The Americana lock is a submission used in BJJ and MMA. Typically this involves pinning the opponent’s arm to the floor and using both arms to twist the arm into a bent position. Because of this, it falls under the ‘keylock’ family. If the arm bends too far then the elbow will break due to the pressure on the arm.
Usually, the Americana is attacked from a top position such as side control or mount. In BJJ the Americana is often associated as a strong man’s move. However, it is also a way of completely isolating one arm, or setting up another attack such as an armbar by baiting the Americana.
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General details about the Americana
Mechanically, the Americana works by forcing the elbow upwards whilst keeping the wrist pinned down. By doing this it puts force on the elbow. To finish the Americana you should bring the elbow towards the body of the opponent to create a tighter angle. Generally, the tighter the lock, the tighter the ligaments will be pressed. Further, the attacker should put their elbow into the head of the opponent to stop them from posturing up and escaping. By fully isolating the arm it makes it harder for the opponent to move or defend.
How do I get into an Americana?
The Americana lock can be entered from top mount. Here you should pin the opponent’s wrist to the mat and try isolating it. From there you can start setting the Americana up by using the methods previously mentioned. Similarly, the Americana can be attempted with the same methods via side control.
For instance, the opponents framing arm strays from their body then you can attack it. Remember, isolating the arm is key in finishing the Americana. This is sometimes why it’s associated with strength as it’s generally easier to drag the arm out if you are stronger than the defending opponent.
Experienced students will generally be more aware of the Americana and keep their arms close to their body as frames. However, this is where the Americana can be used as a threat, similar to the Kimura. For instance, if the opponent brings their other arm over to defend, it can expose the side of their body. From there you can then use the position to take the opponent’s back.
Finishing the Americana
Similarly, if the opponent straightens their arm to defend then other options become available. For instance, in both mount and side control you can then set up Triangles due to the one arm being nullified. Because of this, the Americana offers more than just a submission and can also be used to threaten passes as well.
Elsewhere, the Americana is also an option whilst attacking a mounted Triangle or having a back Triangle on the opponent. In both situations, the opponent may be defending the Triangle choke whilst having their arm open for attack. The finish is the same as usual, attack the arm two vs one and twist until the tap is secured. Lastly, the Americana can also be attacked with the legs whilst in Kata Gatame.
Not only this, but the Americana can be achieved from the bottom. As a sneak attack from bottom side control, it can sometimes be used to reverse the position or even submit the opponent. However, this is generally a rare move and isn’t fundamentally sound. As a result, it will rarely work against more experienced opponents.
However, it can be done from the bottom half guard or closed guard. This involves getting an overhook and kneeing into the opponent, similar to a scissor sweep. The next step is to hip out away from the opponent and bridge upwards. The result twists the arm in a similar way to the Americana. This was achieved in UFC by Frank Mir, who submitted Pete Williams from the closed guard. This coined the term ‘The Mir lock‘ which is basically an Americana from the bottom.
How to escape the Americana
The Americana can be defended firstly by keeping your arms in. This is something that will naturally come over time against stronger opponents. However, in some cases your arms may stray from the body which will happen from time to time.
The next step is to straighten your arm to avoid it getting pinned inwards towards the body. If the opponent cannot fit their arm under yours then they cannot finish the Americana lock. However, this only buys time. The next step is to get your other arm and hold your hands together. This means the opponent can no longer attack a two vs one.
As a result, it will be very hard to finish the Americana. This is due to the Americana needing the arm to be isolated. As your arms are now connected there is no isolation which means the position has now been successfully defended.
Remember, if you do get caught in an Americana to tap early. This is because the submission can come on quickly and can cause bad ligament damage. Because of the nature of the twist, it’s possible for the arm to break if bent far enough.
Final thoughts on the Americana
The Americana is a fundamentally sound move which is often one of the first moves taught in BJJ. It is a simple option from attacking top positions in both Gi and Nogi as well as MMA. The position can also be used from the bottom albeit this is very rare. Overall it is a key move that can also be used to enhance positions and create bad situations for the opponent.
Because of this, it’s better to think about the Americana lock as a tool rather than a submission. By using it as an ultimatum, it can unlock stubborn opponents. Due to this, it is probably more versatile and skilled than some people make out.
