Is this a real thing, or was I crappling? (BJJ)

**Deetviper** · Posted On: 7/06/2011 10:44pm

BJJ newb, rolling with my equally-newbish buddy. He gets me in side control, and then I did whatever this is:

I placed my far-side leg across his back, grabbing my ankle with my near-side hand (similar to rubber guard). I planted my near-side foot near his hip, which seemed to stop him from moving towards mount. At some points I was able to sit up almost far enough to sweep him, but it was hard to get good leverage.

Hopefully that explanation makes sense - I'm very artistically challenged, otherwise I'd try to post some stick-figure diagram. If it doesn't make sense, please tell me what part, and I'll try to clarify.

Apparently some people thought it looked pretty uncomfortable for me, but I have reasonable flexible hips, do it didn't bug me.

So, some questions:

1) Is this a real technique? Does it have a name, or has it been used by someone who knows what they're doing (ie not me)?

2) Regardless of the answer to 1, is it a bad idea to do this? Am I making myself vulnerable, or opening myself to a sub, or stopping myself from doing something more useful?

Thanks in advance!

**2groggy** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 6:34pm

Hey Deet, where do you train? I train up at Lin's near the 404 and Steeles.

Your last question is the best. Yes, you are stopping yourself from doing anything more useful, namely learning. Clinging on to a defensive position and holding on for dear life may improve your defense slightly, but during that five minutes flat on your back, you could have tried any number of thing to improve your position. Shrimp, hip out, try to hook a leg and get half guard. Try anything. Or course, you'll get tapped a lot. But you'll learn to improve your position instead of stalemate in a mediocre one.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 7:34pm

If it didn't get you to a better position then it was useless.

**Deetviper** · Posted On: 7/07/2011 10:05pm

2groggy: I train at Xtreme Couture, just a bit south of Kipling station.

Both of you: Thanks for the answer - that makes a lot of sense. I'll try to not camp out, and instead learn by losing (something I plan to do a lot :p).

**Uncle Skippy** · Posted On: 7/08/2011 4:18pm

Originally Posted by Deetviper

Both of you: Thanks for the answer - that makes a lot of sense. I'll try to not camp out, and instead learn by losing (something I plan to do a lot :p).

Keep that mindset and you will do really well :-D

To break down why that isn't a high-percentage technique, think about basic goals you have when you are on offense and on defense.

- When you are on top in side control (offense), you're job is to take away all of the bottom guy's space and pressure down into him.

- When you are on bottom in side control (defense), you're job is to create space so that you can move out from under the top guy's pressure and escape.

With your move (grab leg behind their back), you are defeating your defensive goals on both accounts: you are gluing yourself to him (can't create space) and you are keeping yourself underneath him (can't move from under pressure).

Most things that defeat these goals are going to be low-percentage. But, the fact that you are experimenting and learning, along with having a healthy mindset, implies that you are doing great. :-)

**Deetviper** · Posted On: 7/08/2011 10:17pm

Ah - with that in mind, what I did feels pretty dumb. Still, I'd rather screw up and learn from it than do nothing and learn nothing.

Thanks for the kind words :)