3 Free Submission Videos

 Today we are going to take a look at some of our favorite submission videos on our YouTube channel and discuss why we really like them and what makes them so good.  If you did not know BJJ Fanatics has a YouTube channel where we take clips from our DVD and offer them up for free.  It is one of the best resources in the world for authentic bjj techniques from some of the top level competitors, instructors and practitioners.  Check it out here.

Today we are going to just be looking at submission, we are not going to segregate top or bottom, and we are just looking at some good videos with great options.  First we will look at a submission from top side control with Judo Olympic Silver Medalist, Travis Stevens, next we have an option from old school legend, Chris Haueter, and last we have a nice option from 5x Black Belt World Champion, Bernardo Faria.  Let’s have a look at the videos below and then we will discuss.

Kimura From Side Control Top Position by Travis Stevens

The kimura from side control has long been one of the most effective submissions from side control in both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA.  We have seen this submission successfully executed in the UFC, in the IBJJF and in the ADCC.  All of the top tier competitions for their respective art forms have had people utilize the Kimura.   Travis Steven is one of the most accomplished grapplers in the entire world.  He is an Olympic Silver Medalist in Judo and a World Class Black Belt in BJJ.  Let’s take a look below at his take on the kimura.

So as you can see in the video above, Travis is an excellent instructor.  He has a way of making the most simple techniques complex and making the complexities easy to understand.  This form of teaching is a thing of beauty.  Travis gave us a lot of key details in this basic submission.  First he started with his grip, he went under the arm pit and isolated the arm, after isolating the arm he wanted to get his opponent off of the mat. 

IF you notice when he starts attacking the Kimura his opponent has both of his shoulders on the mat.  One of the most important details that Travis gave us is the fact that he rolled his opponent on his side.  This same detail is something that you use on so many attacks on the back.  Just being able to successfully roll your opponent on the side is an important thing to learn. 

After he rolls them on their side he proceeds to look up and get the wrist and then the way that he breaks the grip is amazing, he uses his hips and keeps everything tight to use every aspect of his body.  We chose this submission video for a reason.  First off, Travis is an amazing instructor and makes this basic technique high level, and this technique is also the gateway to so many other submissions.  For instance, once you get to this it opens the door for so many other submissions.  You can start attacking various wrist locks from this Kimura position, you can transition to arm bars, you can go to back attacks, and you can attack omoplata’s.

This Kimura position is one of the most versatile positions.  Not only do you have other attacks;you can also do almost all of the attacks that are available in both the gi, nogi, and even in MMA.  If you go to the Kimura and can’t get the finish, then attack the wrist and ultimately fall for the arm bar all of these transitions work in gi, nogi, and MMA!

 If you want to learn more from Travis Stevens check out his DVD “Fundamentals and Concepts.”  Travis will literally change your perspective on the basics of Jiu Jitsu and teach you the techniques that can help your progress at a faster rate.

Arm Lock Series from Closed Guard by Chris Haueter

Chris Haueter is one of the first Americans to ever receive their black belt.  He was awarded the black belt in 1996 and since then has been actively practicing and teaching bjj.  Chris is one of the original gangsters of bjj in the United Stated.  Chris has a very old school bjj game;he does not rely on flexibility, strength or athleticism.  He uses unbelievable techniques and old school simple set ups.  Let’s take a look below at Chris showing us an arm bar series.

As you can see in the video above Chris is also an absolutely excellent instructor, he makes even the most basic techniques seem so advanced.  He showed us several variations on how to set up the day one closed guard arm bar.  This is an amazing video because he shows us how many different variations of the same submission there is.  You never know what someone is good at.  People may be good at different submissions and different set ups for submissions.

The reason we chose this submission is because the arm bar from closed guard is very basic but when you see the different variations of how to set it up you see how advanced things can become in bjj.  Not only did Chris show us different variations, he also shows us that there are different attacks that you can chain together with these moves.  For example he went over different submissions that you can use, like the Kimura from top side where there are other submissions, when you get the arm across you open up so many attacks.  For example when you get to the arm bar you can start to attack the back, the kimura, the wrist, the omoplata, the possibilities are endless.

If you want to see more from Chris Haueter check out his DVD “Old School Efficient BJJ.”  Chris is an excellent instructor and he makes things easy to learn and teaches things that anybody can learn.

Omoplata from Closed Guard Grabbing the Sleeve by Bernardo Faria

Bernardo Faria is one of the most accomplished bjj competitors in the entire world.  He is a 5x Black Belt World Champion who has defeated the best of the best countless times.  Bernardo has long been one of the best people in the world at the omoplata.  He won the 2010 Black Belt Open Class Pan American championships by way of omoplata.  Bernardo is one of the best teachers in the world and he is one of the friendliest people there is, if you have the chance to meet him, it is well worth your time.  Let’s take a look at his omoplata below.

So as you can see in the video above Bernardo shows us a relatively basic set up from the omoplata from closed guard.  The omoplata is one of the most underutilized submissions in the entire world.  Not many people become fluid with this position and it is uncommon in most academies.  If you are good at the omoplata you can have a secret weapon in your back pocket that is difficult for many people to defend.  Since a lot of people sleep on this position they may lack good defense, the most common thing we see is for people to try and roll out of the omoplata.  If you are fluid with this position you will be able to counter the roll easily. 

Not only is the omoplata good because people don’t train it that often, it is also a position like the arm bar and the Kimura that you can use to transition to other things.  When you are in an omoplata you can sweep, you can switch to the arm lock, you can attack the wrist or the back.  The possibilities are endless.  This is an excellent position to start training, don’t sleep on the omoplata.

If you want to master the omoplata from everywhere, check out Bernardo Faria’s DVD “Omoplata Everyone.”  Bernardo has taught many seminars on the omoplata and there are videos on the interweb of him submitting all of the seminar attendants with the omoplata after the seminar.  I have rolled with Bernardo several times and get caught in omoplata’s from literally everywhere.  He is the best in the world at the omoplata and he sets them up with so much ease.  It is amazing!