Armbar: Stack Escape

Part of the course: Escape Mastery by Igor Gracie

Armbar: Stack Escape
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Igor Gracie
Igor Gracie

About this video

Escaping an armbar from closed guard involves preventing the arm from extending. Instead of trying to pull the arm out, the focus is on keeping the arm bent. To achieve this, the arm being targeted for the armbar should reach for the bicep of the free arm, creating a figure-four lock. The body should be used to stack the opponent as much as possible without losing balance.
  1. Bring the free arm towards the bicep of the arm in danger and lock it in a figure-four position.
  2. Stack the opponent by bringing the right knee by their shoulder and the opposite knee up to support their body.
  3. Be careful not to overbalance while stacking. Keep the waist centered.
  4. With short pulls, jerk the elbow up to slowly extract the arm. This may take several attempts, so patience is key.
  5. Maintain pressure on the opponent's leg to prevent them from transitioning to a triangle choke.
  6. As the arm comes out, keep it bent and continue to apply pressure on the leg.
  7. Once the arm is free, reach across with the hand and come off the knees into a push-up position, making the opponent carry all your weight.
  8. Slowly come around, ensuring to keep the opponent stacked and their back off the ground.
Throughout the escape, it is crucial to keep the arm bent and to avoid extending it, which could result in a submission. The stacking should be done sideways, placing the opponent's knees towards their head, and maintaining tight control to prevent any transitions to other submissions.

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