BJJ Submission Chaining Guide | BJJ App Wiki
☰Contents
How to chain BJJ submissions: link armbars to triangles to omoplatas, build submission sequences, and never run out of attacks.
Why Chaining Beats Single Attacks
Attempting a single submission in isolation is easy to defend. When you chain submissions, your opponent's defense to attack #1 creates the opening for attack #2. Elite grapplers don't try submissions — they flow through submission systems.
Core Submission Chains
🔺 The Triangle Family (Closed Guard)
| Attack #1 | Defense | Attack #2 |
|---|---|---|
| Triangle choke | They stack / posture up | Omoplata (swing leg back) |
| Triangle choke | They grab their own collar | Armbar (extend hip, push arm) |
| Armbar (guard) | They pull arm out | Triangle (re-enter with leg) |
| Omoplata | They roll through | Triangle / guillotine entry |
🦵 The Armbar Family (Mount / Guard)
| Attack #1 | Defense | Attack #2 |
|---|---|---|
| Armbar (mount) | They stack / grip hands | Triangle (swing leg over) |
| Armbar (mount) | They posture hard | Kimura (overhook wrist, figure-4) |
| Kimura | They straighten arm | Armbar (keep grip, extend) |
| Kimura | They roll forward | Back take / RNC |
🔒 The Kimura System (Half Guard / Top)
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| Kimura grip → Kimura | If they resist rotation, use for back take |
| Kimura grip → Back take | Use kimura grip to rotate to back |
| Kimura grip → Guillotine entry | Release and shoot guillotine as they defend |
🦶 Leg Lock Chains (No-Gi / Ashi Garami)
| Attack #1 | Defense | Attack #2 |
|---|---|---|
| Inside heel hook | They straighten knee | Toe hold / kneebar |
| Outside heel hook | They shell (hide heel) | Knee reap / calf slicer |
| Straight foot lock | They pull knee in | Heel hook entry (reposition to ashi) |
Building Your Own Chains
Choose a "primary" submission — the one you drill most and feel most confident in. Then answer: what is the most common defense? That defense is the entry to your "secondary" submission. Drill primary → defense → secondary as a single flow drill.
Common Mistake: One-and-Done Mentality
Many white and blue belts attempt a submission, it gets defended, and they reset to neutral. This wastes every defense your opponent makes. Instead: treat every failed submission as a movement that created a new opportunity — stay active, chain immediately.