Omoplata
The omoplata is a shoulder lock you finish with your legs, rotating the opponent's arm behind their back from a position similar to the triangle. Like the kimura, it is as much a control and a sweep as it is a submission, which is what makes it so versatile.
Submission, sweep, and control
When the opponent defends the omoplata by posturing or rolling, the same position sweeps them or transitions to their back. That optionality means you rarely lose anything by attacking it: a defended omoplata just becomes the next position.
Setups from the guard
The omoplata comes from closed and open guard, often off the same grips as the triangle and armbar, and from failed attacks as a follow-up. Because the entries overlap, it belongs in a chain with the other guard submissions.
Community flows for Omoplata
- Modern Triangle, Vol 7: Scoring & Combining Submissions — Using the triangle as a hub: scoring out of it when the choke stalls (flower sweep, omoplata, funk single, long-hand post) and catching it as a re-counter from…
- The Omoplata Experiment: Distance Management and Arm Entanglement Pathways — Covers pathways from long-distance collar-sleeve control into the omoplata submission, examining what happens when your opponent resists or counters. Keep…
- Baratoplata Flow — Baratoplata execution mapped from multiple dominant positions.
- Lazy Guard — Exploring from overhook closed guard, chain attacks based on opp reactions. Triangle, omoplata, arm bars, sweeps. Minimal movement, maximum options. Don't…
- Rubber Guard — Eddie Bravo's rubber guard. Posture breaking, mission control, zombie, & capitalizing on reactions w/ triangles, gogoplatas, & omoplatas.
Frequently asked questions
What is an omoplata?
A shoulder lock finished with your legs, rotating the opponent's arm behind their back. It comes from the guard and shares setups with the triangle.
Why is the omoplata hard to finish?
Because athletic opponents can posture or roll out of it. The fix is to treat it as control first and use it to sweep or take the back when the finish is defended.
Where does the omoplata come from?
Closed and open guard, often off the same grips as the triangle and armbar, and as a follow-up when those attacks are defended.
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