Find the Gogoplata from Everywhere with Jeff Glover

The Four Horseman

For most people, being on top while sparring is more comfortable than fighting from their backs. Learning to submit people from an apparently inferior position is a difficult transition for many people. At first, we learn to work from closed guard to isolate an arm and complete an armlock. The triangle choke often comes next, making a perfect partner for the armbar attacks. Once we’ve learned to fluidly transition between armlocks and triangles, the omoplata completes the picture.

Only that isn’t the whole story. The gogoplata is the lesser known sibling of the omoplata, and can be reached from many of the same positions and setups as it’s twin. Unlike the omoplata gogoplata is a choke, not a joint lock, that uses the top of your foot to constrict the opponent’s neck. Adding in opportunities to gogoplata your opponent drastically increases your bottom game by giving you even more paths through the tried and true armlock, triangle, and omoplata series.

In the video below, Jiu Jitsu pioneer Jeff Glover shows a series of four variations on the gogoplata. Keep reading after the video for a breakdown of each, including key techniques.

 

Breaking Down all 4 Variations

Standard Variation (Closed Guard)

The first setup for a gogoplata is probably the most common entry. When you’re moving from a closed guard submission into an omoplata, you’ll have an opportunity to look for a gogoplata. Instead of going parallel to finish the omoplata, you can reverse direction and sneak your foot across the opponent’s chin in order to set up the choke. From here, you’ll just need to pull down on the opponent’s head in order to finish the strangle. Your shin should end up perpendicular to their neck to finish the submission

Foot Grab Finish (From Mount or Closed Guard)

Glover points out that he actually prefers the gogoplata from mount instead of closed guard. In order to set this variation up, you’ll want to control the opponents arms by keeping them inside. When you have an opportunity, reach over the shoulder and scoop up one arm to shelf it on your own leg. With the arm isolated between your thigh and armpit, you’re almost in an S mount. All that’s left to do from here is bring your shin across the opponent’s neck and grip your own foot with downward pressure. The tap will typically follow. It’s worth noting that this single leg finish can be grabbed from guard as well, although it does take a little more length and flexibility.

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Double Leg Counter Variation (Standing)

The gogoplata is found in many transitions from closed, open, and half guard, but it can also be initiated as a response to a double leg takedown. As your opponent shoots in for the takedown, you may not have time to sprawl. If this happens, and you find yourself on the way down to the mat, you can allow the momentum of your leg to swing it up and pull it through to a gogoplata position. As they land the takedown, your opponent will not typically be watching for a submission. This is your chance to swing that leg up into a finishing position. 

Failed Omoplata to Gogoplata with Figure Four Finish (Guard Transition)

Sometimes you have your sights set on an omoplata, but you're unable to get enough leverage to rotate parallel. In these cases, finishing the lock will be very difficult. Instead of continuing to rotate parallel for the omoplata, you can reverse direction and sneak the foot deeper under the chin, setting up an ideal gogoplata. For an added twist, Glover shows a third variety of finish. Instead of pulling the head or grabbing your foot, you can elect to figure four your free leg over their shoulder and leg curl downward to complete the choke. 

About Jeff Glover

Jeff Glover is a retired professional Jiu Jitsu competitor known for his creative style and his well-organized instructionals. He rose to prominence after winning the Pan American Championships twice as a brown belt, in 2005 and 2006. The following year, in 2007, Glover returned to competition as a black belt, winning the No Gi Championship at the Mundials. 

If you enjoy learning at a rapid pace and seeing techniques from many different places in your game, it’s worth checking out Glover’s Obnoxious Omoplatas, available on BJJFanatics.com. In it, you’ll learn all kinds of entries and setups into these lesser known positions. If you want to up your choke came a little further, he has some excellent instructionals for top game available as well, such as Choke Artistry and Dirty Darcing. Innovators like Jeff Glover see the game in a different way. Take a chance to pick up some of that knowledge and add it into your own game;you’ll be glad you did.

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