Americana from bottom (or scramble)

Flutterby Guard · 12-03-2007, 05:58 PM

Has anyone had any luck getting an Americana when they were on the bottom position? Or during a scramble?

**Zankou** · 12-03-2007, 06:00 PM

All the time, my fren. All the time.

Key to getting it is simple -- you have punch his arm far over your body and down before you turn back into it. Then you twist it back for the sweep and the sub. Your hips need to be somewhat free to rotate to do it, which is why you aren't likely to succeed if your opponent is high up on your chest in side control.

Be careful, since a lot of people don't realize what you are doing when you slap it on. I've popped elbows with this, and it is something you have to be gentle with.

Bartatua · 12-03-2007, 06:03 PM

I've never seen this done. Does anyone know of a video or picture link?

CrazyCossack · 12-03-2007, 06:04 PM

I've seen an Americana set up from closed gaurd...

Say the opponent has posture, with your left hand you sit up and underhook their right side and you bring your arm up around the back of their head/neck.

With your right hand that goes around the back of the neck, make a grip where you can see the back of your hand. Palm is away from you. With your left underhooking arm, grip your hand, shell grip, no thumbs.

Break the opponents posture.

Often there arm will go around your head or just straight out on the mat.

To posture up they might try to bring their fore arm onto your face to push off of.

If you wait with your right hand that is across the back of their neck, when they bring their arm around to try to push off toregain posture, you can catch their wrist. Once again, no thumbs when you grab wrist.

Then grab your own wrist, hip out a little bit to the opposite side and finish..

This isnt necessarily high percentage but I've seen it work (and a purple has made it work on me).

Mikey Triangles · 12-03-2007, 06:11 PM

I use it to sweep and reverse from side control, and turtle on occasion

Flutterby Guard · 12-03-2007, 06:13 PM

Id like to see a video as well....

My boy got tapped with it during a scramble at NAGA in the Int Division and I was impressed with how smooth the guy did it. I didnt see the lock or the tap they just stopped rolling and I was like "Huhhhh" lol

**Zankou** · 12-03-2007, 06:52 PM

It comes on *very* fast, which is why as I say you need to be careful with it.

anaconda · 12-03-2007, 06:55 PM

meh...I disagree with a lot of these guys bc i think its a pretty poor move. Not very high percentage, more of a desperation effort imo (although of course I could be wrong). There are variations of this from the closed guard, and those are great - but I wouldnt call them americanas. What Im thinking about is basically when people go for it from under side body or something.

armbarking · 12-03-2007, 07:37 PM

I use it all the time. Be careful not to get armbarred after sweeping though.

**Zankou** · 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anaconda

meh...I disagree with a lot of these guys bc i think its a pretty poor move. Not very high percentage, more of a desperation effort imo (although of course I could be wrong). There are variations of this from the closed guard, and those are great - but I wouldnt call them americanas. What Im thinking about is basically when people go for it from under side body or something.

Done right, it's very high percentage, both as a finish and also to create the escape. As I mentioned above, the key is that you need to pwn the guy by getting your hips free and extending him really far before you do it. You can't just use your arms and expect it to work. You need free hips, and you need to be on your side, facing away, with his arm pulled over. There is a very specific situation where it works, and it works beautifully there.

If I had a video camera and someone I could make BJJ instructional videos with (my wife refuses) I'd put up a clip.