Black belt John Simon of Dominance Mixed Martial Arts in Melbourne, Australia has more escapes to share. This time it’s getting out of the triangle.
I’ve also done some escapes from the triangle choke. There’s nothing really “out-there” with these escapes, but they’re good solid escapes.
The first one is probably the easiest to pull off if you’re a white belt and you get caught with your butt in the air.
You’re stuck in a triangle.
Push your fist into the mat next to your opponent’s head, across your body, and stand. Keep your weight bearing down on your opponent so he can’t even think about throwing a leg over your head to do an armbar.
Now bring your right leg over his head.
Grab his left leg, either hold his leg in place or straighten your arms as you fall back to release the triangle.
This next escape is probably the most correct escape to learn because it teaches posture.
Start by grabbing your opponent’s belt with both hands and getting your knees as deep under your opponent as possible.
Now posture up, and drag your opponent up half up your body. Look to the ceiling when you first practice this technique so that you have to have good posture.
Now that the choke is no longer on, start moving your knees back, bring your left arm through and grab your own right forearm.
Keep moving your body back until you can duck your head out of his legs.
Bring your left arm around, grab your opponent’s lapel and start to work your basic guard pass.
This last escape is one of my favorites. If I get caught bad, this is my “goto” escape.
Grab your opponent’s left knee with both of your hands.
Then you need to “run” sideways and nail your opponent’s knee to the floor. As you do this you “strike” him with your right hip against his butt cheeks.
Keep hip-bumping into your opponent and shrugging your head out of his legs until your head is free.
Now pass to his back. Notice I grab the back of my opponent’s collar and pull it hard towards myself so he can’t lift his butt in the air and put me back in guard.
