23/10/2014 - Teaching | Side Control | Americana Lockflow

Teaching #219
Artemis BJJ (PHNX Fitness), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 23/10/2014

In a progression from the americana I taught yesterday, I moved on to what I call the Roy Dean lockflow, as he is the person who taught it to me during one of his seminars (it's also on his DVD, Purple Belt Requirements). If they start to slip their arm free from the americana, you don't want to simply go for the same thing again. It is of the utmost important that you combine techniques in BJJ, instead of viewing them in isolation. That goes for escapes as well as attacks. What I wanted to show was an example of that, using the americana as a starting point.

You also want to avoid meeting force with force if possible. So instead, as they slip out, go with it, letting them straighten it out. However, this sets you up for another attack, as you can get a pressing armbar from here. Slide your figure-four grip up their arm, so that you have one hand around their wrist, with one of your arms a little in front of their elbow. That means you've created a fulcrum, so you can press their wrist down to apply a jointlock.

Roy Harris, Dean's instructor, has a whole DVD on bent armlocks. For the transition to the straight/pressing armbar, he advises moving your weight forward, so your chest is over their elbow. Harris also puts his arm in the crook of his elbow, raising his other elbow off the ground to get the pressure. You may need to twist their wrist to get their thumb pointing up, in order to create the right leverage on their elbow.

Possibly they manage to slip out of that as well, meaning their arm begins to bend in the other direction. Don't worry, you can still keep attacking. Clamp their arm to your chin using your own arm, then switch your free arm underneath. Get your wrist by your head, ready to push their wrist to the mat. You can now apply the kimura, similar to the americana, but with their arm pointing in the opposite direction. If you need extra leverage, turn to your side and base out.

For even more leverage, step over their head and lift them slightly off the floor. Keep in mind that if they slip free of that, you can go back to the pressing armbar and americana: hence why this is a lockflow, because it should be continuously available as long as you maintain control of the far arm. There is also the option of pulling them up on their side and switching into a kimura from north south, depending on how solidly you have that arm controlled.

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Teaching Notes: As it was all blue belts tonight, I felt confident to go into the lockflow. That's a bit more tricky if it's all beginners, because learning the lockflow really needs everybody there to already be familiar with the americana and the kimura, ideally the straight armlock too. That's one sensible way to divide 'fundamental' techniques: they don't require pre-requisites. This lockflow does, so I'm not sure whether I'll use it if the class is mainly beginners. Unless of course I can fit in lessons on the americana and kimura first, but the attendance pattern of students is still erratic, so they don't all show up on the same days each week.

I'm still considering how to add in an interesting variation from Dean Lister from BJJ Library, though it might not be possible. On the straight armlock, he grabs the meat of the hand, points their thumb down, then simply pushes the arm towards their head.

Saulo also has a variation on the straight armlock, then he pulls it up onto his shoulder. He then combines it with the kimura, so that could fit into the lockflow too. I'd also like to work in a transition to or from a choke if possible. I'm sure there must be a way to fit that in, so it's something I'll keep playing with.