BJJ Submission Defense Systems
☰Contents
Master BJJ submission defense: early tap recognition, posture and frames, escaping armbars, triangle chokes, kimuras, heel hooks, and building a complete...
The Philosophy of Submission Defense
Good submission defense is not just about knowing escapes — it's about a layered system that prevents submissions from being fully applied in the first place. The best submission defenders rarely have to escape because they recognize danger early and never allow attacks to reach the finishing stage.
📱 Track every roll like the pros
Free forever — heatmap, technique progress, streaks.
Layer 1: Posture and Position
The first layer of defense is maintaining good posture and position. Most submissions require your opponent to control your posture. In closed guard, keeping a stiff arm on the hip prevents the collar grip that sets up triangles and armbars. In mount, keeping elbows tight prevents arm isolation. The submission is a consequence of a positional mistake — fix the position first.
Layer 2: Early Recognition and Disruption
Train yourself to recognize submission attempts at the earliest stage. The moment you feel your opponent shifting weight for an armbar setup, block the hip mount transition. When you feel the triangle angle being created, immediately posture up and stack. Early disruption is far easier than late escape. Study what the setups look like so you can interrupt them.
Layer 3: Technical Escapes
When submissions reach the final stage, you need technical escapes:
Armbar escape: Stack the arm by stepping forward and driving the knee into their hip. Clasp hands, turn into the armbar (not away), and stack their hips to the mat while pulling your arm free. Escape early — a fully extended armbar with a tight grip is very difficult to escape without injury.
Triangle choke escape: Posture up immediately — break their grip on the back of your neck, then stack. Turn your body to the locked-in side, not away. Use the hitchhiker escape: rotate your arm toward their knee while standing into the triangle and turning out.
Kimura escape: Feed the arm and stand up — tall posture makes kimura finishing very difficult. Step toward the arm, create space, and remove. If your arm is deeply bent, use the wrestling "granby roll" to roll under and out.
Heel hook defense: The most critical — never turn away from a heel hook (that finishes the knee). Always turn your body toward the heel hook (into the heel hook). Recover your leg by creating space and shuffling toward the lock. Use the "reaping" recovery to get your body in line with the lock before tapping.
Guillotine choke escape: Tuck chin immediately when a guillotine is attempted. Step to the trapped side and hip escape, or shoot to a double-leg while turning your body to face the same direction as your opponent. Getting to the side removes most guillotine pressure.
Layer 4: Tapping Smart
Knowing when to tap is a skill. Tap early to submissions that have irreversible joint damage potential (heel hooks, kneebars, kimuras). It's acceptable to resist blood chokes briefly — the tap will come cleanly and safely before unconsciousness with most chokes. But with joint locks, especially heel hooks, "ride it out" is a dangerous strategy.
Building Your Defense System
Drill submission escapes systematically. Drill each escape 50 times before live training. Practice positional sparring starting in defended submission positions. Study your training partners' submission game and prepare specific defenses for their go-to attacks. A well-prepared defense system turns submission attempts into scrambles you can profit from.
🥋 Log Your BJJ Training
Training log, technique journal, goal tracker — Free BJJ Tracking App
Start Free →Related Techniques
More Questions
What's the most important principle in BJJ submission defense?
The most crucial principle is to create space and prevent your opponent from solidifying their grips and pressure. Always be thinking about how to move your body to relieve the immediate threat and buy yourself time to escape.
How do I defend against a triangle choke when I'm on the bottom?
The primary defense is to 'post' your arm on the inside of their thigh and then drive your hips to the side, creating space to bring your knee inside. This breaks the angle and relieves the pressure, allowing you to potentially escape or even counter.
What's the best way to escape an armbar from guard?
From guard, the most common escape is to 'buck' your hips up and to the side of the armbar, while simultaneously bringing your free leg over their head to create a strong base. The goal is to get your hips out from under their hips and break the angle of attack.
Common BJJ Problems & FAQ
To prevent collar grips, maintain a strong posture by keeping your head up and your spine extended, creating a convex shape that makes it difficult for your opponent to secure a deep grip. Actively use your forearm to block their hand entry, creating space and angling your body so their hand slides off your gi.
To escape a guillotine, drive your hips down and forward, creating an angle with your body to break their posture and relieve pressure on your neck. Simultaneously, try to get your chin tucked to your chest and use your arms to pry their grip open by creating space between their forearm and your neck.
To defend an armbar, immediately bring your elbow to your hip, creating a strong defensive frame that prevents them from extending your arm. If they've already secured the position, focus on bringing your knees together and tucking your free arm across their body to create a barrier and prevent them from finishing the lock.