Defense against a modified armbar

[Fighting Cephalopod]

This position sets up the hitchiker's escape, but I find that to be a lot lower percentage in gi.

My go to armbar escape when someone is keeping me very well-pinned and not allowing me to come up and stack is (assuming my arms are locked to prevent him from finishing - alternate between doing a "neck situp" (trying to bring my chin to my chest) and throwing my arms upwards as if I was trying to hit my forehead with my forearms. Rapidly alternating between these two motions works his top leg further and further up my face until I'm able to bring my head to the inside, coming back into his guard.

[UpaLumpa]

Yeah, I've been doing hitchhiker escapes a lot lately and my elbows are paying a price for it. Don't know that it works well against what I'm describing though, of course the guy who does this is very good and certainly knows that escape.

I like your alternative. Thanks!

[speedyg]

I too use both of these techniques but I really like the first one. A few problems I have found with it is when you are gripping your arms for defense like in the video, then it gives your opponent an opportunity to lock his ankles under your opposite arm and makes it very difficult to spin out. That is when I go to the hitchhiker escape. Also after you have gotten back to your knees on the first escape, if you keep your arm out then for a second it makes you vulnerable to an omoplata Just my 2 cents.