BJJ Submissions from Guard — Armbar, Triangle & More
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The complete guide to attacking submissions from closed and open guard — armbar, triangle, omoplata, kimura, and chaining them.
The complete guide to attacking submissions from closed and open guard — armbar, triangle, omoplata, kimura, and chaining them.
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Why the Guard Is the Best Attacking Position
Guard is unique: you are on your back, but you control your opponent's posture and movement. High-level guard players submit opponents at the same rate as top-position players. The guard is an offensive weapon.
Posture Breaking — The First Step
No guard submission works against good posture. Your first task is to break posture: pull the head down with collar grips or overhooks, create an angle, and keep them disrupted throughout the attack.
Armbar from Guard
From closed guard with posture broken: secure the arm with both hands, open the guard, shoot the leg across the face, pinch the knees, and drive the hips up. The elbow must be at hip level — too low and the lock won't close.
Key Details
- Control the elbow — wrist control alone is insufficient
- Pinch the knees tightly to prevent the stack pass
- Extend the hips, not just the arms
- Angle your body perpendicular to theirs
Triangle Choke from Guard
After breaking posture: redirect one arm across their centerline, shoot the leg over the shoulder (not behind the neck), lock the figure-four, angle to 90°, and break the posture further while squeezing the thighs.
Omoplata
The omoplata is a shoulder lock that opens when the opponent defends the armbar or triangle. When they pull their arm free from the triangle, reach under the arm with your leg and swing your hips through into the omoplata position.
Kimura from Guard
Sit up to break posture, secure the figure-four grip on the near arm, fall back to the kimura angle, and rotate their arm behind their back. The kimura can also be used as a sweep platform (hip bump kimura).
Chaining Submissions
High-percentage guard attacks flow in chains. Armbar attempt → they stack → triangle. Triangle attempt → they pull the arm → omoplata. This is not coincidence — it is the designed architecture of guard attacks.
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FAQ
The triangle choke is the most reliable long-term guard submission because it uses the strongest body parts (legs) against the weakest (neck and arm).
Angle your body at 45–90° to theirs, pinch the knees tightly, and break their grip before shooting the hips up. Angling eliminates most stack defenses.
They all require breaking posture, controlling the arm-head line, and creating an angle. Learn all three from the same setup — they flow naturally into each other.
Related Techniques
More Questions
How do I prevent my opponent from stacking me during an armbar from guard?
To prevent stacking, keep your hips up and away from your opponent's hips. Use your legs to control their posture and create space, and consider a technical stand-up or shrimp to escape the pressure.
What's the best way to finish a triangle choke if my opponent is defending by posturing up?
If they posture up, try to cut the angle by shrimping your hips to the side. This will allow you to bring your shin across their neck more effectively and tighten the choke.
My omoplata is getting defended; how can I improve my setup and finish?
Ensure you have good hip control and that their arm is trapped securely before committing to the omoplata. Focus on hip elevation and rotating your body to apply the shoulder lock, and be ready to transition if they defend.
Common BJJ Problems & FAQ
To prevent arm escape during an armbar, ensure your hip is elevated and your legs are tightly clamped around their torso, creating a strong base. Secure their triceps with your armpit and use your opposite hand to grab your own bicep, creating a fulcrum that prevents them from straightening their arm.
The key to a tight triangle choke is not brute strength, but proper body positioning and leverage. Once your leg is over their shoulder, bring your heel towards your opposite knee, effectively squeezing their carotid artery and forcing their head to the opposite side, creating a powerful constricting force.
To effectively set up an omoplata, you need to control their posture and break their base by scooping their far leg with your near leg. Then, as you swing your other leg over their shoulder, maintain pressure with your hips and keep their arm trapped by your chest, preventing them from posturing up or rolling away.