Granby Roll Concept

Granby Roll Concept is a medium complexity BJJ principle applicable at the Fundamental level. Develop over Beginner to Advanced.

Principle ID: Application Level: Fundamental Complexity: Medium Development Timeline: Beginner to Advanced

What is Granby Roll Concept?

The Granby Roll is a fundamental dynamic movement concept in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that involves rolling over the shoulder and upper back to create distance, escape bad positions, and recover guard. Named after wrestling coach Granby Dick, this movement pattern combines shoulder rotation, hip mobility, and directional momentum to generate space against an opponent’s control. The Granby Roll represents a critical bridge between static defensive frames and full guard recovery, allowing practitioners to transition from defensive positions (turtle, bottom side control, or mount) back to offensive guard positions.

At its core, the Granby Roll is about converting rotational energy into positional escape. Rather than pushing directly against an opponent’s pressure (which often fails against larger or stronger opponents), the Granby Roll redirects force by rolling away at an angle, using the curved surface of the back and shoulders to maintain continuous motion. This creates a brief window where the opponent must readjust their base and grips, allowing the defender to insert frames, recover guard, or transition to turtle position. The movement requires coordination between hip rotation, shoulder drive, and leg positioning to execute successfully.

The concept extends beyond a single technique to represent a broader principle of dynamic escape movement. Understanding the Granby Roll means recognizing when circular, rolling movements are superior to linear escapes, how to chain Granby movements with other defensive concepts, and how to use momentum rather than strength to create positional changes. Mastery involves reading opponent pressure angles, timing the roll to exploit weight shifts, and seamlessly transitioning from the roll into offensive positions or follow-up escapes.

Core Components

• Rotational Momentum: Use circular shoulder-roll motion rather than linear pushing to generate escape energy
• Angle Creation: Roll at 45-90 degree angles to opponent’s pressure line, not directly away
• Shoulder Surface Contact: Maintain contact through upper back/shoulder to sustain continuous rolling motion
• Hip Elevation: Drive hips upward during rotation to create clearance for legs to recover guard
• Directional Control: Control which shoulder to roll over based on opponent’s weight distribution
• Momentum Conservation: Chain multiple Granby movements together if initial escape is incomplete
• Frame Integration: Combine Granby roll with defensive frames to prevent opponent from following the movement
• Timing with Pressure Shifts: Execute Granby when opponent commits weight forward or attempts to consolidate position
• Guard Recovery Priority: Use Granby specifically to create space for leg insertion and guard establishment

Component Skills

Shoulder Roll Mechanics: The ability to roll smoothly over the shoulder and upper back without getting stuck or losing momentum. Requires flexibility in the shoulder girdle and understanding of proper head tuck positioning to avoid neck strain. Practitioners must learn to keep the chin tucked and roll across the meaty part of the shoulder rather than directly on the spine.

Hip Rotation Coordination: Coordinating hip rotation with shoulder movement to generate maximum rotational force. The hips must elevate and rotate in the same direction as the shoulder roll, creating a unified rolling motion. This involves core engagement and the ability to maintain rotation even when opponent applies downward pressure.

Directional Awareness: Reading opponent’s weight distribution and pressure angles to determine which direction to roll. Requires real-time analysis of where opponent’s weight is committed and which shoulder provides the path of least resistance. Incorrect direction selection results in rolling into opponent’s control rather than away from it.

Leg Recovery Timing: Understanding the precise moment during the roll when legs can be inserted to establish guard. Too early and legs get trapped; too late and opponent establishes position. This skill involves feeling when the hips have created sufficient space and when opponent’s balance is most disrupted.

Momentum Management: Controlling the speed and continuation of the rolling movement. Sometimes a single complete roll is sufficient; other times multiple partial rolls are needed to fully escape. Practitioners must learn to modulate energy expenditure and continue rolling until guard is safely recovered or turtle position is established.

Frame Maintenance During Motion: Keeping defensive frames active while executing the rolling movement. Arms must create barriers that prevent opponent from immediately re-establishing control even as the body rotates. This requires independent upper and lower body coordination—rolling while framing simultaneously.

Follow-Up Transition Recognition: Identifying which position (closed guard, half guard, turtle, seated guard) is most appropriate after completing the Granby Roll based on opponent’s response. The Granby creates opportunity but doesn’t guarantee a specific outcome; practitioners must read the resulting position and transition accordingly.

Pressure Absorption: The ability to execute Granby movement even under significant top pressure. Advanced practitioners can roll through heavy shoulder pressure or cross-face control by using the opponent’s weight to generate rolling momentum. This requires confidence in the movement and understanding of how to use opponent’s force rather than fight against it.

Related Principles

• Hip Escape Mechanics (Complementary): Hip escapes (shrimping) and Granby rolls work together as primary escape movements. Shrimping creates lateral distance while Granby creates rotational distance. Effective escapers alternate between both based on opponent’s pressure direction.
• Guard Recovery (Extension): The Granby Roll is a specialized guard recovery method used when standard hip escapes are blocked. It represents a more dynamic, momentum-based approach to the same goal of re-establishing guard position.
• Bridge and Shrimp (Alternative): While bridging and shrimping create space through linear or vertical movements, Granby rolling creates space through circular rotation. Practitioners choose between these based on available space and opponent’s base stability.
• Creating Space (Prerequisite): Understanding general space creation principles is necessary before learning Granby rolls. The Granby is a specific application of space creation that uses rotational mechanics rather than pushing or framing alone.
• Escape Hierarchy (Prerequisite): The Granby Roll fits within the broader escape hierarchy as a secondary escape option when primary defenses (frames, hip escapes) are blocked. Understanding when to employ Granby versus other escapes requires knowledge of the complete escape system.
• Energy Conservation (Advanced form): Advanced Granby technique represents highly efficient movement—using minimal energy to generate maximum positional change through proper biomechanics. Mastery involves reducing wasted motion and increasing effectiveness of each roll.
• Shrimping (Complementary): Shrimping and Granby rolling are complementary escape mechanisms. When shrimping is blocked or insufficient, Granby provides rotational alternative. Advanced practitioners seamlessly flow between both movement patterns.
• Escape Fundamentals (Prerequisite): Core escape fundamentals including framing, hip movement, and positional awareness form the foundation for effective Granby Roll execution. Without these basics, the Granby Roll lacks proper setup and follow-through.
• Defensive Framing (Complementary): Defensive frames must remain active throughout Granby execution. The rolling motion and frame maintenance work in tandem—frames prevent immediate re-control while rotation creates the actual escape distance.
• Space Management (Extension): Granby Roll is an advanced space management technique that creates space through dynamic rotation rather than static positioning. It extends basic space management into kinetic, momentum-based applications.
• Position Transitions (Extension): The Granby Roll facilitates rapid position transitions from defensive to offensive positions. It exemplifies how dynamic movement can bridge positional states more effectively than static escape attempts.
• Biomechanical Principles (Prerequisite): Understanding body mechanics, leverage, and force vectors is essential for proper Granby execution. The movement leverages curved shoulder surface and rotational physics to overcome linear pressure—core biomechanical concepts.

Application Contexts

Turtle: From turtle, Granby roll is used when opponent secures upper body control (seat belt, harness). Defender rolls over the shoulder opposite to opponent’s hooks to rotate away from back control attempts and recover guard or return to standing.

Side Control: When trapped in side control with opponent preventing hip escape, Granby roll creates rotational escape. Defender drives hips up, rolls over the shoulder away from opponent’s chest pressure, and uses momentum to create space for guard recovery.

Mount: Under mount pressure, Granby can be used as secondary escape when bridge-and-roll fails. Defender times the roll when opponent posts hands forward, using the space to rotate shoulder-to-floor and escape hips out to recover guard or half guard.

North-South: From north-south position, Granby roll allows escape from heavy chest pressure. Defender chooses shoulder based on opponent’s weight distribution, rolls through to create separation, and recovers guard or transitions to turtle.

Knee on Belly: Against knee-on-belly pressure, Granby roll provides rotational escape when opponent blocks hip escape. Defender rolls toward the posted leg, using the rotation to off-balance opponent and create guard recovery opportunity.

Back Control: When opponent is establishing back control but hooks aren’t fully secured, Granby roll can be used to rotate out of danger. Defender rolls over shoulder opposite to the deeper hook, denying back position and recovering guard.

Crucifix: From crucifix bottom position, Granby roll can escape arm control. Defender times roll when opponent reaches for submission grip, using the brief weight shift to initiate rotation and free trapped arms.

Scramble Position: During scrambles, Granby roll serves as reset mechanism. When positions are unclear or both players are moving, deliberate Granby can create distance and allow defender to establish guard or turtle rather than continuing chaotic scramble.

Defensive Position: From any defensive bottom position, Granby roll serves as general escape tool when linear escapes are blocked. The rotational nature of the movement creates different angles that opponent must defend, often creating openings for guard recovery.

Half Guard: When flattened in half guard with opponent preventing knee shield recovery, Granby roll can create the space needed to re-establish frames. Defender rolls away from cross-face pressure to create hip mobility for guard recovery.

Kesa Gatame: Against kesa gatame (scarf hold), Granby roll provides escape when opponent’s weight is heavily committed forward. Defender rolls over the shoulder toward opponent’s legs, using the rotation to extract head and recover guard.

Closed Guard: From closed guard bottom when opponent establishes strong posture and stacking pressure, Granby roll can be used to off-angle and create sweep opportunities or transition to inverted guard positions.

Open Guard: In open guard scenarios where opponent is passing and pressure is heavy, Granby roll provides emergency guard retention mechanism, allowing rotation to inverted or seated guard positions rather than accepting the pass.

Technical Mount: From technical mount bottom position, Granby roll can exploit the asymmetric weight distribution. Defender rolls toward the posted leg side, using rotational momentum to disrupt opponent’s base and recover full guard.

Seated Guard: When seated guard is being smashed or passed, Granby roll allows transition to inverted guard or recovery to better guard position. The rolling motion creates distance and momentum that disrupts opponent’s passing pressure.

Decision Framework

1. Assess opponent’s pressure direction and weight distribution: Identify which shoulder provides clearest escape path—roll away from heaviest pressure concentration and toward areas where opponent’s base is weakest
2. Determine if space exists for rotational movement: Evaluate whether there is sufficient room to initiate shoulder roll. If opponent is too tight, create initial space with frames or small hip movements before committing to full Granby
3. Choose timing window based on opponent’s weight shifts: Wait for moment when opponent commits weight forward, reaches for grips, or adjusts position. Execute Granby during these brief balance disruptions when opponent cannot immediately counter the rotation
4. Initiate shoulder roll with proper head positioning: Tuck chin to chest, drive chosen shoulder to mat, and begin rotation. Keep head protected throughout roll and use upper back/shoulder blade as rolling surface rather than spine
5. Coordinate hip rotation with shoulder movement: As shoulder rolls, drive hips upward and rotate in same direction. This unified movement creates maximum rotational force and prevents getting stuck mid-roll with hips still flat
6. Evaluate space created during roll completion: As roll completes, assess whether sufficient space exists for guard recovery. If yes, insert legs for guard; if no, chain into second Granby roll or transition to turtle position
7. Choose follow-up position based on opponent’s response: Based on how opponent reacts to the Granby, select appropriate final position: closed guard if space allows, half guard if one leg is trapped, turtle if opponent is pursuing, or seated guard if distance is created
8. Maintain defensive frames during transition: Throughout the entire sequence, keep arms active as frames preventing opponent from immediately re-establishing control. Even during the roll itself, arms should create barriers that buy time for position establishment

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Rolling in wrong direction (into opponent’s pressure rather than away)
  • Consequence: Delivers defender directly into opponent’s strongest control points, making position worse. Often results in giving up back or having movement completely stuffed.
  • Correction: Always read opponent’s weight distribution first. Roll toward the lighter side, away from cross-face pressure, and away from direction opponent is driving. When in doubt, roll toward opponent’s legs rather than upper body.
• Mistake: Failing to tuck chin and rolling directly on spine/neck
  • Consequence: Creates dangerous compression on cervical spine and can result in neck injury. Also causes roll to get stuck as spine doesn’t have smooth rolling surface like shoulders do.
  • Correction: Always tuck chin to chest and initiate roll with shoulder blade making first contact. Think of rolling diagonally across the upper back from one shoulder blade to the other, never directly on the spine.
• Mistake: Keeping hips flat during roll attempt
  • Consequence: Without hip elevation, the roll has no power and opponent can easily flatten defender back out. Results in using pure upper body strength which fails against heavier opponents.
  • Correction: Drive hips upward as you begin the shoulder roll. The movement should feel like a diagonal bridge combined with a rotation—hips go up and turn, not just sideways rotation with flat hips.
• Mistake: Attempting Granby with no space or timing
  • Consequence: Opponent simply follows the movement or prevents it from starting, wasting energy and potentially giving opponent better position. Common when defender tries to force the technique without setting it up.
  • Correction: Create small initial space with frames or wait for opponent’s weight shift before initiating. Don’t commit to full Granby until there’s actually room to roll. Sometimes a small hip escape first is necessary to create space for the roll.
• Mistake: Stopping movement too early (incomplete roll)
  • Consequence: Defender ends up on side with no guard established, often in worse position than before. Opponent easily consolidates position since defender is mid-movement with no defensive structure.
  • Correction: Commit fully to the rotation and continue rolling until either guard is recovered or you reach turtle position. If first roll doesn’t create enough space, immediately chain into second Granby rather than stopping mid-movement.
• Mistake: Neglecting frames during the rolling movement
  • Consequence: Even if roll is mechanically correct, opponent can follow the movement and re-establish position immediately because no barriers were created. The space gained is lost instantly.
  • Correction: Keep arms active throughout the entire movement. One arm typically frames against opponent’s hips or shoulder while the other protects space near your own hips. Maintain these frames even while rotating.
• Mistake: Using only upper body rotation without leg recovery
  • Consequence: Successfully creates rotational movement but fails to capitalize on it because legs never insert for guard. Ends up in turtle or defensive position rather than offensive guard.
  • Correction: As soon as hips create space during the roll, actively work to insert legs between you and opponent. The goal isn’t just to roll—it’s to roll AND recover guard. Time the leg insertion for when hips are highest and opponent is most off-balance.
• Mistake: Rolling with excessive speed and losing control
  • Consequence: Movement becomes chaotic and uncontrolled, often resulting in giving up back or ending in worse position. Defender loses ability to time the guard recovery or follow-up transition.
  • Correction: Control the rolling speed to maintain awareness and positioning throughout. The Granby should be explosive but controlled—fast enough to create momentum, slow enough to feel what’s happening and adjust accordingly.

Training Methods

Solo Movement Drilling (Focus: Develop muscle memory for correct rolling mechanics and body positioning. Build shoulder flexibility and comfort with inverted positions. Train the movement pattern until it becomes natural and reflexive.) Practice Granby rolls in space without partner, focusing on proper shoulder contact, hip rotation, and smooth continuous motion. Start from knees, roll over shoulder, and return to knees in opposite direction. Gradually increase speed and fluidity.

Progressive Resistance Drilling (Focus: Build ability to execute Granby under realistic pressure. Develop timing sense for when opponent’s weight shifts create opportunity. Learn to generate enough power to escape even when opponent is actively controlling.) Partner applies gradually increasing pressure from mount, side control, or turtle top while defender practices Granby escape. Start with light pressure allowing success, slowly increase resistance as technique improves. Partner provides enough pressure to make defender work but not so much that technique fails.

Positional Sparring from Bad Positions (Focus: Develop real-time decision making for when Granby is appropriate versus other escapes. Build cardio for repeated explosive movements. Learn to chain multiple Granby attempts when first roll doesn’t succeed.) Start in bottom mount, side control, or turtle with partner holding position. Defender can only use Granby roll (and necessary frames) to escape. Partner works to maintain position. Reset after each escape or after 60 seconds if no escape occurs.

Flow Rolling with Granby Emphasis (Focus: Integrate Granby roll into overall movement vocabulary. Discover new contexts where Granby is effective. Build intuition for reading opponent’s weight and timing rolls appropriately.) During flow rolling (50-60% intensity), deliberately use Granby roll for every escape attempt rather than standard hip escapes. Forces practitioner to develop comfort with the movement in varied scenarios and opponent responses.

Combination Drilling (Granby + Guard Recovery) (Focus: Train the complete escape-to-guard pathway. Develop smooth transitions from rotational movement into guard structure. Learn which guard types are most accessible after Granby depending on how opponent reacts.) Partner holds dominant position (side control, mount). Defender executes Granby roll and immediately transitions to specific guard type (closed, half, butterfly). Emphasize the complete sequence from escape through guard establishment, not just the roll itself.

Video Analysis and Visualization (Focus: Develop tactical understanding of when elite grapplers choose Granby versus other options. Build mental library of Granby applications. Improve decision-making through pattern recognition from high-level examples.) Study high-level competitors using Granby rolls in competition. Analyze timing, direction choices, and follow-up positions. Mentally rehearse executing Granby from various positions, visualizing the complete movement sequence and opponent reactions.

Mastery Indicators

Beginner Level:

• Can perform basic Granby roll in space without pressure, maintaining smooth shoulder rotation and proper head position
• Understands concept of rolling away from pressure but struggles to identify correct direction under live resistance
• Successfully executes Granby from bottom turtle against cooperative partner with light pressure
• Often stops mid-roll or completes roll but fails to recover guard afterward
• Needs significant space and time to initiate the movement—cannot execute under tight control

Intermediate Level:

• Consistently chooses correct shoulder to roll over based on opponent’s weight distribution in drilling
• Successfully executes Granby escape from side control or mount during positional sparring 40-60% of the time
• Chains multiple Granby attempts together when first roll creates insufficient space
• Integrates basic frames with rolling movement, creating barriers that slow opponent’s pursuit
• Demonstrates clear improvement in timing—initiates rolls during opponent’s weight shifts rather than against static pressure
• Successfully recovers half guard or closed guard after Granby roll in most successful attempts

Advanced Level:

• Uses Granby roll as primary escape from turtle and secondary escape from pins during live rolling
• Executes smooth, powerful Granby even under significant pressure from larger opponents
• Deliberately creates weight shift opportunities through feints or frames before initiating Granby
• Demonstrates multiple follow-up options after roll—can choose closed guard, half guard, or turtle based on opponent’s reaction
• Uses Granby proactively during scrambles to create favorable positions rather than purely as defensive escape
• Combines Granby with other escape concepts fluidly, switching between hip escapes and Granby based on real-time pressure changes

Expert Level:

• Executes Granby roll in competition against elite opponents, demonstrating complete mastery under maximum pressure
• Uses variations of Granby (partial rolls, reverse direction changes, double rolls) to create unpredictable escape patterns
• Can teach the concept clearly to others, breaking down mechanics and providing effective corrections
• Integrates Granby seamlessly into personal game—uses it without conscious thought as automatic response to specific pressure patterns
• Demonstrates ability to Granby under extremely tight control by using opponent’s pressure as momentum for the roll
• Creates hybrid movements combining Granby principles with other advanced escapes, showing deep conceptual understanding beyond technique execution

Related Content

• Granby Roll (Transition) - This concept describes the theoretical framework for the Granby Roll transition technique, providing the principles underlying the mechanical execution
• Granby to Closed Guard (Transition) - Specific application of Granby Roll concept that focuses on the guard recovery completion phase after successful rotational escape
• Hip Escape Mechanics (Principle) - Complementary escape concept—practitioners must understand both linear (hip escape) and rotational (Granby) space creation methods
• Escape Hierarchy (Principle) - Broader framework that includes Granby Roll as one component of complete defensive escape system
• Guard Recovery (Principle) - Granby Roll serves as specialized method for achieving guard recovery goal when standard methods are blocked
• Turtle (Position) - Primary position from which Granby Roll concept is most frequently applied to prevent back takes and recover guard
• Mount (Position) - Common bottom position where Granby provides alternative escape when standard bridge-and-roll is defended
• Side Control (Position) - Bottom position where Granby Roll creates rotational escape alternative to standard hip escape methodology
• Shrimp Escape (Transition) - Alternative escape method using linear hip movement rather than rotation—practitioners often combine both based on opponent response
• Creating Space (Principle) - General principle of which Granby Roll is specific application using rotational mechanics
• Bridge and Shrimp (Principle) - Fundamental escape concept that works in coordination with Granby—bridging creates vertical space while Granby creates rotational space
• Back Control (Position) - Position that Granby Roll specifically helps prevent when opponent is attacking turtle or attempting back take transitions

Expert Insights

• John Danaher: The Granby Roll represents a fascinating biomechanical solution to the fundamental problem of escaping consolidated top position when linear escapes are blocked. What makes this movement particularly effective is the way it converts rotational kinetic energy into positional displacement—you’re not pushing against their pressure, you’re rotating around it. The key technical element that most people miss is the precise coordination between shoulder contact and hip elevation. Your shoulder must maintain continuous contact with the mat throughout the roll, creating a smooth curved surface for rotation, while simultaneously your hips must elevate to create the necessary clearance for your legs to insert into guard position. The timing is crucial: you must initiate the roll at the exact moment when your opponent’s weight is committed forward or when they’re reaching for a grip, because these micro-moments of imbalance are when their ability to prevent your rotation is at its lowest. From a systematic perspective, the Granby belongs in your escape hierarchy as a secondary option when primary frames and hip escapes are shut down—it’s your rotational solution when linear solutions fail.
• Gordon Ryan: In competition, the Granby Roll is one of the highest-percentage escapes from turtle when someone’s trying to take your back, which happens constantly at high levels. The biggest difference between people who hit this in competition and people who don’t is commitment—you can’t do a half-ass Granby, you have to fully commit to the rotation or you’ll get caught in the middle and that’s even worse than staying in turtle. I use it most when I’m in turtle and someone has the seatbelt but hasn’t gotten their hooks in yet—that’s the window. You wait for them to try to get the second hook, and when their weight shifts, you explode into the Granby toward their outside hook side. The other huge competition application is from bottom side control when they’re crushing your chest and you can’t shrimp—instead of trying to force the hip escape, you drive your hips up and Granby away from their pressure, and suddenly you’ve created a completely different angle they weren’t ready for. One thing that took me a while to learn: you have to keep your frames active during the entire roll. A lot of people focus so much on the rolling part that they forget their arms, and even if they get the rotation right, the opponent just follows them because nothing blocked the path. You need one arm framing their hips or shoulder the whole time so when you complete the roll, there’s actually space to get your guard.
• Eddie Bravo: The Granby is one of those movements that looks weird when you first see it but once you get good at it, it becomes this secret weapon that opens up so many options. At 10th Planet we drill Granby rolls constantly, especially from turtle, because it’s the perfect movement for transitioning from defense back into our weird guards like rubber guard or lockdown. Here’s what most people don’t realize: you can use the Granby offensively, not just as an escape. Like if you’re in someone’s closed guard and you want to create a weird scramble, you can Granby under them and come up into leg attacks or back takes—it’s super unconventional but it works. The defensive version from turtle is obviously crucial, but I teach my guys to think of it as a position reset button. If things are getting crazy and you’re not sure what’s happening, Granby roll and you create distance, you create confusion, and you give yourself a second to reorient and pull some weird guard. The key thing we emphasize is keeping your chin tucked tight—I’ve seen people hurt their necks trying to Granby with their head up. Tuck that chin, roll across your shoulder blades, and don’t stop rolling until you’re either in guard or you’ve created enough space to set up whatever weird position you’re going for. Also, chain them together. If one Granby doesn’t work, do another one immediately. Keep that rolling motion going and eventually you’ll find the space.