Become Fighter
Side control: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
Heavy, chest-to-chest pressure that shuts down their hips and their frames.
Side control is a pin, not a submission. You lie across their chest at ninety degrees with your weight on their ribs and shoulders. The goal is to make them use energy while you rest and plan.
Heavy does not mean crushing. Use your skeleton, not your muscles. Spread your weight, keep your hips low and move with their breath.
Key points
- Crossface with your near arm: your shoulder blocks their jaw so that they cannot turn to you.
- Far arm under the head or the far arm, to stop the turn to their knees.
- Hips low and your belly heavy on their ribs. Do not hover on your toes.
- Block the near hip with your hip or knee so that they cannot shrimp.
- Keep your head low and next to theirs. Do not give them a gap to frame into.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Lying flat and passive. Keep your weight shifting. When they breathe out, tighten your chest and close the gap.
- Putting your arm across the throat. Crossface goes on the jaw and cheek with your shoulder. Never press on the throat.
- Letting the near arm frame your hip. Slide your elbow inside the arm and pin it to their body.
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Top control module of Jiu-jitsu foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Top control
- Mount: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
- Knee on belly and transitions: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
- Back control: hooks and seatbelt: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
← All Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lessons
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.