Can’t Berimbolo? Try This!

By Ismail Safi, July 17, 2019

Yeah, another article about the berimbolo. Instead of talking about whether the berimbolo works or not, I want to discuss an option you can use from open guard that is related to the berimbolo that any grappler of any size or skill level try.

First, let’s talk about why the berimbolo can be difficult. The primary difficulty student experience when trying to attack the berimbolo is the inversion part.

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Sure, maybe you can invert in open guard, but inverting against someone on the ground while they push you is pretty hard. Furthermore, you have to use the inversion to lift your opponent and maneuver them with your feet, only adding to the complexity.

Don’t be embarrassed if you cannot execute the berimbolo well. It is arguably one of the most difficult moves in Jiu Jitsu and most black belts can’t even do properly. There are only about a dozen black belts that are successfully using it in competition.

An alternative to the berimbolo that functions very similarly albeit much easier is the babybolo. In the babybolo, there is no need for inversion and this technique can be done against someone standing, so you won’t have to sweep them first.

In the following video by BJJ Fanatics, you can see how the babybolo can be executed against a standing opponent. See below:

Similarly to the berimbolo, the babybolo is initiated starting in de la riva guard. In the babybolo, there is no need to sweep first as you can access the back before.

This is an example of a cool modification you can use for de la riva guard. Weaving the lapel between the top player’s leg and then grabbing it like you might in worm guard will help break their posture down and give you better control which is absolutely vital.

When you get to the crab ride position near the end, you absolutely have to make sure that every limb is grabbing something. I often see students not doing anything with their hands and losing the position. Instead, you can grip either the belt or hips or even just the pant legs because your opponent will try to walk away or roll forward.