That's actually a legit submission, depending on the rules.

I've never doubted the awesomeness of the crippler crossface

I've never doubted the awesomeness of the crippler crossfaceFor your viewing pleasure: http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=30335

I pity the fool who does not have the cross-face crank in his life.

To answer the question, no, I don't crossface, and I ask that crossfacing not be done to me when I roll.

I used to get crossfaced all the time, in fact, I think it can be a useful technique, but then I got braces, and we were rolling in class one time and I got crossfaced to the tune of 8 stitches on the inside of my mouth. I didn't get mad at my training partner, I think he just A) didn't know I had braces because I have those clear ones and some new people don't notice or B) wasn't thinking about it when he did it. I come to these conclusions because the guy was EXTREMELY apologetic to me afterwards and offered to pay my doc bill. It wasn't his fault, it's par for the course. He and I just weren't thinking about it, and before I realized, it was too late.

I don't think crossfacing is bad per se, but I do think some ex-wrestlers rely on it too heavily in place of technique. Alot of ex-wrestlers try to crossface me when they're in my guard, doesn't bother me at all and people in competition do it all the time so I figured I'd better get used to it. Then my mouth got shredded and I realized I needed to draw the line. it's the same with face cranks. I ask that they not be done, but if someone does it anyway, I just tap. I've had a bloodblister roughly the side of a half-dollar on the inside of my mouth before from a section of skin getting pinched between my brackets. Yeah, braces suck.

Anyway, I think it's a slippery slope as someone mentioned earlier. It's like someone digging their elbow into your thigh when they pass your guard. It can be helpful in the right situation, and sometimes it's good to use, but it shouldn't be a technique you rely on. It's one of those "salty dog" grappling tricks you pull out that works a couple of times when the guy isn't expecting it, but keep using it and you're bound to get armbarred and/or your back taken.

Have you thought about getting a mouth guard to keep your braces from ripping into your mouth?

Wear a mouthguard when you spar. Knothead.

Edit: Damn it GB. Must I always be too slow?

Have you thought about getting a mouth guard to keep your braces from ripping into your mouth?

Yeah, I did, I actually asked my orthodontist about it and he said I'm probably better off without it. He said slow steady pressure could actually bend my teeth all kinds of bad ways, and mouthgards are good for sudden impacts, a la kickboxing, but if someone really cranked down on my face it could bend the teeth the braces are supposed to be moving.

I had a custom mouthguard before, and my dentist pretty much said I'd be better off without it. i don't know if this is true, and I considered a second opinion, but I took it on faith and I really haven't had many problems besides those first couple of incidents.

So, I mean, you've slept with a lady?

Yes.


what's it like?

My mouthguard makes me want to gag, orrible.

How long should I use it before I get used to it ??

And, seeing as I really do NOT want to ue it, how many teeth should I lose before I grudgingly accept it ??

Maybe I can train my lips to be extra-tough instead ... clench clench.

until all your teeth are gone except your two top front teeth, and then everyone starts calling you "bugs" at the gym

Where cross-face means "turn the guys head by pushing his chin", I do it for defence against takedowns, to make space, to hold the pin etc. If I'm going for the RNC and the guy tucks his chin, then I'll switch to a neck crank. I've never really tried to use nose and jaw crushers.

If we are talking about grinding down on the guy's face/jaw then I don't do that, but only because I don't like to rely on pain compliance (except for subs, lol) as it's so variable.

The way I see it, cross-facing is something that can be practised regularly without inflicting damage, and so I don't have a problem with it.
Each kind of technique needs to be applied with managed force, and an extreme anything is bad, be it a cross-face or an armbar - or even a choke.

If you really don't like somebody doing something like a cross-face, then just ask them not to, lol. Just because it offends you doesn't mean that everybody sees it that way.

Personally, I like it when somebody tries to out-power me with something like that - you need to know how to deal with it. If somebody wants to do a jaw crusher on me, then fine - just as long as they give me chance to tap. But people doing techniques too hard is a different issue entirely as to whether or not cross-facing is acceptable.

Frowning upon things is bullshit. Either it's allowed or it's not, and anything within the club rules should go - provided it's done in a controlled manner.

I do it after sprawling or to stop single legs. Also if I'm in a position like high mount and opponent's got both arms clasped together behind my back and won't give me the space to isolate an arm to work with, I will put my forearm across his throat and push till he gives.

I go either way, I'll use it in the "wrestling" sense to move somebody's head where I want it to go, but I won't use it to chafe a guy's face for the purpose of pain; largely because I look at it like, "I'll eventually meet some tough-guy who I can cross-face all I want and it won't do anything"...that just goes for normal BJJ training, of course if it happens during scrambles purely unintentionally...I assume if I trained MMA (which I don't) it would be different and I would use cross-faces to grind and stuff, rather than just move the head around...

My policy kinda goes like this when it comes to "frowned upon" vs. "school rules"...just ask whomever you're rolling with whether or not s/he's ok with whatever...if I cross-face somebody on accident, I'll apologize and if they respond with "That's fine, I don't mind going hard" or whatever, then I'll be a little less conservative about cross-faces...if they wince in pain and are like, "It's ok, that happens" then I'll go out of my way to make sure THEY'RE COMFORTABLE rolling with me...afterall, training partners are your most valuable asset.

So communication is key...some people don't mind footlocks, some do, some just don't know how to defend, etc...it's all a matter of talking with your partner...it's no different than them saying "Hey, I have a hurt shoulder, do you mind if we just really work on technique and go a little lighter?"...

My 2 cents...