BJJ Graph

Gogoplata Control

Jun 15, 20258 min read

Gogoplata Control

bjjstatesubmission10thplanetcontrol

State Properties

  • State ID: S203
  • Point Value: 3 (Strong dominant position)
  • Position Type: Specialized submission control
  • Risk Level: Medium
  • Energy Cost: High
  • Time Sustainability: Short to Medium

State Description

Gogoplata Control is a specialized submission position originating from the Rubber Guard system, popularized within Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. This position involves controlling the opponent with a shin positioned across their throat while maintaining wrist control and positional dominance. Unlike more common submissions, the Gogoplata uses the shin rather than the arms to create choking pressure, making it particularly effective when the opponent’s defensive focus is on hand fighting. The position represents an advanced control point in the Rubber Guard progression, typically evolving from the New York Control or Williams Guard positions. When properly established, the Gogoplata Control creates a dominant attacking position with high submission potential while limiting the opponent’s defensive options.

Visual Description

You are on your back in a Rubber Guard configuration, with your opponent trapped in front of you, their head lowered as your shin presses firmly across their throat, creating a unique choking mechanism. Your foot on the choking leg is secured behind their head or neck, locking the position in place, while your other leg often controls their posture or hooks their body to prevent escape. Your hands maintain wrist control on their near arm, pulling it across their body to limit their ability to frame or defend, and your hips are elevated to maximize pressure and angle for the submission. The opponent is hunched forward, struggling to breathe under the shin pressure, with limited options to posture up or escape due to the multiple control points you’ve established.

Key Principles

  • Establish and maintain shin placement across opponent’s throat
  • Control opponent’s wrist/arm to prevent defense
  • Create and sustain optimal choking angle
  • Maintain proper hip positioning to maximize pressure
  • Apply synchronized control through multiple connection points
  • Prevent opponent from creating defensive frames
  • Manage energy expenditure through efficient tension application
  • Coordinate shin pressure with postural control

Prerequisites

  • Exceptional hip and hamstring flexibility
  • Strong Rubber Guard foundation
  • Understanding of Mission Control and New York positions
  • Knowledge of proper shoulder and neck alignment
  • Ability to maintain multiple control points simultaneously

State Invariants

  • Practitioner’s shin positioned across opponent’s throat
  • Opponent’s arm trapped and controlled
  • Practitioner’s foot secured behind opponent’s head/neck
  • Opponent’s posture compromised
  • Wrist control established with opposite-side hand
  • Hip positioning optimized for pressure application

Defensive Responses (When Opponent Has This State)

Offensive Transitions (Available From This State)

Counter Transitions

Expert Insights

  • Danaher System: While not a position emphasized in the Danaher system, acknowledges its effectiveness as a specialized attack for practitioners with appropriate flexibility. When analyzing the position, focuses on understanding the mechanical principles that make it effective, particularly the leverage created through the shin placement and how it differs from arm-based chokes in terms of defensive resistance.
  • Gordon Ryan: Rarely employs the Gogoplata in his own game but recognizes its utility in specialized contexts. When addressing defenses against the position, emphasizes preventative measures during the setup phase, focusing on maintaining posture and hand fighting before the shin is fully secured across the throat.
  • Eddie Bravo: As the primary developer and proponent of the Gogoplata within his 10th Planet system, considers it one of the signature submissions of the Rubber Guard progression. Emphasizes precise technical details like shin angle, foot positioning behind the head, and coordinated pressure application that maximize effectiveness while minimizing energy expenditure. Has developed a systematic approach to establishing and maintaining the position, with specific responses to common defensive reactions.

Common Errors

  • Error: Insufficient hip flexibility
    • Consequence: Limits shin placement across the throat, reducing the effectiveness of the choke and allowing the opponent to posture up or escape.
    • Correction: Develop hip and hamstring flexibility through dedicated stretching routines to ensure proper shin positioning.
  • Error: Poor wrist control
    • Consequence: Creates a defensive escape opportunity, as the opponent can use their free arm to frame or break the position.
    • Correction: Secure a strong grip on their wrist, pulling it across their body to limit their defensive options.
  • Error: Inadequate foot lock behind head
    • Consequence: Causes position instability, as the lack of a secure anchor allows the opponent to pull their head out or disrupt the choke.
    • Correction: Ensure your foot is firmly placed behind their head or neck, locking the shin in place for maximum control.
  • Error: Incorrect shin angle
    • Consequence: Reduces choking effectiveness, as improper alignment fails to apply sufficient pressure to the throat.
    • Correction: Adjust your hip position and shin angle to ensure direct pressure across the opponent’s throat for optimal submission potential.
  • Error: Overreliance on flexibility
    • Consequence: Leads to structural weakness, as relying solely on flexibility without proper control can result in losing the position during dynamic movement.
    • Correction: Combine flexibility with active control of multiple points (shin, wrist, hips) to maintain a stable and dominant position.
  • Error: Premature finish attempts
    • Consequence: Compromises the position, as rushing the submission without full control can allow the opponent to escape or counter.
    • Correction: Secure all control points and ensure the opponent’s posture is broken before attempting to finish the Gogoplata.

Training Drills

  • Gogoplata Control entry and maintenance against progressive resistance
  • Transition flows between Rubber Guard positions and Gogoplata Control
  • Flexibility development specifically for Gogoplata mechanics
  • Wrist control variations and hand fighting scenarios
  • Defensive recognition and counter drills
  • Energy management under high-flexibility demands

Decision Tree

If opponent attempts to create space with posture:

Else if opponent breaks wrist control:

Else if opponent stacks with forward pressure:

Else if optimal control is established:

Position Metrics

  • Position Retention Rate: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
  • Advancement Probability: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
  • Escape Probability: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 25%, Advanced 15%
  • Submission Probability: Beginner 25%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 55%
  • Positional Advancement Probability: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 60%
  • Average Time in Position: 15-40 seconds

Optimal Paths

Primary submission path: Rubber Guard → Mission Control → New York Control → Gogoplata Setup → Gogoplata Control → Won by Submission

Alternative path via Williams: Rubber Guard → Mission Control → Williams Guard → Gogoplata Setup → Gogoplata Control → Won by Submission

Historical Context

The Gogoplata gained prominence in modern BJJ and MMA through the 10th Planet system, though variations of the technique have existed in traditional Japanese jiu-jitsu. The technique reached broader recognition when Shinya Aoki successfully applied it in high-profile MMA competitions, and Nick Diaz famously used it to defeat Takanori Gomi (though the result was later overturned). Within the 10th Planet system, Eddie Bravo refined the mechanics and integration of the Gogoplata, establishing it as a central submission option within the Rubber Guard progression. The position exemplifies the evolution of BJJ technique development, where traditional principles are applied through innovative mechanical configurations.

Computer Science Analogy

The Gogoplata Control functions as a “specialized constraint satisfaction problem” in the BJJ state machine, where multiple physical variables (shin position, wrist control, hip angle, foot placement) must be simultaneously optimized to create an effective submission state. This implements a form of “dependency injection” where the practitioner substitutes a shin-based control structure for the more common arm-based control mechanisms, creating a novel solution to the submission problem. The position exemplifies a “polymorphic implementation” of choking mechanics, where the same fundamental goal (restricting blood flow) is achieved through an alternative execution pathway that bypasses common defensive expectations.

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