{"id":20595,"date":"2023-11-08T19:36:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T01:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rollingaroundbjj.com\/?p=20595"},"modified":"2023-11-08T19:36:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T01:36:51","slug":"side-control-bjj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rollingaroundbjj.com\/side-control-bjj\/","title":{"rendered":"Side Control BJJ Position (Complete Checklist & Submissions)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Side control is one of the fundamental positions in BJJ, which practitioners become familiar with from their first day of training. Early on, you will get stuck in side control more often than not, but in time, you learn how to attack from there effectively. But what exactly is side control in BJJ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Side control is a pinning position where you are oriented perpendicularly to the opponent, hence the name. The position is dominant for the person on top and very bad for the one on the bottom, and there are multiple variations, each having different characteristics and possibilities for attacks and transitions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some use side control more as a transition, while others love to hunt for submissions and even prefer it to mount, which is considered a more dominant position. Regardless of your style, side control is one of the main positions in jiu-jitsu and something you must master in all aspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is Side Control In BJJ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Side control is a dominant position in BJJ where you are perpendicular to your opponent and pin him to the ground. The most common variation of side control is chest-to-chest, but there are many other variations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Side control is a fundamental position in jiu-jitsu and one of the most dominant. At the same time, it’s one of the most unpleasant to be on the bottom. You can enter side control in various ways, but most often, it’s after a successful guard pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Securing side control on its own does not score in competition, but passing the guard does, so you will generally earn points every time you get top side control because of the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The basic side control variation includes being at 90 degrees to your opponent, kneeling, and controlling them chest to chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your top arm is under the head, with the shoulder driving into the chin, and the other arm is underneath the far arm and through the armpit, known as an underhook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bottom side control can be a nightmare to be in, and if the person on top knows what he is doing, you will be crushed under intense pressure both on the chest and head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary way to escape side control is by turning towards the opponent, which is why the shoulder is used to smash the head in the opposite direction. This is commonly referred to as “cross-face.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aside from this basic side control, there are multiple other variations, which we will cover, but the main thing in all of them is that your body is oriented perpendicular to theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Variations Of Side Control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
There are dozens of variations of side control depending on the arm position, control points, and body position. Still, we will cover just the main ones with the most significant differences from each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being able to transition into different side control variations is important because opponents will inevitably be able to place frames or disrupt your position in other ways, and the ability to adjust will be the difference between maintaining a dominant position and losing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Classic Side Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The classic side control is also called a wrestler’s side control. You have the cross face with the shoulder and an underhook on the far arm. Your leg position is kneeling, with both knees tightly pressed against the opponent’s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your top knee should be touching your elbow, and your bottom knee should be pressed on the opponent’s hip. This leg position is important because it lets you be compact and frame the opponent at multiple points, allowing you to react and control them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
100 kg<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What most people do in jiu-jitsu is the 100 kg variation of side control. In this position, instead of framing, you aim to be as heavy as possible and put pressure on the opponent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The position of your upper body is the same as the cross-face and underhook, but the leg position differs from the classic side control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of being on your knees, you want both your legs to be sprawled behind you. This lets you put more of your weight on the opponent’s chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This way of controlling is strong and can be hard to escape once you get good at applying the maximum pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kesa Gatame and Reverse Kesa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kesa Gatame is a strong pinning position traditional for judo, which is also where the name comes from. In the standard Kesa Gatame, your hips are turned towards the opponent\u2019s head, and your near leg is under their shoulder. Your feet will usually be straddled to provide stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Usually, you will have a far-side underhook and control of the elbow on the near side. Not everyone in BJJ uses Kesa Gatame for anything other than a transition, but it can be a powerful position of control and open up some submissions. In rulesets where neck cranks<\/a> are allowed, the Kesa becomes even stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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