Knee on belly is a grappling position in self defense, martial arts, wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). It refers to a dominant control position where the attacker places their knee on the opponent’s stomach or chest while controlling the opponent’s legs. This position restricts the opponent’s movement and allows the attacker to apply submissions or strikes. It is typically used in grappling sports as a way to score points or to advance to a more dominant position such as mount.
Over the years, the knee on belly has also been affectionately re-named the ‘neon belly’ due to sounding the same. You could argue that this is one of the more common memes found in BJJ culture. It is sometimes called knee on stomach in some circles as well.
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Submissions from the knee on belly position
From the knee on belly position in grappling, there are several submissions that can be attempted, including:
- Kimura: A shoulder lock that targets the shoulder and elbow joint
- Triangle Choke: A chokehold that uses the legs to strangle the opponent
- Armbar: A joint lock that targets the elbow
- Baseball and Cross Collar Chokes: These are blood chokes that use your opponent’s collar to tighten around their arteries – these moves are both exclusive to the gi
So, what do these positions have in common? Aside from the two gi chokes, you will need to isolate an arm. If you do this with the far arm, you can attack a Kimura or Armbar. If you pin an arm then you can also attempt a mounted Triangle Choke as well.
Just remember, you should always solidify the position first before attacking a submission. Don’t rush into anything and especially in competition – remember to hold for 3 seconds to score your points before you advance. If you do get reversed from the top to bottom position whilst in knee on belly, remember this only counts as a reversal and will not score the opponent points as they’re not in a guard to begin with.
Other uses of knee on belly
Aside from submissions, the knee on belly is ideal to transition between dominant, pinning positions. For instance, if your opponent is frantically shrimping away to avoid side control, you can control their hips and enter the knee on belly position to stop their movement.
On a similar note, if you think they’re going to escape the mount, you could go to knee on belly before settling into a side control position. Not only does it score points but it’s also useful to keep quick, speedy opponents pinned down and controlled.
How to escape the knee on belly position
Escaping from the knee on belly position in grappling can be done using several techniques, including:
- Bridging and Shrimping: By using the hips and legs to create leverage, you can escape from underneath the knee and create space to escape or turn into your opponent.
- Scrambling: If you can create distance then you can try to scramble and create movement to create space to escape or turn into your opponent. This can be risky though and expose the back.
- Frame and Push: Your opponent can use their hands to push against the attacker’s chest or stomach, creating space and reducing the pressure from the knee on their belly. Remember to hide your arms from spinning armbars!
- Bridging and Spinning: Whilst on the bottom, you can use your hips to bridge and create space, and then spin your body to escape or turn into your opponent. Sometimes, you may end up in turtle – which could be a good or bad thing, depending on your preference.
- Gripping and Pulling: The opponent can grip the attacker’s clothing or limbs and pull them off balance to create space to escape or turn into their opponent. Sometimes, this can look like a spider guard position whereby you kick their sleeve to create distance.
Remember that these are just general guidelines and the most effective way to escape will depend on the specific situation and the skill level of both competitors. As always in BJJ, there’s no one-fits-all solution for anything!
The main differences between knee on belly in the gi and no gi
The knee on belly position in grappling can be executed with or without a Gi. The main difference between the two is the use of grips:
- Knee on Belly with Gi: When the knee on belly position is executed with a Gi, the attacker can use the Gi to grip and control the opponent. This allows for a more secure and stable control position. As seen above, it also opens up collar chokes which can’t be executed in no gi.
- Knee on Belly No Gi: In a no-gi grappling setting, the attacker will not have the advantage of the Gi to grip, so they need to rely on other methods such as body control, weight distribution, and pressure to maintain the position.
In both Gi and No Gi, the goal of the knee on belly position is to restrict the opponent’s movement and to create opportunities for submissions or transitions. However, the execution of the position and the specific techniques used to maintain and attack from it will vary based on the presence or absence of the Gi. In short, the knee on belly position is arguably far superior in the gi due to the grips available.
As a result, you’re less likely to see it performed in no gi. Another reason for this is the possibility of heel hooks from the bottom player, which isn’t a worry in gi as they’re not allowed.
Knee on belly as a self defense technique
The knee on belly position can be used as a self-defense technique in certain situations and is often taught in the US police force, but it is important to keep in mind that self-defense involves much more than just physical techniques. In any self-defense situation, it is important to prioritize your own safety and to use the appropriate level of force necessary to protect yourself. With this said, always be wary of soccer kicks from unseen opponents if doing a knee on belly hold in a street fight.
In a 1 vs 1 scenario though, the knee on belly position can be a great way to control and restrict the movements of your attacker. Of course, it is important to consider factors such as the size and strength of your attacker, as well as any potential weapons they may have so this should be kept in mind.
