When you are under side control your opponent may “backturn.” Especially if you are pressuring under their neck. If this is the case your escape may involve you sitting up.

(If you time it right you can just sit right up and completely reverse your opponent. This is not a high-percentage move and usually works best with a lighter opponent. You hit this reversal by keeping your fett very close to your butt and as your opponent backturns, your kick and swing your hips out. Think pommel horse in gymnastics, or breakdancing, depending where you hail from. )

If you are like the rest of us, then this second alternative will likely work better.

1) Start with your opponent in side control on your right. Free your inside arm. Keep your elbow down and your hand on your opponents hips to keep them from rotating into north/south.

2) After they back turn move your free hand into their armpit outstretch and lock your arm. This keeps them low on your body and off your chest and allows you to work on freeing your other arm. Rock from hip to hip to free your outside arm. (Try turning towards the outside, but be careful not to give up the back.)

3) Now that both arms are free it’s time for them to get off of you. Put both your left hand in their armpit and your right hand on their hips, but don’t extend your arms fully. Now prepare to bridge by scooting your feet towards close to your butt.

4) explosively bridge up. Go for height. Next, before your drop forcefully extend your arms shoving your opponent away from you as your body drops. As you drop, scoot your hips as far back as possible.

5) Now that you are sitting up, grab your opponents belt with your left hand (this is like the conter to a single-leg.) Keep pressure down on their neck with your elbow.

6)Take the back by continuing to scoot your hips out and trying to kick out the near knee and grabbing the far armpit with your right hand, rolling your opponent towards you backwards.

7) End in back control.

escape, Gi, Side Control, sweep, Taking the Back »