Chill Dog Bottom represents the defensive practitioner’s perspective in this specialized turtle variant. From this position, you are on hands and knees with opponent behind or beside you, maintaining a compact defensive shell to prevent back control, crucifix, and submission attacks. Your primary objective is survival and escape - using the defensive frame to weather the storm while waiting for the right moment to execute your guard recovery or stand-up.
The bottom practitioner’s success in Chill Dog depends on maintaining three critical elements simultaneously: tight elbow-to-knee connection, rounded back with tucked head, and forward weight distribution. These elements work together to create a protective shell that denies the opponent the fundamental controls they need for their attacks. When any of these elements breaks down, you become vulnerable to back takes, arm isolation, or front headlock controls.
Timing is everything from the bottom position. You must be patient enough to maintain your defensive frame under pressure, but alert enough to recognize when the opponent overcommits their weight or loosens their grips. These momentary windows are when you execute your escape - typically either a Granby roll to guard, technical stand-up to feet, or sit-through to butterfly guard. The key is explosive execution once you commit to the escape, as hesitation allows the opponent to readjust and shut down your movement.
Breathing and mental composure are critical skills for bottom Chill Dog. Newer practitioners often panic when opponent pressure increases, leading to premature escape attempts or defensive frame breakdown. Advanced practitioners stay calm, maintain controlled breathing, and use their sense of feel to track opponent weight distribution and grip positions. This allows them to make intelligent decisions about which escape to attempt and when to initiate the movement.
In the 10th Planet system, Chill Dog Bottom serves as a gateway back to offensive positions. Once you successfully escape to guard, you immediately work to establish your preferred attacking position - whether that’s rubber guard, lockdown half guard, or one of the specialized 10th Planet guard variations. The position teaches practitioners that defense is not passive survival, but an active process of controlling the situation while setting up your return to offense.
Position Definition
- Bottom practitioner maintains hands and knees contact with mat, weight distributed evenly across four points creating stable base that resists rolling and flattening attempts
- Elbows remain pressed tight against inside of knees throughout position, creating closed defensive frame that prevents opponent hook insertion and harness grip establishment
- Back stays rounded with head tucked between shoulders, chin to chest, removing opponent’s ability to use spine as lever for control or drive weight forward to flatten
- Hips turned slightly away from opponent’s primary attacking direction, creating defensive angle while maintaining ability to explosively rotate for escapes
- Minimal space exists between thighs and torso with knees pulled toward chest in ball-like configuration, preventing opponent from driving wedges or establishing cross-body controls
Prerequisites
- Guard has been passed or bottom player has been swept to top position
- Bottom player has turned to turtle to prevent being flattened to back or side control
- Opponent is positioned behind or beside attempting to establish back control or submission
- Bottom player maintains sufficient base on hands and knees to support weight
- Initial back take attempts have been defended by maintaining compact posture
- Bottom player has identified need for defensive shell before attempting escapes
Key Defensive Principles
- Elbow-to-knee connection is non-negotiable - this closed frame prevents all primary turtle attacks
- Rounded back with tucked head removes opponent’s leverage points and protects neck from chokes
- Forward weight distribution on hands prevents opponent from rolling or flipping you over
- Hip positioning away from primary attack creates defensive angles while maintaining escape options
- Controlled breathing and patience enable you to wait for opponent overcommitment before escaping
- Position is always transitional - you must escape to guard or standing within 20-45 seconds
- Explosive execution of chosen escape is critical - hesitation allows opponent to shut down movement
Available Escapes
Granby Roll → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Granby to Closed Guard → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Technical Standup → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Rolling to Guard → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Turtle to Guard → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Hip Escape → Butterfly Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Hip Escape → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 28%
- Intermediate: 42%
- Advanced: 58%
Granby Roll → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 22%
- Intermediate: 38%
- Advanced: 52%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent establishes strong chest pressure and attempts to flatten turtle:
- Execute Granby Roll → Closed Guard (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Hip Escape → Half Guard (Probability: 40%)
If opponent circles to attack back or attempts to establish hooks:
- Execute Turn into opponent → Butterfly Guard (Probability: 40%)
- Execute Granby Roll → Closed Guard (Probability: 35%)
- Execute Technical Standup → Standing Position (Probability: 50%)
If opponent attempts front headlock control or guillotine setup:
- Execute Technical Standup → Standing Position (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Pull head free and sit to guard → Open Guard (Probability: 40%)
If opponent attempts to isolate arm for crucifix or kimura:
- Execute Pull arm back and roll → Half Guard (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Post on isolated arm and stand → Standing Position (Probability: 40%)
If opponent attempts to establish truck or twister control:
- Execute Rolling to Guard → Open Guard (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Straighten bottom leg and turn in → Half Guard (Probability: 45%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Opponent submission path from top
Chill Dog Bottom → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Opponent crucifix path
Chill Dog Bottom → Crucifix → Armbar from Crucifix
Opponent choke path from front headlock
Chill Dog Bottom → Front Headlock → Darce Choke
Defensive escape path to counter-attack
Chill Dog Bottom → Technical Standup → Standing Position → Double Leg Entry
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 40% | 30% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 55% | 45% | 10% |
| Advanced | 70% | 60% | 15% |
Average Time in Position: 20-45 seconds before escape or position change
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
Chill Dog represents an intelligent application of defensive positioning principles where the practitioner creates a protective shell through specific body mechanics. The key technical element is the connection between the elbows and knees - this closed frame prevents the opponent from establishing the fundamental controls necessary for back attacks. From a biomechanical perspective, keeping the back rounded and head tucked removes the opponent’s ability to use your spine as a lever for control. The position works because it denies your opponent the primary entries they need while maintaining your ability to execute explosive escapes. However, understand that this is fundamentally a transitional position - the goal is always to escape to a more favorable position, not to remain in Chill Dog indefinitely. The patient practitioner waits for the opponent to overcommit their weight or grips, then capitalizes on that momentary imbalance to execute their escape. This requires both technical precision in maintaining the defensive frame and tactical awareness to recognize the escape window.
Gordon Ryan
In competition, Chill Dog is a strategic position I use when I know my opponent is hunting for the back or trying to set up their specific turtle attacks. The reality is that in no-gi especially, you can’t stay here long against high-level opponents, but you can use it to frustrate their offense and create escape opportunities. When guys like Garry Tonon or Craig Jones are behind you, they’re looking for very specific reactions - if you give them the traditional turtle posture, they’ll take your back in seconds. Chill Dog gives you a different defensive look that disrupts their timing and preferred attack sequences. The key to making this work at elite levels is not just holding the position, but being ready to explode into your escape the moment you feel their weight shift or their grips loosen. Against world-class guys, I’m usually looking for the technical stand-up or the Granby roll, and I’m making my decision based on which direction they’re pressuring. The position buys you time to make smart decisions rather than panicking and getting submitted from turtle.
Eddie Bravo
Chill Dog is straight out of the 10th Planet system and it’s all about being defensively sound while setting up your escapes to positions where you can actually work. In our system, we’re not trying to win from turtle - we’re trying to survive long enough to get back to our game, which usually means some variation of the rubber guard or lockdown. The beauty of Chill Dog is that it protects you from the traditional turtle attacks while giving you multiple exit strategies. If they’re pressuring heavy from behind, you’ve got the Granby roll to guard. If they’re lighter or going for front headlock, you can stand up and potentially even score a takedown. The compact posture with elbows to knees is critical - this is what prevents them from establishing the truck or getting the twister setup, which are serious threats in no-gi. We drill this position extensively because in modern no-gi competition, you’re going to end up in some form of turtle, and you need to know how to survive and escape without getting your back taken or getting caught in a submission. The mental game is important too - stay chill, don’t panic, feel what they’re doing, and execute your escape when the moment is right.