Humiliating Question

**Jitsuman** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 11:34pm

OK, to start I should say that I'm a fairly experienced blue belt with solid (in my opinion) technique. I've had to develope superior technique because I'm outweighed by pretty much everybody in my gym (I'm a bit under 150.)

My absolute favorite sub is the triangle. I get it from everywhere no problems (usually). Mounted, flying, from the side, you name it.

Today I'm rolling with a noob white belt (probably about 220 pounds), he's got almost no skill what so ever, and his strategy is essentially "stack and smash everything"

Here's what pissed my off, and what I find to be embaressing: I had to let go of my triangle attempts 3 times in a row because of that stacking noobish bullshit. Stacking a traingle is considered a pretty pathetic technique when you factor in that the standard escapes are the exact opposite, posturing out of it.

Still though, this fucker made me give it up with stacking.

I did sub and sweep him with other attacks, but I could not land the traingle.

Any advice on stopping the stack?

EDIT: I forgot to add that the reason I had to give up the traingle attempts was because of extreme pressure on my neck, I am fairly confident that if I ignored the pain, and risked a serious neck injury, I could have held on. There's got to be a better way though, right?

**Aesopian** · Posted On: 4/27/2006 11:55pm

Did you try, oh, underhooking his leg and pulling yourself to it then LOLing as he sweeps himself?

**Camus** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 12:02am

I don't play the guard as offensively as some and it's mostly a defensive position for me to use after failing a sub or against a superior wrestler to sweep or a better overall jujitsu guy to go after leglocks. Soooo, take this with a grain of salt. We have a set promotion test at my school and I've had no time in the last few months to prepare for and/or take it (I still train though), but I'm at low to mid-blue belt level, so take that into consideration as well.

That said, the bentarmlock/omoplata to sweep or triangle is my game from there. Talking to other guys at my school who are smaller (none quite so small as you, 150 against 220, huge difference) we were actually discussing this and they voiced a similar weakness with triangles, ie stacking (esp by someone good at it) is a legit defense and the smaller you are the more trouble is going to give you. Being large, even I can have trouble under alot of pressure, but the control does give you alot of options, the simple favorite being rolling them over right as they push forward to press you and facesitting with a triangle in mount.

I also like to bait triangle quite a bit to pass and often guys will try too hard to get that triangle even though my elbows are locked tight against their hips that their leg isn't fully perpendicular across my neck, but in that 90 degree lock that halfway there. Frankly I think it gets silly sometimes because it just eventually leads to a smash pass and its going to drain more or their stamina then mine, plus they could just let go and go back to guard instead of fighting and asking for a sidemount.

In short: I think it's ridiculous for you to assume this is humiliating given the size descrepancy and the ability of the triangle to be defended this way. At 220, I started tapping some smaller 160-170ish blue belts after about 5 or 6 months, so I don't think just getting stacked out of a triangle is a big deal.

**MONGO** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 12:41am

I find that a mounted or side triangle may be your best bet, it will remove the ability for him to stack and will allow you to gain your deserved revenge.

Although, Aeso's triangle self sweep idea sounds great cause he gets the pleasure of the self inflicted sweep.

**Jitsuman** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 12:49am

Originally Posted by Aesopian

Did you try, oh, underhooking his leg and pulling yourself to it then LOLing as he sweeps himself?

yes yes, I did. First thing I tried actually. I could not get the sweep though. Perhaps his base was too wide, he was too heavy, or I didn't do it as well as I should have been able to.

But yeah, normally that is my go to technique to prevent triangle escapes.

Thank you for responding though, Aesopian. It is sound advice..I'll try again next time.

You as well Camus and Mongo.

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 12:56am

Originally Posted by Jitsuman

yes yes, I did. First thing I tried actually. I could not get the sweep though. Perhaps his base was too wide, he was too heavy, or I didn't do it as well as I should have been able to.

But yeah, normally that is my go to technique to prevent triangle escapes.

If he's standing up when he stacks you, you can just let go of the triangle, roll over onto all fours, and keep the leg you have hooked. From there you can ankle pick with ease.

**Jitsuman** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 12:59am

Originally Posted by The Villain

How could his base be too wide when he has one arm across his body? Anyways, try scooting your hips back as you sink it in. This shouldn't be too much of an issue.

eh, he has strong legs, and used my entire body to create a stable tripod like third leg.

scooting didn't help me either this time. I'm thinking about switching to the reverse triangle as i do it next time, so when I transition back to the standard it will be sunk in deeper.

Maybe I plain old fucked up this time.

**Jitsuman** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 1:00am

Originally Posted by Garbanzo Bean

If he's standing up when he stacks you, you can just let go of the triangle, roll over onto all fours, and keep the leg you have hooked. From there you can ankle pick with ease.

Great minds think alike.

That's what I ended up doing.

**saku39** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 1:14am

i know what you mean by the tripod defense for the underhook. Camus got it right though. You need to backroll into sitting on his face should he defend the underhook.

**Equipoise** · Posted On: 4/28/2006 6:50am

Start lifting and add in some strength to the technique. There is a breaking point when all the technique in the world won't work unless you have some strength to back it.