Tag: Americana

Posted on by

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

Posted on by — 1 Comment

How To Do An Americana in BJJ

The Americana is an incredibly simple (you twist someone’s arm until their shoulder reaches its limit) but incredibly versatile (it can be used from just about any position) submission in BJJ. The Americana submission is so common that it is a part of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu How To Get a BJJ Blue Belt curriculum.

The Americana in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is typically executed from mount or side control, though it is also common from half guard and since it is a simple twisting of the arm it is applicable from just about any position and a useful tool to always have in your arsenal.

Start: Mount

Step 1: Pin opponent’s wrist to mat above their head with opposite side hand with their arm bent at 90 degrees, as if they were throwing a football

Step 2: Slide same-side hand underneath opponent’s upper arm at the bicep and tricep

Step 3: Grip your opposite side hand with your same-side hand, using a C grip or monkey grip. At the same time, hook your opposite-side foot inside opponent’s leg to prevent being swept or bumped off of mount

Step 4: Drag opponent’s wrist down towards their feet, keeping it pinned to the mat like a paint brush

End: Submission by Americana

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

How To Do An Americana From Side Control in BJJ

The Americana is a very effective submission that every Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter should know. It can be seen used effectively at all levels of BJJ, as well as in other grappling sports, MMA, and is very effective in practical use like street fights. Because it is such a useful technique in BJJ, the Americana has become one of the staples of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is even a part of the Gracie BJJ Blue Belt test. This is also one of the submissions that works the same way in no go BJJ as it does in go BJJ, like the rear naked choke.

The Americana (sometimes called the keylock, figure-four armlock, or paintbrush) is executed by bending your opponent’s arm at 90 degrees like they are celebrating a touchdown, then bending the wrist backwards to put immense pressure on their shoulder, resulting in a tap. 

This video shows how to attain the americana from side control, a position many BJJ fighters find themselves in often. René A. Dreifuss shows the details of this technique and breaks the submission down to three steps you should focus on: accordion, motorcycle, down.

Start: Side control

Step 1: Separate opponent’s far-side arm from opponent’s body, using your head if they pus against it with that arm

Step 2: Grip opponent’s wrist with your top-side hand, keeping fingers and thumb on the same side of the grip

Step 3: Slide your bottom-side arm underneath opponent’s and grip your own wrist in same monkey grip, keeping your arm parallel with his forearm

Step 4: Pull opponent’s arm in towards you like an accordion

Step 5: Twist your wrists down toward the mat like you’re decelerating on a motorcycle

Step 6: Push opponent’s hand down towards their feet

End: Submission via Americana