Belly Down Armbar

Submission

The belly down armbar is a high-control submission where the attacker isolates an arm and finishes face-down, using full body weight and hip pressure against the elbow joint. It is commonly reached from back control when an arm is exposed, from the crucifix, front headlock transitions, or during scrambles where an arm becomes available.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Keeping your chest heavy and hips pinning the opponent's trapped arm eliminates space for escape.
  • · The thumb must point toward the ceiling (or away from the floor) to ensure the elbow hyperextends against your hips.
  • · Squeezing your knees together and clamping the arm tightly between your thighs prevents the opponent from pulling the arm free.
  • · Hip extension (driving hips into the mat) generates the finishing pressure rather than pulling the arm with your hands.
  • · When the opponent tries to clasp hands to defend, walk your hips toward their head to straighten the arm and break the grip.

Execution

  1. 1 Isolate the target arm by securing a two-on-one grip (wrist and above the elbow) while maintaining dominant position.
  2. 2 Swing your leg over the opponent's head or back, trapping the arm between your thighs as you begin rotating belly down.
  3. 3 Flatten out face-down, pinching your knees tightly together with the opponent's wrist controlled against your chest and their thumb pointing up.
  4. 4 Drive your hips forward and down into the back of the opponent's elbow while pulling their wrist toward your chin to finish the armbar.

Common mistakes

  • × Leaving too much space between your thighs and the trapped arm, allowing the opponent to spin and retract the elbow.
  • × Failing to control the wrist tightly against your chest, which lets the opponent rotate their arm and relieve pressure on the elbow.
  • × Lifting the hips off the arm to generate force instead of driving hips down and forward, which sacrifices control and allows escape.

Do it from

Positions and situations where the Belly Down Armbar shows up.

Back Control Top Crucifix
2 less common
Front Headlock Scramble Position