Core Concepts: How to Control from the Top
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1. Kill the Hips
If they can move their hips, they can escape. Use your far-side hand to control their near hip (often a grip on the belt, pants, or hip bone). This anchors their lower body.
Drill: “Hip pin” reps—reset every time your partner escapes, and refine your pressure with minimal movement.
2. Control the Near-Side Arm
If their near-side arm gets inside, they can frame and escape. Keep it pinned or cleared. Use shoulder pressure under the jaw to turn their head away and collapse the frame.
Tip: Use your crossface to flatten them. Think cheek-to-cheek and drive your shoulder diagonally into the mat.
3. Stay Heavy Without Gassing Out
Being “heavy” isn’t about muscle—it’s about weight distribution. Keep your center of gravity low, knees off the mat, and make micro-adjustments as they move.
Image to hold: Think of yourself as wet cement. Wherever they move, you slowly fill the space and settle in deeper.
4. Active Control, Not Passive Holding
Good side control is dynamic. When they bridge, you shift. When they shrimp, you block. Don’t cling—float with purpose.
Anchor points:
- Crossface
- Underhook (or block the far-side arm)
- Hip grip or knee near their hip
5. Anticipate the Escape Before It Happens
Great control is predictive. Learn common escapes:
- Bridge & roll
- Elbow escape
- Underhook and get to knees
Shut down their first movement, not their second. Side control is a game of pressure and preemption.
Final Word: Side Control Is a Conversation, Not a Position
Controlling from the top is about reading your partner’s breath, rhythm, and structure. The best top players aren’t just heavy—they’re calculated. They give nothing for free and extract everything with precision.
Learn to love side control—not just for the submissions, but for the art of control itself.
LYNQ Note: Great Jiu-Jitsu isn’t flashy—it’s deliberate. Side control is the perfect example: low ego, high control. Make your top game unshakable.
