Build an arsenal of finishes from side control

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Develop an aggressive, finishing game without losing sight of the positions you’ve acquired throughout your matches. The math is simple: if you pass your opponent’s guard, stabilize side control and move to the finish or to an even better position. Never retreat. Your opponent cannot be allowed to restore their guard. Moreover, you should not stall the fight in side control and stay there, like we see too often. Fight forward.

It was with this intent that the Renzo Gracie Online Academy set up the course’s third week. You will have access to a complete dossier on attacks starting from side control, discovering efficient ways to distribute your weight over your opponent, and move to the north-south and to the knee-on-belly, always looking for a finish.

Week 3 of the Renzo Gracie Online Academy program is organized as follows:

Ten submission techniques starting from side control

• Ippon seoi nage: the mechanic of one of the most common takedowns in BJJ competitions
• Lifestyle: how to define how many times you should go to the gym per week

Lesson 1: Triple attack with Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie proved the efficiency of this technique as he defeated former UFC champion Maurice Smith in Rings in 1999. After reaching side control, Renzo traps the head and one of the arms with the triangle. Then he shifts the attack to the other arm, with a kimura, americana or a straight armlock.

Lesson 2: Americana from side control

After reaching side control, Tunico teaches adjustment details for you to stabilize the position. When his opponent accepts the side control, Tunico moves on the attack with the americana, keeping his torso low at all times, without offering space for his opponent to escape.

Lesson 3: Armbar from side control

In case your opponent slips their arm out at the moment you try to employ the attack taught in the previous lesson, here’s a very efficient variation redoing the control over your opponent’s arm, spinning your body 180 degrees and finishing via armbar.

Lesson 4: North-south choke

Léo Tunico effectively distributes his weight over his opponent’s torso in order to move without losing control. During these movements, the instructor makes the necessary adjustments to apply a cross-grip choke ending in the north-south.

Lesson 5: Kimura from the north-south

If your opponent defends their neck when you apply the choke taught in the previous lesson, take advantage of the progression towards the north-south and surprise them with a kimura.

Lesson 6: Collar choke with knee on belly

What if your opponent closes up efficiently, making any attack from side control harder? Respond by placing a knee on their stomach, which should force them to open up. Then take advantage of the spaces to finish through a choke with hands crossed.

Lesson 7: Double attack with knee on belly

Léo Tunico again places his knee on his opponent’s stomach and tries to finish with the same choke as last video. But his opponent manages to defend against it. Tunico then surprises him with an armbar.

Lesson 8: Lifestyle — Training frequency

How often do you wish to practice BJJ? Try not to shoot too high.

If your goal isn’t met, you may become disappointed an unmotivated. Check out Bruno Fernandes’s tips to protect and consolidate the consistency of your training.

Lesson 9: Lapel choke with knee on belly

Again with a knee on his opponent’s belly, Tunico weighs the possibility of that opponent turning sideways to escape. This enables Tunico to control the lapel and make the adjustments for an unstoppable choke.

Lesson 10: Variation on the lapel choke from knee-on-belly

If your opponent uses their arm to try and block the choke, take advantage by controlling that arm and trapping it with your torso. Distribute your weight over your opponent, finishing them with a choke similar to tightening a triangle.

Lesson 11: Armbar with arm trapped by lapel

An armbar variation. He traps his opponent’s right arm, using his leg and an arm. Then he nullifies his opponent’s left arm with that opponent’s own lapel. Tunico pretends to seek a mount, but chooses to immediately attack the arm with a sweet armbar variation.

Lesson 12: Ippon seoi nage

We wrap up the week with a lesson on stand-up, wherein you will refine your ippon seoi nage. This takedown requires you to turn your back to your opponent, flexing your legs and throwing that opponent over your shoulder. Learn details and a tip to avoid getting caught in a rear naked choke.

And that’s it for week 3, keeping in mind our goals of:

• maintaining your motivation;
• increasing your knowledge;
• getting you to go practice.

Keep it up!