The stiff arm is a defensive technique used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to create distance and prevent your opponent from establishing control during guard passes or from advancing into dominant positions. Typically, it is used when the opponent is already past your hips. To counter this, you can post on the floor with your own arm and stiff arm into the opponent’s face or elbow to create distance and escape. Due to its no-nonsense approach, you will sometimes see the stiff arm used in MMA as well to escape from a bottom position to avoid ground and pound.
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How to do the stiff arm escape
- Establish the stiff arm: When your opponent is attempting to pass your guard or establish control, extend your arm fully, creating a straight arm between you and your opponent. The stiff arm acts as a barrier to create distance and prevent them from getting too close.
- Maintain proper posture: As you extend your arm, maintain good posture by keeping your back straight and your head up. This helps you stay balanced and provides a solid foundation for the stiff arm defense.
- Keep your opponent at a distance: Use the stiff arm to keep your opponent away from your body. By extending your arm, you create space that makes it harder for them to establish control or apply pressure. Remember, you won’t be able to do this forever, so escaping early is key.
- Control their upper body: While maintaining the stiff arm, use your other hand to control your opponent’s upper body. This can involve gripping their collar, sleeve, or elbow, depending on the situation. The combination of the stiff arm and the grip on their upper body provides better control and makes it more difficult for them to advance.
- Move your hips and create angles: While using the stiff arm, utilize hip movement and hip escapes to create angles and disrupt your opponent’s balance. This can help you escape bad positions or nullify their guard pass attempts by posting on your free arm.
- Transition to more favorable positions: As you create space and control with the stiff arm, look for opportunities to transition to more favorable positions, such as recovering guard or establishing a sweep. By using the stiff arm to maintain distance, you buy yourself time to execute your escape or counterattack by using moves such as the collar drag in the gi.
Using the stiff arm in stand up (wearing the gi)
The stiff arm technique can be applied in stand-up situations and is used in Judo to create distance, maintain control, and disrupt your opponent’s attacks. Here’s how to use the stiff arm effectively in Judo stand-up
- Establish a strong grip: Start by obtaining a grip on your opponent’s gi or sleeve, depending on your preferred gripping strategy. Having a secure grip gives you control and helps set up the stiff arm.
- Extend your arm: With your grip established, extend your arm fully, creating a straight arm between you and your opponent. This extended arm acts as a barrier and creates distance, making it challenging for your opponent to close the gap or initiate throws.
- Control the distance: Use the stiff arm to control the distance between you and your opponent. By keeping your arm extended, you make it difficult for your opponent to establish a strong grip or execute their desired throws.
- Maintain good posture: As you extend your arm, maintain a strong and upright posture. This ensures you have a solid base and balance, making it harder for your opponent to destabilize you.
- Circle and reposition: While using the stiff arm, circle around your opponent and strategically reposition yourself. This allows you to control the engagement and dictate the pace of the match. By circling and adjusting your position, you can create better angles for your own attacks while neutralizing your opponent’s attempts.
- Transition to throws or counterattacks: As you control the distance and frustrate your opponent’s attacks with the stiff arm, look for opportunities to transition into your own throws or counterattacks. By maintaining the space and control, you can capitalize on openings and execute effective techniques.
How to counter the stiff arm
Switching hips to kill the frame
When your opponent extends their arm in a stiff arm defense, you can switch your hips to the opposite side of the stiff arm. This technique involves shifting your weight and changing the angle of attack to nullify their frame. Here’s how to execute it:
a. Recognize the stiff arm: Identify when your opponent is using the stiff arm defense to create distance and control.
b. Switch your hips: If your opponent extends their right arm in a stiff arm, for example, you would shift your weight to your left side, pivoting your hips and moving your body to the opposite side of the stiff arm.
c. Close the distance: As you switch your hips, close the distance between you and your opponent. Move your chest closer to their upper body, eliminating the space they were trying to create with the stiff arm.
d. Maintain control: With the switch in hips, you can now establish control over your opponent’s upper body, such as gripping their collar, sleeve, or wrist. This allows you to neutralize the stiff arm defense and continue your attack or transition to a more dominant position.
Attacking the arm
Another option to counter the stiff arm defense is to capitalize on their extended arm by attacking with an armbar submission. Here’s how to do it:
a. Recognize the stiff arm: Identify when your opponent is using the stiff arm defense to create distance.
b. Timing and coordination: As they extend their arm, time your move by quickly hopping or jumping to the same side as the stiff arm, with your legs straddling their body. You need to be quick to do this successfully.
c. Secure the arm: As you land on the same side, lock your legs around their arm, with one leg over their shoulder and the other over their body.
d. Apply the armbar: With control over their arm, maintain a tight grip, and extend your hips while pulling down on their arm, applying pressure to their elbow joint. This can force them to submit or create opportunities for transitioning to other positions.
Who to study when using the stiff arm
While the stiff arm escape and the use of frames have been employed by various practitioners in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Marcelo Garcia is often credited with popularizing and refining the technique. Marcelo Garcia, a highly decorated BJJ competitor and instructor, is renowned for his exceptional guard game and innovative techniques.
Garcia’s emphasis on using frames, including the stiff arm, as part of his guard retention and defensive strategies has had a significant impact on the BJJ community. His ability to create space, maintain distance, and neutralize opponents’ attacks with well-timed frames, including the stiff arm, has been widely studied and adopted by practitioners worldwide.
