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Getting Offensive with the Turtle Position!
My first experiences with the turtle position were most often presented to me from a more defensive standpoint. Balling up and creating a tight impenetrable shell can definitely be a good way to fend off an aggressive attack and provide a few moments to contemplate your next move. It’s always been a reliable choice as an intermediary position, and as more of a short lived pit stop on your way back to a favorable spot of your choice. The turtle can be quite a useful ally when your attempting to thwart an impending guard pass or avoid some heavy pressure from side control. This classic position is becoming more dynamic all the time, but how often are you mounting offense from the turtle?
Do your find yourself in the turtle often? Some practitioners gravitate towards it more than others. I find myself there pretty frequently. Depending on how much pressure I’m feeling, or my opponent’s knowledge of the position, I have to make a choice. I can choose to move on, mount some offense, or ride out the storm a little bit. Sometimes it can feel like your opponent is in tune with all of your potential escapes and transitions, but there may be a way to launch some offense that can get you the tap or lead you back to your escape.
In this video Kent Peters demonstrates how to trap the arm from underneath, and create a scenario that leads to a submission, or nice transition back to the top. Check it out!
The technique is quite simple to understand, and only requires a few steps! From the turtle, Kent sneaks his left hand in and traps his partners far side wrist. He defends his partners top arm cautiously as to not allow a choke to be set. Once he’s created some room by pushing up on to his tip toes he secures the rest of the keylock. He then pushes his hips towards his partner, traps the leg with his right foot and applies pressure to the lock for the finish.
One of the things I like the most about this technique, is that if it all falls apart, you’ve still achieved the keylock, which can now lead you back to the top position. Kent covers this particular scenario, as well as bonus technique if your partner decides to remove the trapped hand.
Consider getting more offensive from the turtle. It will open some new doors and make your favorite escapes and transitions that much better! Get to work!
If you want to get even more offensive with your turtle position, check out Mike Palladino's Killer Turtle Attacks instructional available here at BJJ Fanatics!
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