Category: Americana

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How To Do An Americana From Guard

The americana is a very popular submission in BJJ. The americana armlock in BJJ is a simple submission that involves bending someone’s arm backwards in a way that puts an immense amount of pressure on their elbow and shoulder, and can cause serious damage if they don’t tap. That simplicity along with the pain and damage the americana armlock can cause makes it a very popular submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and in a real street fight. 

The americana is a popular submission from mount, side control, and half guard, but can also work from the full guard position. The americana from guard doesn’t look exactly like the typical americana submissions, but it does put the same stress on the arm joints and is a useful addition to your guard game.

This is also a great addition to your usual transition between arm bar and triangle and offer another option to get the submission that your opponent may not be looking to defend automatically. It can even be added to your arm bar triangle omoplata drill to keep it in your mind while rolling.

Start: Guard

Step 1: Bring one leg up to just under opponent’s armpit and turn it 90 degrees across their body, dragging their shoulder down the same as an armbar from guard setup

Step 2: Bring other up onto opponent’s shoulder and cross feet to secure position

Step 3: When opponent fights arm bar by pivoting towards your lower leg, grip their wrist on the higher leg side pushing out and into your higher leg, keeping their thumb up

Step 4: bridge your hips into your opponent

Finish: Submission via americana from guard

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How To Do A Neck Hug Americana Armlock Submission

The Americana armlock submission is a versatile sub in BJJ. The Americana submission is available from mount, side control, half guard, guard, and even back.  Basically anywhere you have control of your opponent’s hips, you can complete an Americana armlock and put enough force on their shoulder to make them tap. 

The Americana submission is so common in BJJ that it is one of the essential techniques included in the Gracie BJJ Blue Belt Test.

Start: Mount

Step 1: Get scoop neck hug under opponent’s neck

Step 2: With free hand, grab opponent’s wrist and pin to mat

Step 3: Feed opponent’s hand to your hand behind their head

Step 4: Post out with your knee on the same side as the attack while wrapping opponent’s leg with the other

Step 5: Slide free hand under opponent’s arm and grip your own wrist with an overhand c-grip

Step 6: Slide your elbow behind and around opponent’s head, creating the space to complete the Americana and stopping their head from blocking

Step 7: Suck elbows in towards the attack and paint opponent’s wrist down the mat towards their hips

Finish: Submission via Neck Hug Americana Armlock Submission

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How To Get a BJJ Blue Belt – The Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt Requirements

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), getting a blue belt is one of the first major milestone accomplishments in your grappling career. It’s a sign that you have really learned BJJ to the point that you’re not a beginner anymore. Of course, your road is still very long, but it is a great accomplishment and one that most white belts are focused on in their grappling training.

A major problem for white belts is a lack of information on what you need to know to get your blue belt. Luckily, Gracie University Jiu Jitsu has published the basic requirements needed to be eligible for a BJJ Blue Belt in their system. This isn’t a checklist that guarantees you a blue belt (if you’re that desperate, you can always just buy a blue belt but that’s not really the point) but it is a list of the basic knowledge expectations for someone looking to get a BJJ blue belt.

Mount Techniques

There are four sections to the Gracie BJJ Blue Belt test: Mount Techniques, Guard Techniques, Side Mount Techniques, and Standing Techniques.