Side control escape techniques are basic moves that every BJJ practitioner should know how to do correctly.
Like other escape moves, it requires a deep understanding of the basics of jiu-jitsu and precise timing.
Although, many students have several issues processing clean side control escapes.
The Proper Way to Escape the BJJ Side Control
When you are under a heavier and stronger jiu-jitsu opponent, the BJJ side control is harder to do.
So, if your opponent already has control of your head and arm, it will be hard to get out of side control.
It is very important to know how the side control works and why you want to escape it.
In order to avoid the heavy pressure and the opponent’s side control hold, you will find ways to get out of this position.
John Danaher BJJ Side Control Escape
John Danaher shows you in great detail how to get out of the side control position in the next video.
Marcelo Garcia Gi jiu jitsu Side Control Escape
Marcelo Garcia shows you his best gi-based jiu-jitsu escapes from side control in the next video.
Marcelo Garcia No-Gi Side Control Escape In BJJ
Marcelo Garcia shows some of his best jiu-jitsu moves for getting out of no-gi side control in the next video lesson.
Chewjitsu Escape from Side Control
Chewjitsu shows off some of his best Brazilian jiu-jitsu moves for getting out of side control in the video below.
Pedro Sauer Side Control Escape
Pedro Sauer, an 8th-degree red and white belt, shows some of the best ways he can get out of side control in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the video below.
How to Prevent Tough Side Control Control?
If you learn the basics of side control, you can play this position from either the top or the bottom.
When you are in the bottom side control position, you need to do these things to keep your opponent from taking strict control.
1. Never Let Your Opponent Control Your Neck And Hips.
One of the main goals of a top-side control player is to use pressure and mechanical leverage to control their opponent’s upper body.
This control is also meant to make it hard for the player on the bottom to move and get away from the side control.
The main goal of the player on the bottom side is to stop the player on top from setting up the cross face or grips to control his upper body.
Really, he should not let his opponent hold his hips because that is important for him to be able to escape.
2. Disturb the Opponent’s Weight to Neglect Unwanted Pressure
Any Brazilian jiu-jitsu student would fail to defend the side control position if they did not use the right amount of pressure and weight distribution.
This means that when the fighter plays from the top side mount, he will control his weight to get more leverage to play his game.
So, the player at the bottom should keep moving to throw off his opponent’s weight and stop him from quickly setting up techniques.
That being said, this strategy can help the bottom player get away from painful pressure. Furthermore, practicing how to get out of the side control BJJ position will be useful.
3. Escaping the Side Control Against Larger Opponents
In the next video, Fabio Gurgel shows how to get out of side control against a bigger opponent.
What Do You Get After Escaping the Side Control?
If the bottom player can get out of the side control position, they will have more options, such as moving to other fantastic positions or trying to submit.
There are many things you can do once you get out of the BJJ side control.
Side Control Escape to Single Leg
If you need to get out of side control, the single-leg guard might help you do that because it puts space between you and your opponent.
To do the single leg from the bottom side control position, follow these steps.
Side Control Escape to D’arce Choke
The D’arce choke is also an excellent option if you manage the side control escape well.
Knight Jiu-Jitsu shows you how to get out of side control and set up a d’arce choke submission in the next video.
Side Control Escape to Armbar
The armbar submission is another great option to look for if you were able to get out of the side control.
The BJJ black belt Brandon Mullins shows in the video below how to get an armbar submission as soon as you get out of side control.
Side Control Escape to Back Take
Tom Scala shows in the video below how to get your opponent’s back after getting out of side control in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Watch and learn!
Conclusion
The Side Control position in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has always been one of the strongest and most dangerous.
The player on the top side of the board seems like the clear favorite to win at first glance.
But the player at the bottom has few and bad options unless he can get out of this bad spot.
So, if you learn how to get out properly from the side control position, that’s great.
The d’arce choke, back take, armbar, and other submissions and transitions will be available.
