The Icelandic Guillotine

I don't know anyone who has hit guillotines in sparring and competition as many times as my icelandic friend, Kári. I have trained with him for many years now, and I've seen (and felt!!!) him do this move with an extremely high succesrate countless times, but for some reason, I haven't thought of implementing it in my own game until recently.

A few months ago, it struck me, that I have grappled for over ten years, and guillotines are still not a part of my game. In fact, I don't recall a single time I've went for that submission for years. So looking at Kàri ripping through competitions, it was clear to me that I had to learn what he was doing and I needed such a basic and simple submission as the guillotine to be an integrate part of my game. So since that day, I have been working hard on figuring out all the details, and already it is becoming one of my favorite submissions. I think that my loop choke period has helped a lot, since the mechanics are very similar to the guillotine and also just getting into the mindset of looking for the neck all the time is an important part of this.

I asked Kári to make a video on how he is doing it and he agreed reveal all his secrets on my blog. I told him that he needed a catchy name for the move, otherwise it would never be a real Internet success like all the other guillotines out there, so we decided to call it The Icelandic Guillotine. I would love to be in a gym somewhere in the world one day and overhear a conversation where someone casually says something like "personally I like the Icelandic variation of the guillotine better" LOL



This was the last instructional I planned to post before I leave on my BJJ globetrotter trip on Monday. I hope to do some more during the trip if I fall over some cool moves along the way :)

Triple attack series by Christian Montes

I think most people who train in sports like BJJ find certain training partners along the way, who they "click" really well with both in training and socially. One of mine is Christian Montes, whom I met in his New York gym, Ronin Athletics, back in 2004 when it was very small with less than five guys on the mat. It was immediately obvious, that we had a very similar approach to BJJ training, and whenever I train with him, I always get a ton of little details to take home and implement in my own game. Although I only go visit for few days every year, I consider Christian one of my very best friends and I feel that our almost parallel careers and development of technical level within BJJ, provides us with some unique sparring that is really worth a lot to me, both on the mat and business wise.


Since my first visit to New York, I have been coming back every year to train and hang out with my friends in the small gym, that has now grown to a full size, full time place in the center of Manhattan. I know there are many world class instructors just around the corner, and I always plan on going there for training as well, but every time I end up just hanging out with all the guys at Ronin. Training there reminds me so much of training at home in my own gym. The vibe and people are very similar and I really enjoy it, which is always the number one reason for me to train. NEXT time though, I will go visit Renzo and the other gyms... maybe ;-)


What that said, here is a short clip I had Christian Montes do for this blog. His offensive game from cross sides top is pretty similar to mine, but I think he has quite a few cool details that are worth checking out. Enjoy the video and stop by Ronin if you are in NYC! :)

Shogun's Sidecontrol Series

Ok so here is a short video on my primary offensive game from the sidecontrol position. It is very simple, and there is not really anything revolutionizing in it. Just thought it would be good to outline it in a video and flowchart, mostly for my own sake, but if anyone out there can get anything out of it, then that would be cool too :)


Hope you enjoy it! As always, comments, ideas, questions, suggestions etc. are more than welcome :)

Kneeslide pass to RNC

This is a pass I use a lot in my game. I was observing a very skilled danish grappler from another gym here in Copenhagen use the standing kneeslide pass in competition with a lot of success, so I decided to look into it and see what I could get out of it for my own game. With a few adjustments to make it fit me, I came up with this really simple and - for me at least - very high percentage passing series, which I ofcourse will share with all of you right away :D

The should work fine both with and without the gi, but I have had most success with it in no-gi. This is because I need to slide my arms in position pretty fast and thight, which can be difficult when wearing a gi.

This has been a perfect example of learning by imitating for me. Hope you can use it too! :)


Credit for inspiration goes to Frede, Brasa ;)

Armtriangle / Heartattack setup

This is a basic tutorial on how I like to set up the armtriangle/heartattack submission from sidecontrol. For me, the most crucial detail to make this setup work, is how I utilize my entire body to move his arm into place instead of just my head. It is almost like a deadlift motion, which btw is an awesome excersize :)


Next up: Scramblepass to RNC

Baseball Choke a la Graugardo

Here are a few details on how I like to set up and finish the Baseball Choke. I really like this submission, because it can be set up from many positions almost without notice. Also, it works like a charm both with and without the gi.

Notice how I again utilize the principle of weight placement when I set up the submission from mount and sidecontrol. Weight is on my hands while the legs are moving into position, then the weight transfers to the legs so I can finish the choke using my arms.

Please don't mind that small part of the video that I forgot to edit out LOL ;)


Next tutorial coming up: Double under pass stiffarm counter setup.

Two moves from Reverse Scarfhold

These are two moves that I use all the time from the reverse scarfhold position. One is a way to get to the mount position that I find really high percentage, and the other is kind of a reverse brabo choke. The mount detail, I learned from my friend and instructor Ken Allen and have used it very successfully since he showed it to me.

I am explaining all the details in the clip, also briefly touching the subject of the Five Swords topgame relevance in the positions.

Let him go / Creating a "Plan B game"

Ok I am explaining most of this in the video, but I'll write some of it as well :)

I was watching the interview with Marcelo Garcia in Arte Suave, where he talks about how he always let's his training partner escape from positions and submissions, only to notice what then happens and how he can benefit from the situation. It changed my game over night, and the more I let people go instead of just finishing the submission (as I have done a thousands time before), the more new possibilities opened up for me.

In this example, I show how letting my opponent escape an armbar sets up a beautiful omo plata. If I let him roll out of it, I have another armbar waiting.

For competition, or any other fight where I want to finish it as fast as possible, I would ofcourse just finish the submission right away. But in training, I want to prepare for every possible situation, and am i fighting someone in a competition, it is most likely that he is at least on my own level and therefore capable of escaping most of my submissions. That means, I cannot beat him solely on pulling a submission that he doesn't know, but instead I have to be one step ahead of him and catch him there. Letting him escape so he thinks he is on his way out, then taking advantage of that for setting up another submission is one way to do it. I have a Plan B waiting for him beartrap-style and I am baiting him to step right into it.

I hope you enjoy this little video, it is only a few small techniques, but in training, try to play more and let your opponent escape in different ways. You will be surprised how much it will help your game.

Alternative armbar from cross sides

A kind of different way to take the armbar from cross sides that I came up with.


Ok this is a move that I have been playing a little with lately. I came up with it a few weeks ago and have been pulling it off in sparring almost every class so for me it works quite well. If you try it and have any input / improvements, please let me know!!



I don't have pics of it so here is a videoclip where I pull it off a couple of times during some light sparring with one of my students.

It might look a little sloppy and without the details but I was just playing around with it so please don't mind :)

1) From cross sides (or reverse kneeride) I switch my hips so I am in the position where I would normally mount from.

2) I distract my opponent by making him (her :)) think I am gonna mount (or kill the near side arm). Then I take the kimura grip on her arm. This is easiest if the opponent tries to turn into me a little.

3) From there I keep the grip, make a little distance, then spin all the way around my opponents head for the armbar.

Basic armbar from mount

Just a basic way to take the armbar from mount. There is a thousand ways to do this and this is the way I personally find most easy to do and teach.


I am starting of in the mounted position.


This is the grip I wanna get to set up the armbar. My left hand reach under my opponents left forearm and grab his tricep. I place my right hand on his face to turn his head to his right. Both things is to assure he doesn't turn into me and gets his elbow to the floor.


Now I pull him up on his side and turn my body so I am in a 90 degree angle to him. I sit up with my left heel tight into his armpit and my right knee placed just behind his head. It is very important that I keep this position tight by pulling my heel toward myself and sitting down on my opponent.


Here comes the part many beginners find difficult. To swing the leg over. In the beginning people feel their leg is too heavy to swing fluidly over the head. The key to do this right is to put all my weight on my opponents face with my right hand, that makes my leg light.


In one motion I swing my leg over and sit back. I want my right foot to land just next to my left first time it touches the mat again. It is important that my foot arrives before my butt hits the mat.


When I have swung my leg over, I let go of his head with my right hand (not before!). Then I thighten up my position by pulling by heels towards myself, squeezing my knees together and digging the toes into the mat.


I control his arm by the wrist, making sure that his thumb points away from my chest (towards the ceiling) then SLOWLY raise my hip for the armbar. Using all my hip, leg and back power against his elbow joint makes a perfect submission.

Striking and triangle counter to double under pass

This is how I normally try to counter the double under guardpass when striking is allowed. It sets up a nice triangel choke.


Opponent starts out in my open guard.


He grabs under both my legs for the double under pass.


I immediately underhook one arm to block the pass.


From here I have a great position to strike him.


If he don't want to keep getting hit in the head, he will have to take his free arm out to block my strikes.


That is my clue to let go of my underhook, hold him close (e.g. behind his neck as on the picture) and throw my right leg over.


Then close in the triangle as I normally would.

Countering the scissor pass

This is how I normally counter the "scissor pass" (in lack of a better name). Often I can turn the defense into a triangle. I pulled this off perfectly at the Scandinavian Open BJJ 2004, and was seconds from tapping him with the triangle as the time ran out :)


Ok so my opponent is trying to do the scissor pass on me.


First thing I can do is to push his head away. This makes it very difficult for him to move his body the direction he want.


Now, I must break his grip on my right wrist. I do this with my left hand.


From here, I sit up on my right elbow.


Then tuck my head under myself.


And roll.


During the roll I keep control of his right arm. When I get all the way over, I immediately go for the triangle by hooking my right leg thight over his shoulder.


From here I work to close in the triangle choke.

Attacks from backmount position using the gi

Different basic gi chokes plus an armbar setup from the backmount position.


Starting out by me having the back of my opponent.


First I try to get the regular rear naked choke. I slide one arm under my opponents chin to set it up


He knows what I'm up to, so he is defending by controlling my right arm so I can't lock it in.


So instead I reach behind my neck with my left hand and use my head and left arm to apply pressure for the choke. One arm RNC! :)


Next one. I am holding having my opponents back again.


I use my left hand to turn and grab my opponents near collar. Turning it makes it easier to grip.


I pull down the collar with my right hand and feed it to my left hand with which I grab high.


I now put my left hand behind his neck and there you have the submission.


Here is another common choke I can do when I have the collar grip as above. This time I throw my right leg over my opponents hips.


I grab his pants by the knee.


Turn to the side and apply this very effective choke.


If he won't tap, I can switch to an armbar. I let go of the pants and grab his arm instead.


Throw my left leg over his head.


And apply the armbar.

Triangle from mount

I like to do this move if my opponent keeps his arms close when mounted (which he should). From the idea of "position over submission", this move is kind of a bad idea, but it's fairly high percentage so often I find it worth the risk of loosing the position. For training only, you would never worry about this anyways ofcourse :)


Ok I have mounted my opponent and I control his vrists.


I push one of his hands in behind my legs and hold it thight to his stomach.


I step over it.


I sit on his hand so he for a second can't pull it out, while it let go with my own and use it to pull up his head.


I insert my leg under his head.


I now switch my grip so I control with my left hand behind his elbow and my right hand grabs my shin (without the thumb).


I roll to my left side.


When I am about to have rolled all the way around, I have to make sure I put my right foot on my opponents left hip. This makes it possible for me to adjust my angle for the triangle before I close it in.


When I got the right angle, I close in the triangle and pull down his head for the tapout.


If he don't wanna tap, here is a little help. I pull my hip back just a little to make enough space for me to put my right foot under his left leg.


I sit up using my arms


And stretch him out for submission. Be very careful with this one!


If the guy knows what you are up to, sometimes he resists rolling all the way around with you. This is pretty smart because it prevents you from getting the right angle on the triangle. Here are a few ways to counter this though.


First one I keep my grip and place my right foot behind his back near my left knee.


I close in the reverse triangle and pull his head for an almost certain tapout. If he sits up from here, switch back to the normal triangle right away.


Second move I can do here is like this. First I close my feet and pull into me to thighten up. My left foot goes on top.


I now let go of my shin and then use both arms to control his.


I turn to my side so I now lie on left shoulder.


I put my right knee to the ground and my right foot hooks behind my opponents head.


I look up and push my hip slowly forward for the armbar.