A Winning Americana Lock from Andre Galvao

 Andre Galvao is one of the most highly decorated grappling competitors on the planet.  With six ADCC World Championships and six IBJJF World Championships, Galvao stands high in the upper echelons of grappling competitors.

Galvao also is the leader of the powerhouse Atos Jiu Jitsu Association which boasts the likes of students such as Lucas "Hulk" Barbosa, Kaynan Duarter, Tye and Kade Ruotolo and many more amongst its ranks.

As the head instructor of Atos, Andre has been able to perfect the instruction of the many techniques he has used at the highest levels in competition.  Check out this excerpt from his series Winning from Full Mount which is available at BJJ Fanatics!

 The Americana Lock from Mount is one of the most powerful shoulder submissions that one can have in their BJJ arsenal.  It can be attacked from a variety of control positions, with none being more effective than the mount position which Andre demonstrates in the video above.

In the scenario provided, Andre addresses a situation where the opponent is crossing their arms to protect both the arms and the neck from potential attacks.  It's important to attack the correct arm to make sure the technique is successful.  For Andre, this is the top arm that is lying over the second crossed arm.

By grabbing the arm at the wrist and just below the elbow and maintaining strong posture, the stiff arms are easily able to push the elbow to the mat.  It's important not to break this portion into multiple moves, i.e. bring your chest down close to the opponent and then try to push the arms down.  By combining the stiff arms and the strong posture, your opponent is much less likely to defend or begin to launch escape attempts.

Once the opponent arm is to the floor, Andre Galvao drops his inside elbow next to his opponent's head as close as possible.  This creates a strong and safe base for the Andre, while also doubling as a wedge against the opponent turning in.  It's important not to make the mistake of allowing the near-side elbow to drift away from the opponent's head which will allow them to extend their arm, taking pressure off of their shoulders.  The closer to a 90 degree angle you can keep your opponent's arm the better.

Maintaining the original grip on the wrist, Andre will now bring his outside arm under the opponent's elbow reaching for his own wrist utilizing a strong thumb-less grip.  The key to finishing this technique is to ensure that the top of the opponent's hand remains in contact with the mat and is not allowed to rotate.  By using a movement reminiscent of a motorcycle accelerator, the opponent's wrist is kept in the ideal position.

Now for the finish, Andre simply raises the elbow of the opponent off the mats, while keeping everything snug and tight.  The opponent should feel an incredibly painful pressure in their shoulder and will tap quickly depending on their flexibility levels.

 The Americana Lock is one of the earliest submissions that most new students learn, but like every technique there are always details we can add to make the move more effective.  Take some time to review one of the best breakdowns of this simple and effective submission available today from Andre Galvao.

For more from Andre Galvao, check out his complete system of side control SIDE CONTROL DOMINANCE available exclusively from BJJFanatics.com  You can get your copy here or at the Buy Now Link below.

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