The martial art and sport of BJJ is very complicated. If you wish to learn the core basics and essentials, then you will be able to learn them in a matter of months. If, however, you want to become a master in BJJ, then it will take you several years of hard training and dedication before you will be able to call yourself a master. You can take things to the next level as well. You should bear in mind the notion that it takes at least 31 years of being a black belt for you to get a red belt. But that’s not for everybody. Today we will share one of the more unorthodox BJJ techniques – the flying armbar. By reading this article you will learn how to implement this move in your BJJ game.
Basics of the regular armbar
The armbar is not an unorthodox technique – in fact, it’s one of the most basic techniques in BJJ. No matter who you are, if you start out with BJJ, then you will need to learn the armbar. There are a few important armbar setups such as the armbar from bottom guard and the armbar from mount.
In order to perform the flying armbar though – you need to take the core move of armbar to the next level. If you want to perform the flying armbar, then you need to make your regular armbar technique crisp. So, the first prerequisite that we would give you is to train the regular armbar. Drill it from every position – especially from the bottom guard.
If you have ever tried doing the regular armbar, chances are that you have witnessed its complexity. It may seem simple when UFC fighters do it on the TV. This is because they have drilled the basics to the top level. But if you try to do it yourself, you will see that it’s not that easy to perform it. First of all, you will need to hit the right moment when the opponent is not expecting an armbar.
If your opponent expects it – then he will know how to counter it. So, it’s very important to set up this move properly so that it will have the greatest chances of success. Then there’s the technique of the armbar. You will have to move your hips perpendicular to your opponent from the bottom guard. You should put your legs over your opponent’s head and trap his arm. And then you should use leverage and pressure to twist it. These are all fine moves that you spend time learning if you are to progress to the flying armbar.
Doing the flying armbar
You may be confused as to why we have spent so much time in this article about explaining the details of the regular armbar. Well, the simple truth is that the regular armbar is the core base for the flying armbar. Everything that we have mentioned in the previous paragraph holds true for the flying armbar. You will still have to set up the move so that your opponent doesn’t expect it. You will still have to have crisp technique when you execute the move – your opponent may counter it easily if you don’t do it correctly.
That being said, the core setup of the flying armbar when you and your opponent are standing opposite one another. If your opponent holds your collar with one arm, then you have the perfect setup for the flying armbar. First, you need to grab your opponent’s extended arm under the triceps muscle. Holding the gi there is great for this purpose. You may grab your opponent’s collar for better control – and even for the purpose of misdirection. The flying armbar needs to be performed very quickly if it’s to succeed.
Now you need to jump to the side of your opponent and trap his arm as you would for a regular armbar. As you may realize, this move takes a lot of skill in order to be executed properly. But still, you’d be surprised at how much success you will be able to have with it. This move can end the fight even before it starts. There are many YouTube videos where you can see proficient demonstrations of the flying armbar on unsuspecting opponents. If you’re interested in seeing the flying armbar in action – then check
In conclusion
The flying armbar is not a basic move that you can use whenever you feel like it. But because it’s so unorthodox – this means that many of your opponents won’t expect it. If you drill it and master it, then you will be able to use it with great success. Beware though – if your opponent knows how to counter your flying armbar attempt, then he may use it to take a better position over you and submit you. However, if you think that this move is something that you would like to learn – then by all means – go for it!
Check also:
- The Von Flue Choke: rare but powerful choke
- Wrist Locks in Jiu Jitsu
- Darce Choke: Origin and Mechanism behind Choke
