
The shrimp
The shrimp (also called hip escape) moves your hips away from your partner. Then a knee or a frame fits into the space. Almost every guard recovery uses it.
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As they pass your legs, turn to your side and slide your hips away from them. Shrimp in the library ›
- Turn onto your side.
- Plant your top foot on the mat near your hips.
- Push off the foot and slide your hips away.
- Bring your knee in between you and your partner.
Frames, not pushes
A frame is a forearm, knee or shin that holds your partner away with your bones. The elbow stays bent and close to your body.
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Under north-south, your bent arms brace on their hips, so your bones hold their weight. Frames in the library ›
- A frame holds. It lasts, because your bones carry the weight.
- A push uses straight arms. Your muscles get tired fast.
- A straight arm is easy to attack. A kimura or americana can follow.
Your partner has side control. Your forearm is across their neck and your other elbow is against their hip. Their hips lift for a moment. You shrimp away and bring your knee in.
Your partner is on top in side control. Which of these is a frame?
The technical stand-up
The technical stand-up gets you to your feet safely. A hand and a foot stay between you and your partner all the way up.
- Sit up and post one hand on the mat behind you.
- Put the opposite foot flat in front of you.
- Lift your hips off the mat.
- Swing your free leg back under you.
- Stand up, still facing your partner.
Base, posture and grips
Base is balance: feet or knees apart, knees bent, hips low. With good base you are hard to tip over.
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Look at your stance: feet wide, knees bent and hips low. Base in the library ›
Posture is your shape: head up, back straight, hips under you. Inside someone's guard, posture keeps you safe.
A grip is a hold. In the gi, people hold the collar, sleeve, lapel or pants. In no-gi (training without the gi), grips go to the wrist, the neck and under the arms.
Train it on the Path
Reading is the first step. The Movements you need 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 Movements you need on the way. With Rolla Plus you can jump straight here.