Renzo Gracie Ft Lauderdale: Americana From Side Control

Renzo Gracie Ft Lauderdale (@renzogracieftlauderdale) breaks down the Americana from side position: control, isolating the arm, winning the wrist, the figure-four and the finish. From the video: https://youtu.be/U4pwCB_wiXo

Flow outline

  1. Side Position Control

    • Establish control from side position before attempting the Americana.
    • From Renzo Gracie Ft Lauderdale (@renzogracieftlauderdale), in the video "Americana Lock Breakdown".
    • Pressure: control comes from the waist and pressure, not the arms
    • Pressure: lack of space is part of the control
    • Reaction: partner keeps the elbows close, so come down and wedge in to open space
    • Checkpoint: the arm isn't in danger until the elbow and wrist are on the mat

  2. Isolate The Arm

    • Bring the arm out from under the head by circling around the head, keeping their elbow in close.
    • Entry: bring your arm out from under the head
    • Entry: circle around the head and bring their elbow in as close as you can
    • Checkpoint: do not give too much room for them to react or counter
    • Checkpoint: the closer the elbow, the tighter the Americana

  3. Secure The Wrist

    • A palm-up wrist grab loses when they punch the arm straight, so swing the hand inside and turn the palm down on top of the wrist.
    • Problem: a palm-up wrist grab loses when they punch the arm straight; the gap between fingers and thumb is the weak spot
    • Entry: swing your hand inside and, once on top, turn the palm down
    • Entry: if very strong, use your shoulder on their elbow joint to open the arm
    • Avoid Fighting a straight arm with a palm-up grip.

  4. Wrist Grip Details

    • Grip at the wrist, not the hand, and use a monkey grip to prevent them from getting away.
    • Grip: grip at the wrist, not on the hand
    • Grip: thumb only prevents them from coming towards you
    • Grip: switch to a monkey grip to prevent them from getting away
    • Grip: go deeper until fingertips are at the top of the watch and the heel of your hand traps the wrist
    • Grip: thumb or no thumb is up to you

  5. Figure-Four Grip

    • Go under the armpit and grab your own wrist to complete the figure-four.
    • Grip: go under the armpit and grab your own wrist
    • Checkpoint: keep your elbow in close to his shoulder
    • Reaction: if your elbow is too far, he can bring his elbow in and you lose the submission
    • Reaction: if he has good pummeling technique, he is halfway to your back

  6. Finish The Americana

    • Remove joint mobility by bringing the elbow close to the hip and the hand close to the shoulder, then circle the hand to drag the knuckles on the mat.
    • Checkpoint: bring the elbow close to the hip and the hand close to the shoulder
    • Finish: circle the hand like a paintbrush to drag the partner's knuckles on the mat
    • Finish: lift the elbow a little while keeping the wrist where it is
    • Key detail Don't get carried away twisting. Take away the joint's mobility first.

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