Truck Bottom position is a highly disadvantageous defensive position where your back is partially exposed while the opponent controls from a perpendicular angle, typically with one leg trapped and upper body controlled. The position creates severe positional disadvantage as it often precedes back control (4 points) or submission. The bottom player must prioritize immediate defensive measures to prevent submission while working systematically toward escape routes that lead to guard recovery, turtle, or scramble positions.
Success in this position requires understanding the mechanical principles of spinal rotation limits, hip mobility, and weight distribution. The bottom practitioner must maintain awareness of submission threats (primarily the Twister, but also calf slicers, neck cranks, and back attacks) while executing defensive frames and hip movement to create escape opportunities. The psychological challenge cannot be understated—the unfamiliar body configuration and multiple submission threats create panic in inexperienced practitioners.
The position emerged from wrestling’s turk ride and was popularized in BJJ through Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet system, where it serves as a gateway to the Twister submission and various back attacks. Unlike more stable bottom positions, the Truck Bottom offers limited offensive options, making escape the primary tactical objective. The granby roll is the primary escape mechanism, but timing and setup are critical.
Position Definition
- Bottom player positioned on side with back exposed to opponent who controls from behind or perpendicular angle, creating vulnerability to back attacks and spinal submissions
- One leg trapped or controlled by opponent (often in lockdown configuration or calf slicer position), limiting mobility and escape options with twisted configuration through lower body
- Opponent’s boot control on hip creates torque through body, generating corkscrew effect that restricts ability to turn, bridge, or shrimp using normal defensive movements
- Torso twisted due to leg entanglement and boot pressure, with one arm defending neck from twister attacks while other attempts to address boot or post for balance
- Mobility severely restricted in all planes of movement—cannot easily rotate to face opponent, legs entangled preventing normal escapes, back exposure limiting upper body defensive options
Prerequisites
- Opponent has achieved perpendicular control from turtle or scramble position
- One leg has been trapped or controlled by opponent’s lockdown or leg entanglement
- Upper body being controlled with opponent’s weight distributed over back/shoulders
- Understanding of granby roll mechanics and back rolling movement patterns
- Experience with back defense fundamentals including hand fighting and neck protection
Key Defensive Principles
- Protect neck immediately with chin tucked and hands defending against collar grips or choking attempts
- Prevent full spinal rotation by limiting how far opponent can twist torso using defensive frames and base
- Keep trapped leg active and working to extract from lockdown or leg control rather than accepting position
- Maintain awareness of both submission threats (Twister, calf slicer) and positional advancement (back take)
- Create systematic escape by addressing leg control first, then upper body control, then achieving safe position
- Use hip movement and bridging to relieve pressure and create angles for extraction of trapped leg
- Calm under pressure: maintain composure and systematic defense rather than panicking and burning energy
Available Escapes
Granby Roll → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 60%
Hip Escape → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 65%
Leg Extraction → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Rolling Back Take → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 55%
Forward Roll → Deep Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 50%
Technical Standup → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 25%
- Advanced: 40%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent is setting up Twister (controlling far arm and twisting spine):
- Execute Chin Protection and Grip Defense → Defensive Position (Probability: 65%)
- Execute Granby Roll → Turtle (Probability: 50%)
Else if opponent is attacking trapped leg with calf slicer:
- Execute Leg Extraction → Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Forward Roll → Deep Half Guard (Probability: 30%)
- Execute Tap Early Before Injury → Won by Submission (Probability: 35%)
Else if opponent has boot control but loose upper body control:
- Execute Hip Escape → Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Granby Roll → Turtle (Probability: 40%)
Else if opponent is transitioning to back control (inserting hooks):
- Execute Back Escape Series → Turtle (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Rolling Back Take → Open Guard (Probability: 45%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Safest escape path
Truck → Leg Extraction → Turtle → Open Guard
Granby roll escape (technical defensive path)
Truck → Granby Roll timing → Turtle → Open Guard
Forward momentum escape (advanced defensive path)
Truck → Forward Roll → Deep Half Guard → Half Guard → Open Guard
Emergency standing escape (desperation path)
Truck → Technical Standup → Standing Position → Closed Guard
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 15% | 25% | 15% |
| Intermediate | 30% | 40% | 25% |
| Advanced | 50% | 60% | 35% |
Average Time in Position: 20-45 seconds (high urgency position requiring immediate action)
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The truck bottom position represents a biomechanical nightmare from a defensive standpoint, as the practitioner’s spine is placed under rotational stress while one leg is completely immobilized. The key to survival lies in understanding the hierarchical nature of control points: the opponent must control your far arm, your trapped leg, and create sufficient spinal rotation to finish the twister. By systematically addressing these control points in reverse order of their establishment, you create a defensive framework. First, prevent the far arm from being captured by keeping it posted and creating frames. Second, immediately begin working to extract the trapped leg through ankle flexibility and hip rotation, as this leg serves as the fulcrum for all twisting submissions. Third, manage your spinal position by limiting rotation through core engagement and positional awareness. The position’s danger comes not from any single control point but from the combination of all three, so denying even one significantly reduces submission probability. From a training perspective, this position should be practiced with progressive resistance, starting with pure technical drilling of escape mechanics before advancing to live resistance, as the submission threats are severe enough to warrant careful skill development.
Gordon Ryan
From competition experience, the truck bottom is one of those positions where you need to make a decision immediately—you either escape in the first 10-15 seconds or you’re going to be in serious danger. I’ve seen this position finish matches at the highest levels, particularly when Eddie Bravo black belts are involved, so you cannot take it lightly. My approach is always to prevent the position from being established in the first place by being very aware in turtle and half guard situations, but when you do end up here, your first priority is protecting that far arm. Once they get your far arm, the twister becomes a real threat and you’re essentially playing a losing game. The leg extraction is critical—I use a lot of ankle flexibility and timing to slip my leg out when they adjust their lockdown position. In competition, I’ve found that being willing to give up the back is sometimes better than staying in truck, because at least from back control you have more defined escape paths and the submission threats are ones you’ve trained against your entire career. The truck has that wild card element where if you don’t know the specific defenses, you can get caught by things you’ve never experienced before. Train this position regularly with partners who actually know the attacking game, because drilling escapes against someone who doesn’t know how to finish from truck won’t prepare you for reality.
Eddie Bravo
The truck is the gateway to the twister and it’s one of my favorite positions to attack from, so when you’re on bottom in truck, you need to understand you’re in my world now. That being said, there are escapes and I teach them to all my students because you need to know both sides. The key thing people don’t understand is that the truck isn’t just about the twister—I can hit calf slicers, I can take the back, I can go to banana split, there’s a whole system here. So when you’re defending, you can’t just focus on one threat. My advice is to stay calm first of all, because people panic in this position and that’s when they make mistakes. Keep that far arm safe, that’s rule number one. Rule number two is start working that trapped leg immediately, use your flexibility, circle it, don’t just accept it. And rule number three is be ready to scramble because sometimes the best escape is an explosive movement when they’re transitioning between attacks. I’ve tapped a lot of people from truck over the years, but the ones who escape are the ones who stay composed, protect their key points, and wait for that moment when my weight shifts or my grip loosens just a little bit. That’s when you make your move. Also, if you’re training in the gi, the grips make it way harder to escape, so in no-gi you actually have better chances if you’re technical about it. Train your leg flexibility, train your granby rolls, and drill the hell out of this position because if you compete at a high level, especially in no-gi, you’re going to end up here eventually.