My the Gi Purist's Side Control Mastery Notes

A guide to the fundamental gi-based attacks from side control, proper collar and sleeve grips to control and submit your opponent. You'll learn traditional techniques that flow from one submission to another, maintaining pressure and positional dominance throughout

Flow outline

  1. Side Control

    • From here, if it shows up, set dominant control with cross-face pressure and hip control. secure a deep collar grip with your top hand while controlling the far sleeve with your bottom hand to limit your opponent's movement and set up submissions

  2. Mounted Triangle

    • From Side Control, transition to Mount while trapping your opponent's head and arm between your legs. Use your gi grips to control their posture and apply pressure with your thighs to secure the triangle choke. Switch if it stalls

  3. Mounted Arm Bar

    • Often From Mount, isolate your opponent's near-side arm by controlling their sleeve with your gi grip. Pin their arm to your chest, swing your leg over their head, and apply the straight arm bar while maintaining control of their gi

  4. Straight Arm Bar

    • a fundamental gi submission where you extend your opponent's arm while controlling their sleeve. use your body weight and leverage to apply pressure to their elbow joint, maintaining gi grips throughout the transition and finish

  5. Kimura

    • If they frame, control your opponent's arm with a figure-four grip, using your gi to secure their wrist. apply shoulder lock pressure by rotating their arm behind their back while maintaining control of their gi sleeve. switch if it stalls

  6. Americana

    • quick note: from side control, isolate your opponent's near arm and apply a shoulder lock by pinning their wrist to the mat. use your gi grip on their sleeve to control the arm while applying pressure with your body. switch if it stalls

  7. Arm Triangle Choke

    • If they frame, trap your opponent's head and arm using your own arm and shoulder pressure. secure the choke by squeezing your arms together while controlling their gi collar to cut off blood flow to both carotid arteries

  8. North South Choke

    • From here, from side control, transition to north south position and apply a choke using your gi lapel. wrap the lapel around your opponent's neck and apply pressure with your chest and arms while maintaining control of their gi

  9. S Mount

    • usually an advanced mount position where you sit back on your opponent's chest with one knee near their head. use gi grips to control their posture and set up high-percentage submissions like arm bars and triangles. timing beats strength

Branch conditions