Overhook Control from bottom positions represents a sophisticated defensive and offensive tool that transforms the traditional wrestling whizzer into a guard-based control mechanism. When playing guard, the overhook serves multiple strategic purposes: preventing opponent’s passing attempts, setting up sweeps, creating submission opportunities, and maintaining distance control. Unlike top position overhook which emphasizes offensive pressure, bottom overhook often functions as a shield that protects guard position while creating offensive opportunities.
The mechanical advantage of bottom overhook comes from its ability to control opponent’s posture and limit their passing angles. By wrapping over their arm and controlling behind their shoulder or back, you effectively remove one of their posting bases and create structural vulnerabilities in their passing attempts. This is particularly valuable in half guard, butterfly guard, and seated guard positions where controlling opponent’s arm directly impacts their ability to establish dominant passing grips or generate forward pressure.
From bottom position, the overhook creates direct pathways to high-percentage sweeps and back takes. The elevation of opponent’s arm disrupts their base, making them vulnerable to butterfly sweeps, elevator sweeps, and off-balancing attacks. When opponents attempt to pull their arm free, this reaction creates opportunities for arm drag entries to the back or transitions to triangle and omoplata controls. The overhook also serves as an excellent counter to opponent’s underhook passing attempts, particularly in half guard where the whizzer prevents the traditional underhook pass.
Modern guard players have integrated overhook control into systematic approaches where the position serves as a central hub connecting multiple attacking sequences. The decision tree from bottom overhook parallels top position applications but with guard-specific contexts: when opponent postures back, pursue arm drags or triangle entries; when they drive forward, transition to front headlock or guillotine controls; when they try to circle away, follow with sweeping motions or back exposure. This systematic approach transforms the bottom overhook from a simple defensive grip into a comprehensive guard retention and attacking platform that works across multiple guard variations and skill levels.
Position Definition
- Your arm wrapped over opponent’s arm from above with armpit sealed tightly against their shoulder, maintaining the seal even as they attempt to pull free or change angles
- Your grip secured behind opponent’s back, around their shoulder blade, or in figure-four configuration with your hands clasped, adjusted based on their posture and passing attempts
- Opponent’s arm elevated to shoulder height or above, preventing them from establishing strong posting base or generating downward pressure toward your guard
- Your body angle adjusted to maintain overhook control while keeping your guard structure intact, with hips mobile enough to adjust to opponent’s passing attempts
- Opposite arm active in maintaining guard distance, controlling opponent’s head, or establishing secondary grips that complement the overhook control
Prerequisites
- Opponent has extended arm into your guard attempting underhook, crossface, or passing grip establishment
- You have sufficient space and angle to wrap your arm over theirs from above position
- Understanding of guard retention principles and how overhook prevents specific passing mechanics
- Ability to maintain overhook seal while adjusting body position and guard structure
- Recognition of sweep and submission opportunities created by overhook control from bottom
Key Defensive Principles
- Dual Purpose Control: Overhook from bottom serves both defensive functions (preventing passes) and offensive functions (setting up sweeps and back takes)
- Guard Structure Maintenance: Keep overhook tight while maintaining guard hooks, frames, or distance control with your legs and opposite arm
- Posture Disruption: Use overhook to break opponent’s posture forward or manipulate their weight distribution to create sweep opportunities
- Base Removal: Elevated arm removes one of opponent’s posting bases, making them vulnerable to directional sweeps and off-balancing attacks
- Reaction-Based Attacks: When opponent attempts to free their arm by pulling back, immediately transition to arm drags, triangles, or omoplata controls
- Active Bottom Position: Never allow overhook to become static holding position - constantly threaten sweeps, submissions, or positional improvements
- Angle Creation: Combine overhook with hip movement and angle changes to create multiple attacking vectors from bottom position
Available Escapes
Arm Drag to Back → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 32%
- Intermediate: 48%
- Advanced: 66%
Overhook Sweep → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 38%
- Intermediate: 54%
- Advanced: 70%
Butterfly Sweep → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 52%
- Advanced: 68%
Triangle Setup → Triangle Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 28%
- Intermediate: 44%
- Advanced: 62%
Transition to Omoplata → Omoplata Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 22%
- Intermediate: 38%
- Advanced: 58%
Guillotine Setup → Guillotine Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 46%
- Advanced: 64%
Elevator Sweep → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 33%
- Intermediate: 49%
- Advanced: 67%
Old School Sweep → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 26%
- Intermediate: 42%
- Advanced: 60%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent postures back attempting to pull their arm free:
- Execute Arm Drag to Back → Back Control (Probability: 66%)
- Execute Triangle Setup → Triangle Control (Probability: 62%)
If opponent drives forward with pressure into overhook side:
- Execute Overhook Sweep → Mount (Probability: 70%)
- Execute Butterfly Sweep → Mount (Probability: 68%)
If opponent drops their head forward attempting to pass:
- Execute Guillotine Setup → Guillotine Control (Probability: 64%)
- Execute Transition to Omoplata → Omoplata Control (Probability: 58%)
If opponent attempts to circle away from overhook side:
- Execute Elevator Sweep → Mount (Probability: 67%)
- Execute Arm Drag to Back → Back Control (Probability: 66%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Triangle path from overhook
Overhook Control Bottom → Triangle Setup → Triangle Control → Triangle Choke
Back attack from arm drag
Overhook Control Bottom → Arm Drag to Back → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Omoplata chain
Overhook Control Bottom → Transition to Omoplata → Omoplata Control → Omoplata
Guillotine from bottom
Overhook Control Bottom → Guillotine Setup → Guillotine Control → Guillotine Choke
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 35% | 32% | 18% |
| Intermediate | 52% | 48% | 32% |
| Advanced | 70% | 66% | 52% |
Average Time in Position: 8-20 seconds (transitional guard control)
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The overhook from bottom position represents a sophisticated evolution of wrestling concepts into guard-based applications. The mechanical advantage stems from the same principles as top overhook - elevation of opponent’s arm above their power generation angle - but the tactical applications differ significantly based on your bottom position context. In butterfly guard, the overhook becomes a powerful sweep mechanism because removing opponent’s posting base directly translates to their inability to prevent your elevating motions. The key insight is understanding that bottom overhook creates a temporary structural asymmetry that must be exploited within seconds before opponent compensates with their opposite side controls. The decision tree parallels top position but with guard-specific branches: opponent pulls back triggers arm drags and triangle entries; opponent drives forward triggers sweep mechanics; opponent attempts to circle away triggers elevator sweeps or back exposure. Train the overhook as a central hub connecting multiple guard retention and attacking sequences rather than as an isolated technique.
Gordon Ryan
I use bottom overhook constantly in my guard game, especially from butterfly and half guard. The overhook prevents the underhook pass, which is one of the highest percentage passing attacks in no-gi. When I get the whizzer from bottom, I’m immediately thinking about the arm drag to the back - that’s money in competition because people expect sweeps but don’t expect the back take from bottom overhook. The beauty of this control is it works at every level of competition. Against lower belts, you can just sweep them directly. Against high-level guys, you use the overhook to create the arm drag opportunity when they try to free their arm. The triangle setup from overhook is also super high percentage because you already have their arm isolated and elevated. One thing I learned from competing is you can’t hold the overhook passively from bottom - you need to be attacking immediately or they’ll establish the underhook on the other side and pass you. The overhook from bottom is transitional just like from top.
Eddie Bravo
Bottom overhook is huge in the 10th Planet system, especially in our lockdown game from half guard. The whizzer from bottom creates perfect entries to old school sweep, which has become one of the highest percentage sweeps in modern no-gi. What people don’t realize is the overhook from bottom also sets up our electric chair and banana split positions - when they’re defending the whizzer and trying to free their arm, you can transition to those leg attacks. From rubber guard, we use overhook concepts to control their posture and set up omoplatas and triangles. The overhook creates what I call ‘arm isolation’ where their trapped arm can’t help them pass or defend, so now they’re fighting one-armed and you’re winning. We also use the overhook defensively to prevent the crossface and underhook passing attacks that destroy most people’s guards. The key is staying aggressive with the whizzer - use it to off-balance them constantly, never let them settle into a passing rhythm. Chain the overhook with your leg controls for complete bottom game dominance.