Releasing Head Control

Escaping from bottom side control begins with releasing head control, as it dictates the direction of the body. Without freeing the head, it's impossible to effectively bridge, move the hips, or create underhooks for escapes. The focus is on feeling the opponent's control to address it directly.

1. When the opponent has head control, test your ability to bridge towards them. If the opposite shoulder can't leave the mat, head control must be addressed.
2. Use a high, sustained bridge to create space and reach safely for the opponent's arm without exposing your elbow.
3. Drop your hip to pull the opponent's arm with your body weight, not just your bicep strength.
4. Repeat the bridging process to secure a firm grip on the opponent's elbow or wrist.
5. Use the secured arm to pull the opponent towards your feet, then bridge again to unlock your shoulders.
6. Drop the hand from the elbow to the hip to create space, then replace your hands with your feet to push the opponent away and reset.
7. If the first method fails, use an alternative technique by chopping at the opponent's neck to create a gap at their armpit.
8. Slide your hand into the gap with a palm-facing-you grip and connect your hands in a gable grip.
9. Use a low-profile frame and your hip to expand it, creating space to free your head.
10. Once the head is free, you can reposition your hands and move to escape, potentially using the previous bridging method to recover guard.

These techniques emphasize the importance of using the hips for leverage and the necessity of freeing the head to enable a variety of escape options from bottom side control.