Turtle is a weak position and often a precursor to getting your back
taken. Here are two defenses from turtle.How close your opponent is and how much pressure they are leaning into you will determine which to use.

Start in Turtle wth your opponent to your side in wrestling “top position” their back arm is wrapped around your waist and the are gripping your lapel.

1. reach back with your near arm and grab their near knee

IF your opponent is not too close and you have some space:

2. post with your far arm, pushing yourself up, as you kick your near leg back and post on it. (your are still facing forward at this point).

(steps 3 -6 are fast)

3. kick your far leg under you as you rotate into them. As you face them, hook this leg in between their legs to establish half guard.

4. Let go of the knee and move this arm up to an underhook.

5. Move your posting arm to and underhook under their far leg (the one you don’t have the half guard on).

6. From here you can roll them either way and sweep them.

*It is a good idea to try to get an underhook, under their other leg, the trapped leg, with your far arm, since this arm is vunerable to attack in this position.

IF your opponent is leaning hard on you and you don’t have much space:

2. Roll into them, forward at a diagonal, on the near shoulder, the one your grabbing their knee with.

3. As you roll, keep pressure against them with your near calf. You want to be pulling them towards you. windmill your legs around so that you spin around to face them and your other leg lands around them on the other side, putting them in your guard.

* If you are leggy or they are leaning into you hard, you may also come to rest with them in a loose triangle, which you can finish.

deep half guard, Gi, turtle »

Start out:

They’re in turtle
You’re on top on thier left side
Your chest is against their back.
You’re on your toes.

1. Wrap your back arm around their stomach, like the top starting position in wrestling
2. grab the lower lapel of their gi, this will limit their mobility and prevent them from rolling away from you quickly.
3. with your front arm, push thier tricep forward, moving their arm up away from their chest (giving your some room to slide your knee in.)
IF they do nothing:
4. slide your front knee in the space you’re created as you flop onto that hip and pull with your gi grip rolling them into your lap.
5. kick your left foot through and get the left hook first. You must get this hook first in order to avoid being put into half guard.
6. hook the back of their other leg with your other leg and elevate their right leg.
7. This will make them uncomfortable. release the hook. They will try to lower their leg, and when they do, take the other hook.
8. Now with reach over their shoulder with your left arm and clasp your left wrist with your right hand.
You now have the back.

IF they roll away from you:
Hop over them and drop your right knee beneath them.
Take the left hook first. (Do this with your left leg which will be top leg.)
then roll them to the left and pick up from step 6 above.

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