Best BJJ Submissions for Beginners

• By Owen Reilly

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a ground-based martial art that emphasizes taking down and submitting your opponent. Whether you are learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense, as a hobby, or to compete, your first practice or rolling session may seem intimidating. In this article, we review five of the best and most fundamental submissions for beginners of the martial art ranked in no particular order.

5. The Armbar

Beginners often learn the armbar from the mount position or while holding someone within their closed guard. To perform the armbar from these positions, isolate and control one of the opponent's arms. Next, swing your leg over the opponent's neck while still controlling the arm and move your other leg over the opponent's chest. Your opponent's arm should be between your legs and close to your chest. When in this position, continue to hold your opponent's arm to your chest while leaning back and elevating your hips. This move is effective in both Gi and No-Gi BJJ and can also be used in multiple positions as you improve your submission skills.

4. The Triangle Choke

The Triangle Choke is another powerful submission that focuses on strangling your opponent by squeezing your opponent's neck with your legs. It is primarily used when holding someone in closed guard but it can also be used in various other instances. To perform the move, similar to the armbar, isolate an arm and trap said arm and your opponent's head between your legs. A common setup from closed guard is using an over-hook to trap an opponent's arm while you isolate the opponent's head and arm. When you have your opponent's head and arm between your legs, proceed by ‘figure-fouring’ your legs together to form a triangle shape. When this is done, shrink the triangle by choking your opponent at an angle. Pulling on the head is another way to quickly finish a triangle once it is locked up.

3. The Americana 

The Americana is a quick and easy submission to both learn and perform. Mainly found in the side control position, this submission requires that you take your hand closest to the opponent's head and pin the opponent's opposite arm down to the mat by grabbing their wrist. After this, reach your other hand under the opponent's bicep and grab onto your wrist. Once this is done, bring the opponent's arm close to their side and elevate your opponent's bicep while still pinning their wrist down. This should elicit a tap very quickly if done properly

2. The Guillotine

The guillotine is an incredibly effective submission when facing off against wrestlers or other ‘shot-heavy’ grapplers. The submission is a defensive one that has several variations and is mainly hit from the front headlock position or when being taken down into guard. When in the front headlock or while an opponent is shooting, wrap your arm around your opponent's neck and clasp your hands together. If in the front headlock position, be sure to apply pressure to their shoulders to ensure that they cannot easily escape the submission. After your hands are clasped around your opponent's next, squeeze while engaging your hips to ensure the tap. Make sure that your arms are underneath the opponent's chin to avoid counters.

1. Rear Naked Choke

The rear naked choke is, by far, one of the most fundamental and common BJJ Submissions that beginners learn when starting BJJ. To utilize the rear naked choke, take your opponent's back and make sure that you have both of your legs around your opponent to ensure that they cannot escape. Then reach one of your hands under the chin of your opponent and squeeze by grabbing your other hand. Numerous grip variations exist including the gable grip or grabbing your bicep while your hand is behind or on top of your opponent's head. Pressing on the back of the head or ‘figure-fouring’ your legs together are also small moves that could elicit a tap faster. 

Incorporating these submissions into your skillset will provide you with a solid and versatile arsenal of submissions to choose from when rolling. Learning and applying submissions to live rolls may seem difficult, however, practicing and mastering these five submissions will elevate your submission game and provide you with competent submission offense. To learn these submissions from top coaches, click the links above.