Armbar from Open Guard

Armbar from Open Guard is a finishing attack built around a handful of repeatable controls. The bottom player has a Reverse De La Riva hook on the inside of the opponent's lead leg, opponent committing to a knee-cut pass with the trailing arm posted. Another common starting shape: the bottom player is in open guard with one of the top player's arms across the centerline and the elbow exposed. The ideas that hold it together are spin under, trap the post, and football snap.

The armbar chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Use the RDLR hook to load the opponent's hip and stall the knee-cut. Trap the posted wrist as the opponent commits weight to the pass. Spin underneath, threading the free leg over the head. Recross feet and finish toward the legs. Snap the body around the trapped arm rather than reaching for the leg over the head first. Bring the chest and the legs to meet around the trapped shoulder simultaneously. Lock the figure-four with the legs on the trapped side last. Pull the collar to break posture and load weight onto the opponent's same-side knee. The bottom player has spun underneath toward the posted arm, climbed the legs over the shoulder, and locked the armbar.

Later in the armbar, wrap the arm with the body, off-balance before motion, and grip combination tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Trying to throw the leg over without the body wrap. Failing to keep the arm trapped during the snap. Releasing the sleeve too early and letting the elbow re-pummel free. Spinning before posture is broken, leaving the opponent room to stack. The high-percentage version of armbar from open guard is the one you can still chain when the first squeeze is defended.