BJJ Graph

Meathook

Dec 09, 202510 min read

The Meathook is an advanced Rubber Guard control position that represents one of the most powerful arm isolation systems in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Developed within the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, the Meathook creates a unique control dynamic where the bottom player uses their leg to hook and control the opponent’s arm while simultaneously breaking their posture. This position serves as a critical transition point in the Rubber Guard system, offering pathways to high-percentage submissions including the Gogoplata, Omoplata, Triangle, and various arm attacks.

From bottom Rubber Guard, the practitioner achieves Meathook by threading their leg over the opponent’s trapped arm, creating a hook-like control with the shin against the tricep. This configuration isolates the arm while preventing the opponent from posturing up or extracting their trapped limb. The position’s name derives from the meat-hanging visual of the opponent’s arm being suspended and controlled by the shin hook.

The strategic value of Meathook lies in its ability to create submission dilemmas while maintaining high control. Unlike standard closed guard where opponents can establish defensive frames, Meathook eliminates the trapped arm from the defensive equation entirely. The opponent faces impossible choices: attempt to extract the hooked arm (opening triangle and omoplata attacks), drive forward with pressure (walking into gogoplata), or try to circle away (exposing the back and enabling sweeps).

For the bottom player, Meathook represents a high-risk, high-reward position. The extreme leg configuration requires excellent flexibility and hip mobility. Energy cost is significant as maintaining the position demands constant engagement of the core and hip flexors. However, the positional advantage gained justifies the investment—opponents find themselves in a deteriorating situation where every defensive movement opens new attack vectors.

For the top player, Meathook represents a dangerous predicament requiring immediate attention. The trapped arm severely limits defensive options and base stability. Priority must shift to arm extraction and posture recovery before the bottom player can establish submission grips or advance position. Common escape attempts include explosive posturing (dangerous against gogoplata), arm spinning (vulnerable to omoplata), and stack passing (requires precise timing and pressure).

The position functions as a central hub in the 10th Planet system’s submission chains. From Meathook, practitioners can flow seamlessly to Mission Control (for triangle setups), Carni (for omoplata attacks), or directly to finishing positions like Gogoplata Control. This interconnected web of positions creates the “system” aspect of Rubber Guard—each position feeds multiple others, creating endless attack combinations that overwhelm defensive structure.

Understanding Meathook requires grasping its place in the larger Rubber Guard ecosystem. It typically follows Mission Control or New York, representing an escalation in control and attack potential. The position epitomizes Eddie Bravo’s philosophy of breaking conventional guard rules—trading traditional hip mobility for extreme upper body control and submission leverage. While initially counterintuitive to practitioners trained in classical guard retention, Meathook demonstrates how systematic position chaining can overcome seemingly disadvantageous configurations through superior control mechanics and submission threats.

Key Principles

  • Meathook is never a resting position—always transitioning to submission or improved control

  • The shin hook must apply constant pressure against the tricep to prevent arm extraction

  • Hip angle determines submission availability—adjust continuously based on attack selection

  • Bottom player must break opponent’s posture completely before establishing the hook

  • Top player’s trapped arm becomes a liability—extraction is the only viable defensive priority

  • Flexibility and hip mobility are prerequisites—forcing Meathook without proper range risks injury

  • Position chains are essential—Meathook connects to multiple submissions through systematic transitions

Top vs Bottom

 BottomTop
Position TypeOffensiveDefensive
Risk LevelMediumHigh
Energy CostHighHigh
TimeShortShort

Key Difference: Extreme arm isolation for devastating attacks

Playing as Bottom

→ Full Bottom Guide

Key Principles

  • The shin hook creates a mechanical lever against the tricep—maintain constant pressure to prevent arm extraction

  • Hip angle determines submission availability—rotate hips to align for triangle, gogoplata, or omoplata based on opponent’s defensive response

  • Never rest in Meathook—the position’s high energy cost demands immediate advancement to submission or transition

  • Opponent’s defensive movements dictate attack selection—read their escape attempts and flow to the appropriate finish

  • Flexibility is non-negotiable—forcing Meathook without adequate range risks injury and compromises control

  • Grip on non-trapped side must coordinate with shin hook to create opposing forces that compress posture

  • Position chains are essential—Meathook connects systematically to Mission Control, Carni, and multiple finishing positions

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Attempting Meathook without adequate hip flexibility, forcing the shin hook position beyond natural range of motion

    • Consequence: Hip flexor strain, hamstring tears, inability to maintain proper hook pressure, and compromised control that allows easy escape
    • ✅ Correction: Develop flexibility gradually through dedicated stretching before attempting Meathook. Test range by bringing knee to chest while lying supine—if knee doesn’t reach shoulder level comfortably, continue flexibility work before live application

  • ❌ Releasing grip pressure on non-trapped side when establishing shin hook, allowing opponent to posture up

    • Consequence: Opponent recovers posture and base, negating the arm isolation advantage and enabling guard opening or passing
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain constant pulling force on collar or overhook throughout shin hook establishment. The grip and hook must work as coordinated opposing forces—never sacrifice one for the other

  • ❌ Static hip position without continuous angle adjustment based on opponent’s defensive movements

    • Consequence: Submissions become unavailable as hip angle fails to align properly, and opponent finds escape paths through positional stagnation
    • ✅ Correction: Treat hips as dynamic steering mechanism. Rotate toward triangle when opponent pulls arm up, angle for gogoplata when they drive forward, shift for omoplata when they spin—movement creates submission opportunities

  • ❌ Attempting to hold Meathook for extended periods as a resting control position

    • Consequence: Extreme energy depletion, hip flexor fatigue leading to loss of hook pressure, and eventual position collapse from unsustainable muscular demand
    • ✅ Correction: Recognize Meathook as transitional attack position with 30-45 second viability window. Either advance to submission or return to Mission Control for recovery—never attempt to maintain static Meathook control

  • ❌ Shallow shin hook placement with ankle not clearing opponent’s shoulder line

    • Consequence: Opponent can extract arm by simply pulling backward, destroying the isolation mechanic that makes Meathook effective
    • ✅ Correction: Ensure ankle crosses completely over shoulder line before considering hook established. Deep hook creates mechanical trap that prevents extraction—shallow hook is decorative and functionally useless

  • ❌ Neglecting to control opponent’s non-trapped side, allowing them to post and create base

    • Consequence: Opponent establishes defensive structure with free arm, negating submission threats and enabling systematic escape or passing
    • ✅ Correction: Active control of non-trapped side is non-negotiable. Use overhook, deep collar grip, or head control to prevent posting and maintain positional dominance

  • ❌ Forcing single submission instead of reading opponent’s defensive response and flowing to appropriate finish

    • Consequence: Opponent defends predictable attack while position deteriorates from energy depletion and failed technique commitment
    • ✅ Correction: Study opponent’s escape attempts and flow to the finish their movement opens. If they drive forward, take gogoplata; if they pull up, take triangle; if they spin, take omoplata. Let their defense dictate your offense

Playing as Top

→ Full Top Guide

Key Principles

  • Immediate recognition and defensive response are critical—every second in Meathook increases submission danger

  • Arm extraction is the only viable path to escape—all defensive energy must prioritize freeing the trapped limb

  • Accepting temporary position loss to extract arm is strategically correct—remaining in Meathook guarantees worse outcome

  • Explosive timing matters more than continuous pressure—wait for bottom player’s transitional moments to execute escape

  • Base widening with free arm creates leverage for arm extraction—narrow base provides no mechanical advantage

  • Panic-driven movements accelerate submissions—maintain composure and execute systematic escape sequences

  • Posture recovery must follow arm extraction—attempting both simultaneously dilutes effectiveness of each

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Attempting to maintain top position and passing mindset while trapped in Meathook

    • Consequence: Continued forward pressure drives directly into gogoplata setup, acceleration of submission danger, and wasted energy on impossible passing attempts
    • ✅ Correction: Immediately shift to defensive escape mode upon Meathook recognition. Accept that passing is unavailable until arm extraction and posture recovery occur—prioritize survival over advancement

  • ❌ Panic-driven explosive movements without timing consideration or mechanical setup

    • Consequence: Energy depletion without achieving escape, acceleration of submission setups as explosive movement creates reactive opportunities for bottom player, and position deterioration from uncontrolled actions
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain composure despite submission danger. Time explosive movements to bottom player’s transitional moments when their attention shifts to submission setup—measured timing beats blind explosion

  • ❌ Attempting to extract arm while simultaneously trying to recover posture

    • Consequence: Diluted force application across two objectives, failure to achieve either effectively, and continued vulnerability in Meathook trap
    • ✅ Correction: Sequential approach: first extract arm using all available force and leverage, then recover posture with newly freed limb. Attempting both simultaneously ensures neither succeeds

  • ❌ Narrow base with free arm placed close to body rather than widened for leverage

    • Consequence: No mechanical advantage for arm extraction, inability to create opposing force against shin hook, and continued arm isolation despite escape attempts
    • ✅ Correction: Widen base dramatically with free arm, creating triangular structure that generates leverage for extraction. Narrow base provides no mechanical advantage against Meathook’s lever system

  • ❌ Continuous pulling on trapped arm without rotational component

    • Consequence: Straight pulling aligns with shin hook’s strongest resistance angle, wasted energy without extraction progress, and potential shoulder injury from sustained tension
    • ✅ Correction: Combine pulling force with rotational movement—spiral the arm as you extract rather than straight-line pulling. Rotation changes leverage angles and exploits weaknesses in hook mechanics

  • ❌ Attempting to gut out submission threats through toughness rather than executing technical escapes

    • Consequence: Submission completion, potential injury from refusing to tap, and repeated exposure to same trap in future training without developing escape competency
    • ✅ Correction: Tap early when submission is locked, study the escape mechanics systematically, and drill arm extraction sequences until automatic. Toughness without technique is stupidity

  • ❌ Ignoring bottom player’s grip on non-trapped side, allowing continuous posture breaking

    • Consequence: Even after arm extraction, broken posture leaves top player vulnerable to traditional closed guard attacks and prevents transitioning to passing offense
    • ✅ Correction: Address opponent’s grip systematically after arm extraction. Use freed arm to break grip or establish frames that prevent posture manipulation—liberation isn’t complete until both arm and posture are recovered

  • Mission Control - Primary entry position—Meathook typically follows Mission Control in Rubber Guard progression

  • Carni - Common transition when opponent attempts to extract arm—leads to omoplata setups

  • Gogoplata Control - Direct finishing position when opponent drives forward from Meathook

  • Triangle Control - Alternative finish when opponent attempts to circle away from trapped arm

  • Omoplata Control - High-percentage transition when opponent tries to spin arm free

  • New York - Alternative Rubber Guard control that can transition to Meathook

  • Closed Guard - Starting position—Meathook represents advanced evolution of traditional guard control

  • Armbar Control - Can transition if opponent overcommits to posture recovery

  • Back Control - Available when opponent attempts to stack or pressure pass