Lachlan Giles Unlocks the Body Triangle

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a tight body triangle, you know its never a good experience.

When instructing on attacks from the back, I often refer to the body triangle as the best form of control from the back-mount position. If, you can apply it. The body triangle offers superior control of your partner’s back, but it’s not always accessible.

Your body type and the body types of others will determine whether or not a body triangle is available to you. If you’re incredibly long, you may not have any trouble with making life hell for your training partners. It all depends on circumstances.

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Unlocking the body triangle itself can be incredibly difficult. Once its fully applied, escaping can be an incredibly arduous tack. I’ve been in body triangle that made me feel like my chest cavity was going to explode. The pressure can sometimes be enough to make you consider tapping.

So, what’s the game plan for exiting this awful position? A lot of the time it had become a game of waiting for me. If I could defend my neck long enough, maybe my partner would begin to try and transition, and I would be provided with the space I needed to get out, maybe. I was once taught a low percentage foot lock that I got some mileage out of, but it didn’t work on everyone, and if my training partners saw it coming, they would simply switch sides, and secure the triangle once again. But, in that exchange there is a piece of information that may help.

After the first two instructional segments Lachlan Giles released on escaping the back control, I was curious if he would be addressing this exact quandary. I was hoping he wouldn’t end the series without addressing the body triangle, and he came through.

In a brief Q&A a student of Giles asks about the dreaded position. And the answer? Quite simple really, but many of us may be somewhat blind to the concept. Have a look and see what you think!

Yes, switching sides. I don’t know that there’s any magic solution to the complete dismantling and escape of a tightly locked body triangle, but Giles offers some great advice. One thing about the fully locked body triangle is that the hips of the controlling party are a bit easy to manipulate. When we offer some resistance and begin moving to the other side, its usually possible to do so. Think of a more standard form of control where the offensive player can easily remove a foot and place it on the mat to keep you from pushing your way to the other side. This isn’t as readily available here, as the legs are committed to the lock.

So, Giles begins in a fully locked body triangle. As he begins to transition to the other side, his partner will likely attempt to switch the lock and apply it to the opposite side. If this is a common reaction, Giles answer is to post on the bottom knee before he begins to change sides. This prevents his partner from re locking he body triangle as they transition to the other side! Blocking this leg prevents the triangle from manifesting through the transition. Be sure to pay close attention to your neck. Once you feel confident about your defense, and you can commit a hand to that leg, get moving!

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Once Giles has staved off the reacquisition of the body triangle, he can begin to execute the method of escape that he has shared with us in the last two installments on escaping the back-mount position. He walks his hips in a circular motion in to his partner, traveling so that his butt starts to point up at the ceiling. Once he breaches the lower body control of his partner, he pommels his top leg to the inside, connecting to his partners leg, and extends his instep, creating the space necessary to release his hips from the back control. If you haven’t seen the other two videos, give them a watch. He goes in to greater detail on the mechanics of that particular step, which is brilliant, and incredibly helpful.

So be patient, defend your neck, and create some opportunity. The body triangle offers magnificent control, but like all positions and techniques in BJJ, it’s not without its weak spots. Good luck!

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