I just tried out these methods tonight, more so with keeping my hands high, and as a blue belt in 10th planet and as a grappler with cerebral palsy. This really made my defense go up to a whole new level. Thank you very, very much.
dude that little tip about keeping your hands high to avoid north south choke is awesome!! whole video is awesome but I love little quick tips like that
When you teach the way I do something, I always pick up a detail or 5. But when you teach it completely differently (like this case), it is the reason I subscribe! Thanks
This must be the best tips I have seen by far, I always struggle with side control, now I realize that I was pushing with my arms instead of keeping them close. Thanks a lot!
Tried this today during a few rolls. Got an inverse-triangle and escaped to guard twice. Tbh, my usually escape is similar with just the knee slide, but the added attack is what make this technique AWESOME! TY Firas!
I'm a smaller guy and 90% of the time the bigger, higher belts go north/south on me. Great explanation, but I could have seen a little more detail on defending the north/south. Great video, thanks
I love this have caught a lot of people with this and always get guard back if I don't get the armbar but had to watch it again as I felt I was bench pressing them up to get the knee inside and wasn't working on bigger stronger guys so I knew I was missing a detail which was making the space between your chest and his forgot all about the inverted triangle as well thanks again :)
Thanks man!! I've been struggling a lot to get out side-control, rather be mounted than side-control since that escape I master much better! Will for sure try this today in training :)
This "inside", or pinched arm thing only happens if you werent slammed, hip thrown, in the middle of a defending situation, the list goes on.... While I ABSOLUTELY think this is great "short arm" habits for BJJ, and will definitely work if you can create that position under the circumstances you end up in, you still must train the "traditional" side escapes without a doubt.
Sakuraba has almost the same exact move against side control (cross chest position) on his instructional from about 10 years ago. The way Sak uses a hip heist and holds his arms is slightly different - but the arm bar outcome is exactly the same. The strategy is the same: lift the opponent off the chest just enough to put the legs in play.
This is perfect for me. I am always trying to get these inverted armbars! This will help me even more now, and that sexy triangle too. I love those inverted triangles.
Looks great. My most common training partner is a higher belt who is proficient at side control and kesa. A vast majority of our fights end up me fighting from that prayer position.
If you go directly into the arm bar attack, you should really try to penetrate the knee towards his left shoulder and swing your hips in towards guard, this will prevent him from escaping by moving north/south.... A very similar ariation of this attack is also possible from 1/2 guard if the top guy starts to transition to knee cut through type pass. If you are looking primarily to recover guard. There are a few details missing here. -you should shoulder roll so that your free foot and your inside knee attempt to meet on your opponents left hip. This closes the space for him to move north/south. -You need to keep the knee of your top leg pointed up, so it can't be collapsed and let your opponent walk around to the other side. -you should be on your right shoulder with your hips and back off of the ground, so that if your opponent circles, your body will just circle with him. if you do get back to a guard position, can be a lot more active than staying on your back, especially in no-gi. The timing is usually pretty good to sit up and go directly into a drag. I like the hand technique here... One think I like to do is make sure your left hand swims under your opponent's arm pit if his cross facing arm reaches over your head. I generally like to post my left hand on my opponent's shoulder to made space for a runaway escape as well.
Firas love the Tristar team and work you do… can you make a video on timing shots like GSP would use against aggressive opponents. Also I'm more concerned with getting kneed to the face when I shoot. Lastly, can you make a video on throwing body kicks and being more efficient with landing them. Thanks. Sorry if I got kind of greedy towards the end.
Very nice.. I'd love to see what happens when the arms are stuck and you can't frame. Since I have very long arms, it often happens and then I'm stuck there for good
Coach Firas, I have never seen it taught quite like this with the elbows so close together. Usually I see one of the elbows/forearms by the guy’s hips. Why do you feel keeping one elbow by the hips is not necessary?
Hi, how are you? Beginner question: How do I work my way out of a really solid side control. I'm new and I can avoid the mount but today two of my sparrings where filled with 2mins of "sidecontrol-package" each. I get stuck and can just go blocking for the rest of the time, no possibility of creating space between us... main recommendation? Thanks, and keep up the good work!
currently doing kickboxing,thinking of doing judo or bjj next,which do you recommend?probably a stupid question seeing as this is a jiu jitsu demonstration
going to watch this quite a few times sir, thank you again! one thing I've found helpful is a "post credits" slow motion version for us students to pick apart. thoughts?
By watching this I have to wonder if you could slap on a more conventional inverted triangle without locking it up backwards? Or is it harder that way for some reason? If no reply I can experiment. Thanks for the video!
Hey coach, just as an example if your partner has beat you to this position and has the cross face already. How do you like to re-establish this prayer position?
I am a white belt, and tried this. 1st, with buffer, blue belt “gift wrapped” several times, and I could not stop it. Next roll he smash passed into heavy side, I tried to invert for arm bar but just stacked me and crushed me every time! Nest roll he thought I needed more side mount practice, so start there. I try for under hook, but he grabs/cups bicep, I try bump shrimp knee in, he smashes me and pinch hips with his elbow a hip, I put arm in hip and neck, he gift warps me. So white belt.... just screwed! More practice needed
Tommy Pickles True. Look at Gunnar Nelson vs Brandon Thatch. Since Gunny was not throwing any punches Thatch had no chance of escaping his control. Not to mention the beautiful quick transitions.
Tommy Pickles True. Look at Gunnar Nelson vs Brandon Thatch. Since Gunny was not throwing any punches Thatch had no chance of escaping his control. Not to mention the beautiful quick transitions.
+that's cool man when you throw a strike on top of someone when you have them on side control that's their chance to escape. in UFC they not only grapple.
When opponent runs north south and you raise your hands to protect the north south choke , your elbows also move away from your body. Given that your elbows have moved away from your body and he is in north south position, will that open you up to a kimura attack or kimura control by your opponent?
Andy Brown Well in my experience, which is little, I have noticed a couple things from getting tapped multiple times by americanas and kimuras. You need to have some type of control over the opponents body and north south position really only leaves you open to choking the neck. Also would need to get the guys elbow away from his torso and apply pressure as his elbow at a 90 degree angle. What Firas is doing is very smart, because he only lifts his elbows to meet his opponents choke. He doesn't flare out his elbows, unless it is to push at the last minute, but by then he is out. I hope that might have helped, since I noticed noone responded yet.
Most, if not all, people in my gym work side control from this first position( 0:23), most likely because, as he says, it is very hard for the person on bottom to escape. When I go to the prayer position, my arms just get crushed under their torso, and when they do go to north-south, they rotate my arms out from under them. :( It might be worth noting that in (0:34) the non-head side control he makes no (real) attempt to ride with the guy on the bottom, which is something totally possible and fruitful to do. (1:15) "He can put all his body weight on me." Frankly, Zahabi, it doesn't really look like he's doing that. I mean, he could sprawl backward on his right hip, couldn't he? Am I totally off on these observations?
I just tried out these methods tonight, more so with keeping my hands high, and as a blue belt in 10th planet and as a grappler with cerebral palsy. This really made my defense go up to a whole new level. Thank you very, very much.
0:47 Block
0:55 Frame
1:14 Frame usage
1:33 Scape
2:16 vs NS
2:35 Scape NS
3:13 Frame vs Strong SC
Never knew Firas was so well spoken and articulate. Nice work.
dude that little tip about keeping your hands high to avoid north south choke is awesome!! whole video is awesome but I love little quick tips like that
When you teach the way I do something, I always pick up a detail or 5. But when you teach it completely differently (like this case), it is the reason I subscribe! Thanks
Glad I can help! BJJ is all about the details
Man, you deserve a nobel for making grapplers life more simple.
This must be the best tips I have seen by far, I always struggle with side control, now I realize that I was pushing with my arms instead of keeping them close. Thanks a lot!
Coach Zahabi is a freaking genius
Tried this today during a few rolls. Got an inverse-triangle and escaped to guard twice. Tbh, my usually escape is similar with just the knee slide, but the added attack is what make this technique AWESOME! TY Firas!
towkee awesome very happy to hear it!!
Towkee, do you do gi? If so does it work with the gi?
So glad I came across your channel! Thank you professor Zahabi
Best video on RUclips. Thank you, been looking for a good side control escape. Thanks very much
Thanks for the tip. I'm only two weeks into my jiu-jitsu training and the side control escape was a very easy to implement.
Andre Newman Jr Really? I am in Jiu-jitsu training for two years, and side mount escape is always the most difficult one for me.
Thanks for the video man, such simple little things (especially the high-prayer position for north-south) made a huge difference.
I think these are really solid techniques and videos that you are sharing. Smart and efficient. Thanks so much
How am I not surprised that Kevin McGivern is nerding out on these videos just like me!! haha. Good to find you here Kev. Osss
And I get to train with AZ from time to time too! Come back to TO soon, Pete!
keep it up my man I'm glued to everything you teach i consider u one of my many coaches thanks
Thank you. I would have never thought to keep the forearms that close together like that. Can't wait to try it!
Firas, these are fantastic man. Your a total beast. If I'm ever in Montreal playing a show I'll be sure to stop by and train.
Such a good teacher. Thanks Firas!
I'm a smaller guy and 90% of the time the bigger, higher belts go north/south on me. Great explanation, but I could have seen a little more detail on defending the north/south. Great video, thanks
That's a nice inverted triangle ... I like that counter after the escape... good stuff
appreciate you sharing..subtle yet genius adjustments..
I get put into side control a lot. I'm going to try these out next time I go to the gym. The inverted triangle escape looks pretty effective.
I love this have caught a lot of people with this and always get guard back if I don't get the armbar but had to watch it again as I felt I was bench pressing them up to get the knee inside and wasn't working on bigger stronger guys so I knew I was missing a detail which was making the space between your chest and his forgot all about the inverted triangle as well thanks again :)
Thanks man!! I've been struggling a lot to get out side-control, rather be mounted than side-control since that escape I master much better! Will for sure try this today in training :)
Genius! Thanks for sharing Firas!
Love these videos..so helpful..thank you
this is great. i needed this. i'm light weight so now i dont need to sweep/move the other person. which in my case is much heavier.. THANKS!
This "inside", or pinched arm thing only happens if you werent slammed, hip thrown, in the middle of a defending situation, the list goes on....
While I ABSOLUTELY think this is great "short arm" habits for BJJ, and will definitely work if you can create that position under the circumstances you end up in, you still must train the "traditional" side escapes without a doubt.
Wow! all I have to say. Is really good. never thought of the defense point about it. always concentrated on offensive move. the side control.
Wow Firas this is great stuff can't wait try it out in class.
Sakuraba has almost the same exact move against side control (cross chest position) on his instructional from about 10 years ago. The way Sak uses a hip heist and holds his arms is slightly different - but the arm bar outcome is exactly the same. The strategy is the same: lift the opponent off the chest just enough to put the legs in play.
This is perfect for me. I am always trying to get these inverted armbars! This will help me even more now, and that sexy triangle too. I love those inverted triangles.
Pay your taxes fam
wow... great tips and very good instruction. I always get stuck in side... thank you.
Super thorough and well explained, thank you! 👏🏻
Thanks coach...your the man...very articulate.
Looks great. My most common training partner is a higher belt who is proficient at side control and kesa. A vast majority of our fights end up me fighting from that prayer position.
Very nice Firas brother, definitely going test this in sparring
Thank you for these great videos!need try out this one today on my training!
Firas have you ever thought about competing in metamoris. It would ve great to see you grapple there! Thank you for the great videos.
Wow that's really cool, i will try this tomorrow. I hate getting crossfaced from side control lol, the most annoying position in grappling imo
Man I love your stuff, thanks a bunch!
That's really clever and you make it look so easy
I like your videos they help, specifically this one I struggle when I roll against wrestlers because their top game is very good.
Good video, I'll have to remember that arm guard and get it in place before it's too late
If you go directly into the arm bar attack, you should really try to penetrate the knee towards his left shoulder and swing your hips in towards guard, this will prevent him from escaping by moving north/south.... A very similar ariation of this attack is also possible from 1/2 guard if the top guy starts to transition to knee cut through type pass.
If you are looking primarily to recover guard. There are a few details missing here.
-you should shoulder roll so that your free foot and your inside knee attempt to meet on your opponents left hip. This closes the space for him to move north/south.
-You need to keep the knee of your top leg pointed up, so it can't be collapsed and let your opponent walk around to the other side.
-you should be on your right shoulder with your hips and back off of the ground, so that if your opponent circles, your body will just circle with him.
if you do get back to a guard position, can be a lot more active than staying on your back, especially in no-gi. The timing is usually pretty good to sit up and go directly into a drag.
I like the hand technique here... One think I like to do is make sure your left hand swims under your opponent's arm pit if his cross facing arm reaches over your head. I generally like to post my left hand on my opponent's shoulder to made space for a runaway escape as well.
Can't wait to try this out thanks for sharing it!
Thanks firas I'll try this next week
Helped me straight away, thanks
4:00 great transition to triangle after failing armbar
thank you for the great info, coach
Even just the arm placement with elbows on top is a big difference. Could also take the back from there if needed.
Good stuff Bro!!! This has been a pain point for me...
I'd love to see you compete in metamoris what do you guys think?
very cool trick! gonna try it first thing tomorrow morning.
dope technique , thx for the ideas
Great, thanks for sharing !
Firas love the Tristar team and work you do… can you make a video on timing shots like GSP would use against aggressive opponents. Also I'm more concerned with getting kneed to the face when I shoot. Lastly, can you make a video on throwing body kicks and being more efficient with landing them. Thanks. Sorry if I got kind of greedy towards the end.
Thank you sir!
Very nice.. I'd love to see what happens when the arms are stuck and you can't frame. Since I have very long arms, it often happens and then I'm stuck there for good
thank you this helps me a lot!
Great stuff, thanks!
I've been taught to stop the crossface with one hand, but it's not strong enough against most opponents. I will try this method next time!
Very cool my brother!!!
Great stuff!!!
Coach Firas, I have never seen it taught quite like this with the elbows so close together. Usually I see one of the elbows/forearms by the guy’s hips. Why do you feel keeping one elbow by the hips is not necessary?
NICE! THX for the info
Very nice! 👍 👌
Great Video Firas. How can I learn to escape from that side control position where my opponent controls my head ?
Probably best move I've seen
great escape ill try it tonight in class
Hi, how are you? Beginner question: How do I work my way out of a really solid side control. I'm new and I can avoid the mount but today two of my sparrings where filled with 2mins of "sidecontrol-package" each. I get stuck and can just go blocking for the rest of the time, no possibility of creating space between us... main recommendation? Thanks, and keep up the good work!
currently doing kickboxing,thinking of doing judo or bjj next,which do you recommend?probably a stupid question seeing as this is a jiu jitsu demonstration
Fin Hyland firas recommended bjj in one of his videos
perfect man..thank you
Cool. I will drill on these transitions. Thank you.
going to watch this quite a few times sir, thank you again!
one thing I've found helpful is a "post credits" slow motion version for us students to pick apart. thoughts?
I'm not hopeful but I'm gonna try it tonight in training oss davenport Liverpool uk
By watching this I have to wonder if you could slap on a more conventional inverted triangle without locking it up backwards? Or is it harder that way for some reason? If no reply I can experiment. Thanks for the video!
+Jefferson Smith Yes experiment but I myself like to do it this way.
Hey coach, just as an example if your partner has beat you to this position and has the cross face already. How do you like to re-establish this prayer position?
wow amazing stuff!
Thats some real gangster shit thank you for this firas. I have tomorrow tournament i will try this but i hope more i will not be in side mount haha
This really works well
So Firas, essentially make the prayer position and scoot downwards towards your feet?
I am a white belt, and tried this. 1st, with buffer, blue belt “gift wrapped” several times, and I could not stop it. Next roll he smash passed into heavy side, I tried to invert for arm bar but just stacked me and crushed me every time! Nest roll he thought I needed more side mount practice, so start there. I try for under hook, but he grabs/cups bicep, I try bump shrimp knee in, he smashes me and pinch hips with his elbow a hip, I put arm in hip and neck, he gift warps me. So white belt.... just screwed! More practice needed
Thanks for videos, but really at this point I am just trying not to get f’ed up, or tapped in 30 sec.
What about knee on belly from top player? Looks very promising move
Amazing!
When you prawn out do you push off his chest to get momentum
How are guys in the UFC so good at Side Control escapes? Rarely do you see someone stuck there. Any chance you could break those techniques down too?
definitely. I will cover all sorts of escapes.
that's cool man They are fighting without a Gi and the guy on top has to loosen up his side control when they throw punches.
Tommy Pickles True. Look at Gunnar Nelson vs Brandon Thatch. Since Gunny was not throwing any punches Thatch had no chance of escaping his control. Not to mention the beautiful quick transitions.
Tommy Pickles True. Look at Gunnar Nelson vs Brandon Thatch. Since Gunny was not throwing any punches Thatch had no chance of escaping his control. Not to mention the beautiful quick transitions.
+that's cool man when you throw a strike on top of someone when you have them on side control that's their chance to escape. in UFC they not only grapple.
When opponent runs north south and you raise your hands to protect the north south choke , your elbows also move away from your body. Given that your elbows have moved away from your body and he is in north south position, will that open you up to a kimura attack or kimura control by your opponent?
Andy Brown Well in my experience, which is little, I have noticed a couple things from getting tapped multiple times by americanas and kimuras. You need to have some type of control over the opponents body and north south position really only leaves you open to choking the neck. Also would need to get the guys elbow away from his torso and apply pressure as his elbow at a 90 degree angle. What Firas is doing is very smart, because he only lifts his elbows to meet his opponents choke. He doesn't flare out his elbows, unless it is to push at the last minute, but by then he is out. I hope that might have helped, since I noticed noone responded yet.
Another thing I wondered about was strikes. But, just cover your ribs with your elbows.
Thanks!
That inverted arm bar is aweseme
3:28
You can fart from here too lol
If you need that extra advantage?
That doesn't help we are use to bad smells the sweat
Thank you!
Awesome tecnique..
Most, if not all, people in my gym work side control from this first position( 0:23), most likely because, as he says, it is very hard for the person on bottom to escape. When I go to the prayer position, my arms just get crushed under their torso, and when they do go to north-south, they rotate my arms out from under them. :( It might be worth noting that in (0:34) the non-head side control he makes no (real) attempt to ride with the guy on the bottom, which is something totally possible and fruitful to do. (1:15) "He can put all his body weight on me." Frankly, Zahabi, it doesn't really look like he's doing that. I mean, he could sprawl backward on his right hip, couldn't he? Am I totally off on these observations?
I always go for a biceps slicer when i‘m stuck into sidemount, it really fuck people up 🤓 but this is genius
tks! very good position
Firas Zahabi looks like Nacho from "Better Call Saul".
I see it
but when i put my hands like this to create a space isn't there a posibility that he can do americana to me?
Nice vid, side control is a real biatch !
Does this work with the Gi?