The Omoplata is a shoulder lock that is designed to rotate the shoulder blade into breaking point. In brief, it acts in the same way as a Kimura, albeit the movement of the shoulder is generated by the attacker’s legs, instead of their arms. Like the Kimura, this means that the Omoplata can be attacked from almost anywhere and it can be highly effective when used correctly.
Perhaps the biggest issue with Omoplata’s is when they’re done by inexperienced people. Generally to finish an Omoplata, you need a lot of control and there are quite a few steps to get to the finishing position. Because of this, a lot of people think the Omoplata is too complex. In reality, it’s not – it just needs practice and once you’ve mastered it, it is a fantastic submission.
Going further, it’s not just a submission either. The Omoplata also acts as a sweeping tool and can be used to get to the opponent’s back. Here we shall go into detail about all the key elements that make an Omoplata work – and what to avoid.
Table of Contents
Entries into the Omoplata
Like most moves in BJJ, there are various ways to get an Omoplata so regardless of your game, there should be something available for you. One good piece of Omoplata’s is that they’re always available when going for a regular Triangle. In other words, they work by exposing one arm of the opponent. When shooting a Triangle, this is done by isolating one arm then shooting over it. With an Omoplata, it’s a similar concept, but your leg doesn’t fling over the should. Instead, it shoots around the shoulder.
Ideally, this should put enough tension to put the opponent’s shoulder on the mat. Once this is done you can connect your legs together and the weight should keep your legs latched onto the free arm of the opponent. At this point, you have entered an Omoplata. Usually, people lock their legs in a Triangle to make the control tighter.
As you may have noticed, there are other available entries from similar submissions. If the angle is right then you can also get there from Armbars. This is a good option when the opponent does a hitchhiker escape from an Armbar for instance. Here, you can do a forwards roll and land in an Omoplata. Sometimes, you can also attempt this entry whilst doing an Omoplata from guard. However, often the angle isn’t as freely available.
Away from submissions, there are generally two entries to be applied when looking at the Omoplata. The first is from the bottom guard, and the second is from the top.
Omoplata entries from guard
One of the best qualities of the Omoplata is its ability to enter it from almost anywhere. For instance, rangy players can use entries from Spider Guard by extending their opponents one arm with their own leg. From there, you can shoot up your leg over the shoulder blade and wrap up an Omoplata.
In more close-contact guards, the Omoplata is also available. For instance, if you get an overhook on the opponent whilst in bottom Half Guard, then you can shoot your leg over their arm and get a nearside Omoplata.
Perhaps the most common entry that you will see though is from the Closed Guard. This is when the opponent stands up. You can grab their sleeve or wrist and invert slightly, then shooting your legs over their controlled arm. Often this will lead to a sweep or submission.
In short, it’s best to think about the Omoplata as a fluid concept rather than anything else. Whilst the three above examples are relatively common, there’s also a number of other guards to attack the Omoplata from. For example, shooting your leg out of a Lasso wrap can also get you a quick entry, alongside many other situations.
In no gi, the Rubber Guard also offers Omoplata set ups, as long as you’re flexible enough to control by using a High Guard. Alternatively, the Williams Guard is also great for less flexible practitioners.
Omoplata entries from top positions
When playing on top, Omoplata entries are also available. As previously mentioned, one of these is from a failed Armbar attack. Other positions include the top Turtle. Here, if you can get your legs wrapped around an arm then you can forwards roll into a reverse Omoplata, which is kind of similar to a Crucifix entry.
There are other positions to enter the Omoplata too from the top. Remember, as long as a shoulder is exposed, then an Omoplata is always close by. One example could be from the top mount position. If an opponent hugs your body in an MMA style defense, then you can again wrap your leg around the shoulder and do one from the top. Similarly, if an opponent exposes their shoulder from side control then the same principle applies.
Generally though, most Omoplata’s are attacked from the bottom position. This is because the Omoplata is often used to sweep and can be difficult for some people to finish. As a result, some deem Omoplata attacks from the top as too risky and flamboyant. For instance, the above cases can often be finished by a Kimura or something more simplistic and less risky. Nonetheless, if you’re confident of your control and finishing, then there’s no reason to avoid Omoplatas from the top.
Controlling the opponent
This is where the battle of the Omoplata is won and lost. Often, people lack control with the Omoplata and this allows the opponent to escape. Imagine doing a Rear naked choke. Whilst this is a technical submission, it’s somewhat natural and most humans know how to strangle. Even if the RNC is sloppy, sometimes it can get a tap, even if it’s a crank.
The Omoplata is kind of the opposite to this and requires a lot of correct movements from start to finish. This is the main reason why it’s rarely attempted by those who are scared of losing the position. The last thing you want to do is dominate an opponent and have them end up in a top position from a failed submission attempt. Here are the main parts of control whilst doing the Omoplata.
- When entering the Omoplata, extend your legs straight towards the sky. This will add force into the entry and make it difficult for the opponent to free their arm.
- Once the opponent is on their knees, move your legs away from their body. Imagine try to point your feet away from them. This means they can’t pin a leg and try an escape.
- Once the opponent is kneeling, control their elbow. Sometimes if the Omoplata is loose, they can free their elbow and escape their arm. By cupping the elbow, this stops any escapes.
- Again, once they’re kneeling – remember to block and hold their nearside hips. This stops them from rolling forward to escape. It also stops them from jumping over your body to escape.
- Try to flatten the opponent out. It’s quite difficult to finish someone who is in Turtle. Instead, you ideally want them lying down flat. This will also allow the submission to come on quicker.
- In summary, all of your limbs should be engaged at all times. Try to destroy posture as quickly as possible and keep control tight.
How to finish the Omoplata
If the above has been done then you should now be controlling the opponent. When this is in place, you can begin to apply the finishing touches. In short, this process is all about breaking posture. The original posture needs to be taken from the shoulder, and then you need to break them down further to stop any late escapes.
As mentioned, remember to keep your legs tight and cup their elbow if necessary. Sometimes, it can slip out and you can lose everything. To finish the Omoplata, you want to move your hips forward as if trying to sit up. Whilst doing this, you want to lean over the body of your opponent. A good way to remember this is as if you’re trying to whisper if their far ear. Obviously, some people are tough and flexible, so you may need to go further forwards in this case.
A key part of finishing the Omoplata is remembering to apply it safely. Sometimes, people will just sit up with no regard for the opponent’s safety. Remember, the Omoplata is like a Kimura. With this in mind, it would be like quickly ripping on a Kimura as quickly as you can.
Whilst you should still try to finish the submission and don’t be too kind, remember this is a shoulder lock that can cause great damage to the opponent’s shoulder. If you have full control then you should be able to finish the submission at your own pace and there should be no need to go too quickly.
Differences between the Omoplata in gi vs no gi
As a general rule, the Omoplata is easier to finish in the gi, in comparison to no gi. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first reason is that entries are easier. Usually, it is easier to control an arm with a sleeve grip, compared to a wrist grip. This means you can pull the opponent in by their sleeve, as opposed to their wrist. Similarly, if pulling at the shoulder or elbow, gi grips are also much easier than grips without material.
The next reason is for escapes. As previously referenced, sometimes the elbow can slip free. As no gi sometimes gets very slippy, this is something to keep in mind. In the gi however, the extra material adds more friction. This goes for most submissions and isn’t exclusive to the Omoplata. As a generalization most submissions are easier to finish in the gi compared to no gi for the above reasons.
This doesn’t mean that you should avoid Omoplata’s in no gi though. 10th Planet member Richie Martinez is very good at attacking them from his Rubber Guard and has a high finishing rate. However, going one step further Omoplata’s are very rare in MMA which is probably because strikes from the top make the entries more difficult from the bottom.
Who has the best Omoplata?
The Omoplata was popularized by Nino Schembri. Here, Schembri had incredibly flexibility and is also credited with early variations of the Rubber Guard. With this said, he is often considered as the main pioneer of the Omoplata.
In terms of competition, there are very few specialists. As mentioned, in no gi – Richie Martinez has a very good success rate with the submission. Elsewhere, Clark Gracie has used it often in the gi as well as Bradley Hill, who is also known as ‘The Omoplata man’.
How to defend and escape the Omoplata
If you’ve read the above information, then you will be aware that there are several ways to defend and escape the Omoplata. The first way is to stop it in its tracks. If you can quickly posture up and pull your arm out, then the Omoplata cannot even begin. Of course, against skilled opponents this isn’t always realistic and also relies on a degree of strength.
The next step is a later defense when you’re put on the floor. Remember to keep you posture strong with your head, as standing to defend the Omoplata is easier than on the floor. Imagine standing with someone hanging on your arm…eventually gravity will tire them out.
If you do manage to posture then there are two escapes. The first is to jump your legs over them and hop into side control. If done correctly, you’ll have gone from one of the worst positions in BJJ to one of the best. Of course, this relies on getting your legs over the body of the opponent.
An alternate step is to do a forwards roll. Although this is a common escape, it’s also not as good as the above escape. The reason for this is that it can be followed up by the opponent rolling into another Omoplata. Alternatively, they can turn it into an Armbar, Triangle or Wrist lock from the top. Having said this, the roll escape is better than nothing.
Lastly, if you can’t escape at all then you can try freeing your elbow if the Omoplata isn’t tight. Against skilled opponents, this probably isn’t an option. However, this is possible against some, especially in no gi.
Is the Omoplata legal in Judo?
Omoplata’s are legal in Judo and have been done over the years in competition. With this said, you shouldn’t worry in attacking an Omoplata if competing. The issue with Omoplata’s in Judo is that they can be very difficult to get. Due to the time constraints of Judo on the floor, you may not have much time to set up or finish the Omoplata. This is the nature of Newaza in Judo and means some submissions are harder than others to finish.
What does the word Omoplata mean?
The word Omoplata originates from Portuguese. As Brazil speaks Portuguese as its main language, this is not surprising. Omoplata literally translates to shoulder blade. In other words, it’s not some weird, fancy name. Instead, it means to attack the shoulder blade. If the Omoplata is put on without the opponent submitting then the shoulder blade would eventually rip and tear. Hence the name Omoplata.
Using the Omoplata as more than just a submission
The Omoplata is like the Kimura, in that it is a tool as much as a submission. For example, if the opponent stands in your Closed Guard, then you can attack an Omoplata on a standing opponent. The likelihood is that you won’t finish it on a skilled opponent. Instead, it will probably result in a sweep instead. Like the Kimura, submissions aren’t always the end goal and sweeps are available too.
There is also a number of variations between the Omoplata and Kimura with similar names. Without going into too much detail, there’s the Baratoplata, Tarikoplata and Monoplata. These are all shoulder locks but have slightly different mechanics.
Perhaps the biggest attribute of the Omoplata though is the entries into the Crucifix from there. Basically, the Crucifix is a modified Omoplata which also controls the arm so the two are related. In other words, if you find yourself in an Omoplata, you can always switch to a Crucifix and vice versa. Going further, the Omoplata can also open up entries to take the back. By exploring this move, the possibilities are vast.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Omoplata is a very versatile technique that is more than just a submission. Too often, it is sadly disregarded as too intricate to attempt on a regular basis. However, by understanding the controlling aspects then it becomes much easier. With enough endurance, you can eventually turn this move into a great tool. From there, you can use this in almost any situation meaning with enough learning, the Omoplata can really improve and change your game.
