⚠️ SAFETY: Belly Down Armbar targets the Elbow joint and shoulder girdle. Risk: Elbow hyperextension and ligament damage (MCL/LCL/joint capsule tears). Release immediately upon tap.
The Belly Down Armbar is an opportunistic joint lock typically applied when the opponent is in turtle position or during scrambles when they expose an arm while defending other attacks. Unlike traditional armbars executed from guard or mount where you control the opponent’s torso with your legs, the belly down variant requires you to secure the isolated arm while the opponent remains face-down on the mat. This submission is particularly effective when your opponent turtles to defend against back takes or other attacks, as their defensive posture often leaves their arms extended and vulnerable. The key to success lies in rapid arm isolation, maintaining connection to the opponent’s body to prevent them from rolling through the position, and applying controlled hyperextension to the elbow joint. The belly down armbar requires excellent timing and positional awareness, as the opponent has more escape options compared to traditional armbar positions. However, when executed correctly with proper control of the shoulder and hip, this submission becomes a powerful finishing option from positions where traditional submissions may be difficult to secure.
Category: Joint Lock Type: Arm Lock Target Area: Elbow joint and shoulder girdle Starting Position: Turtle Success Rates: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 70%
Safety Guide
Injury Risks:
| Injury | Severity | Recovery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Elbow hyperextension and ligament damage (MCL/LCL/joint capsule tears) | High | 4-12 weeks for moderate sprains, 3-6 months for severe tears, potential surgery required |
| Shoulder dislocation or rotator cuff strain from torque during extension | Medium | 2-8 weeks depending on severity, potential for chronic instability |
| Bicep tendon strain or tear from sudden pressure application | Medium | 3-6 weeks for strains, 3-6 months for complete tears |
Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - minimum 3-5 seconds from initial arm isolation to full extension in training
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (saying ‘tap’ or making verbal distress sounds)
- Physical hand tap on your body or the mat
- Physical foot tap on the mat
- Any distress signal including unusual movement or sounds
Release Protocol:
- Immediately release hip pressure and stop extending the arm
- Release the wrist grip while maintaining light control
- Allow opponent to retract their arm naturally without resistance
- Check with training partner verbally before continuing
Training Restrictions:
- Never spike, jerk, or explosively extend the submission in training
- Never use competition-speed application during drilling or light rolling
- Always ensure training partner has both hands free to tap
- Never continue pressure after feeling resistance or hearing joint sounds
- Avoid this submission with beginners until they understand proper defensive reactions
Key Principles
- Arm isolation and control - secure the wrist and upper arm before committing to the finish
- Hip pressure against opponent’s shoulder - prevents rolling escape and maintains arm extension
- Body connection maintenance - keep your chest/torso connected to opponent’s back/side throughout
- Elbow orientation control - ensure opponent’s elbow faces upward before applying extension
- Progressive pressure application - gradually increase extension allowing time for tap response
- Angle management - position your hips perpendicular to opponent’s arm for maximum leverage
- Shoulder immobilization - control the shoulder girdle to prevent defensive rotation
Prerequisites
- Opponent is in turtle position, flat on belly, or transitioning during scramble
- One of opponent’s arms is extended or isolated away from their body
- You have established grip control on opponent’s wrist and/or upper arm
- Your body position allows you to drop your weight across opponent’s shoulder
- Opponent’s elbow is accessible and can be oriented upward
- You have hip mobility to swing your leg over or maintain pressure on opponent’s back
Execution Steps
- Arm isolation from turtle position: As opponent assumes turtle position, identify an extended arm (often the posting arm or the arm defending a choke attempt). Secure a firm two-on-one grip with both hands controlling the wrist and upper tricep area. Pull the arm away from opponent’s body at approximately 45-90 degrees, breaking their defensive structure and preventing them from pulling the arm back to safety. (Timing: 0-2 seconds from initial contact) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Drop weight across shoulder: While maintaining wrist control with your outside hand, drop your chest and bodyweight across the opponent’s shoulder blade and upper back area. This pins their shoulder to the mat and prevents them from rolling through the position or rotating their body to escape. Your inside arm should thread under their armpit or over their back to secure additional control and prevent their torso from turning. (Timing: 2-3 seconds, immediately after arm isolation) [Pressure: Firm]
- Hip positioning and leg configuration: Position your hips perpendicular to the opponent’s extended arm, similar to a traditional armbar but without leg control over their head. Your near-side leg should be based out for stability, with your foot planted on the mat. Your far leg can either base out wide, sprawl back, or in some variations hook over the opponent’s far hip to prevent them from rolling toward you. The key is maintaining downward pressure through your hips while keeping your base stable. (Timing: 3-4 seconds) [Pressure: Firm]
- Elbow orientation and final grip adjustment: Ensure the opponent’s thumb is pointing upward and their elbow joint is facing toward the ceiling - this is critical for proper joint mechanics. Adjust your grip so both hands control the wrist area with thumbs pointing toward their hand (monkey grip or same-side grip). Your forearms should be positioned across their tricep/elbow area to act as the fulcrum point for the hyperextension. Keep your chest pressure constant on their shoulder throughout this adjustment. (Timing: 4-5 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Hip drive and arm extension initiation: With grips secured and elbow properly oriented, begin driving your hips down and forward toward the mat while simultaneously pulling the wrist toward your chest. This creates a lever action with your forearms as the fulcrum point and the opponent’s elbow as the breaking point. The motion should be smooth and controlled - imagine slowly closing a book rather than snapping it shut. Maintain constant awareness of opponent’s tap signals throughout. (Timing: 5-7 seconds, slow and progressive) [Pressure: Firm]
- Finish and control maintenance: Continue hip pressure and wrist pull until you feel the arm reach full extension or the opponent taps. At full extension, the arm should form a straight line from shoulder to wrist with your hips and forearms creating the breaking pressure on the elbow joint. If opponent attempts to roll toward you, increase shoulder pressure and tighten your body connection. If they roll away, be prepared to follow or release and transition to back control rather than risking injury from awkward torque. (Timing: 7+ seconds, maintaining control until tap or position change) [Pressure: Maximum]
Opponent Defenses
- Rolling through toward the attacking side to create slack and escape the arm (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Anticipate the roll by increasing shoulder pressure and keeping your chest glued to their back. Follow their roll while maintaining wrist control, often transitioning to traditional armbar position or taking the back as they rotate. Do not fight the roll - follow it while keeping connection.
- Pulling the trapped arm back toward their body with explosive strength (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Counter by dropping all your bodyweight onto their shoulder while maintaining two-handed wrist control. Angle your body so your hip pressure opposes their pulling direction. If they successfully pull the arm close to their body, immediately transition to another attack (back take, crucifix, or neck attack) rather than forcing the finish.
- Posting with the free hand and bridging to create space (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Use your head position and shoulder pressure to drive into their posted arm, collapsing their base. Alternatively, switch your inside hand control to attack the free arm, creating a dilemma where defending one arm exposes the other. Maintain hip pressure throughout to prevent them from creating significant space.
- Flattening completely and hiding both arms under their body (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: If this defense occurs before you’ve isolated the arm, use the opportunity to transition to back control or other turtle attacks. If attempted during the submission, your existing arm control and shoulder pressure should prevent them from successfully hiding the arm. Simply maintain your position and continue the extension sequence.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the PRIMARY safety concern when applying the belly down armbar, and what specifically must you do to minimize this risk? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The primary safety concern is causing severe elbow hyperextension, ligament tears, or joint dislocation through explosive application. To minimize risk, you must apply pressure progressively over a minimum of 3-5 seconds in training, never spike or jerk the extension, and immediately release at any sign of tap or distress signals. The controlled, gradual application allows the opponent adequate time to recognize the danger and tap before structural damage occurs to the joint.
Q2: Why is shoulder control and body connection critical to the success of the belly down armbar, and what happens if you fail to maintain it? A: Shoulder control pins the opponent’s shoulder blade to the mat and prevents them from rolling through the position to escape - the most common and effective defense against this submission. Body connection ensures you move with the opponent rather than creating space. Without proper shoulder pressure, the opponent can easily initiate a roll toward you, creating slack in the arm and escaping before the submission is secured. Your chest and hip pressure must remain constant throughout the entire finishing sequence.
Q3: What is the correct elbow orientation for the belly down armbar and why is incorrect orientation dangerous? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The correct orientation has the opponent’s thumb pointing toward the ceiling and the elbow pit facing upward, creating a natural plane for hyperextension. This ensures pressure is applied directly to the elbow joint’s natural breaking point. Incorrect orientation (thumb down or sideways) places dangerous rotational torque on the shoulder joint and elbow simultaneously, potentially causing shoulder dislocation, rotator cuff tears, or complex injuries rather than a controlled elbow hyperextension that the opponent can feel and tap to.
Q4: What is the proper sequence of steps for establishing the belly down armbar, and why does this order matter? A: The correct sequence is: (1) Isolate and control the arm with two-on-one grips, (2) Drop weight across the shoulder to pin it, (3) Position hips perpendicular to the arm, (4) Orient the elbow correctly, (5) Apply progressive extension through hip drive. This order matters because attempting to drop weight before securing the arm allows escape, and applying pressure before orienting the elbow creates injury risk. Each step builds the control necessary for the next step to be effective and safe.
Q5: How should you respond if your opponent begins rolling toward you during the belly down armbar attempt? A: Rather than fighting the roll and risking awkward torque on the arm, you should follow their rotation while maintaining wrist control and shoulder pressure. Keep your body connected to theirs throughout the roll, which often allows you to transition to a traditional armbar position with leg control or to take the back as they complete the rotation. The key principle is to move with the opponent’s defensive movement rather than opposing it rigidly, maintaining control while transitioning to a more secure position.
Q6: What immediate action must you take if you hear or feel popping, cracking, or unusual sounds from the opponent’s joint during application? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: You must IMMEDIATELY stop all pressure and release the submission, regardless of whether the opponent has tapped. Joint sounds indicate potential structural damage occurring in real-time and demand instant cessation. After releasing, verbally check with your training partner to assess if injury has occurred before continuing any rolling. In training, partner safety always supersedes securing the tap. Joint sounds are an absolute stop signal that cannot be ignored.
From Which Positions?
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The belly down armbar represents a critical component of what I call the ‘turtle attack system’ - a comprehensive approach to attacking opponents who assume the defensive turtle position. The mechanical principle here is fundamentally different from traditional armbars: you’re not using leg control over the head and torso, which means you must generate all your control through shoulder immobilization and hip pressure. The key technical detail most practitioners miss is the angle of their hips relative to the arm - you want your pelvis perpendicular to the humerus, creating a 90-degree angle that maximizes leverage while minimizing the opponent’s ability to rotate their shoulder. From a systemic perspective, this submission should never be viewed in isolation but rather as one option within a decision tree: if the opponent turtles, you have back takes, chokes, crucifix positions, and this armbar all available. The belly down armbar becomes highest percentage when the opponent posts an arm defensively or extends an arm while turtling - in these moments, their arm is structurally compromised and isolated, making it the priority target. Training emphasis must be on the transitional flow between these options rather than fixating on any single finish.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the belly down armbar is a high-level finishing position that catches people who think they’re safe in turtle. What I’ve found from using this at the highest levels is that it’s not really a first attack - it’s what you threaten after they defend something else. I’m usually attacking the back or going for a choke, and when they turtle up hard and post that arm to stop me from getting my hooks in, that’s when I switch to the armbar. The thing is, you have to be fast with your weight distribution. Soon as you grab that wrist, you’re dropping your chest across their shoulder blade before they even realize what’s happening. In training versus competition, my application speed is completely different. Training, I take 5-6 seconds, let them feel it coming, let them tap safely. Competition, I’m breaking that elbow in under 2 seconds if they don’t tap - that’s the reality of high-level grappling. But you build to that over years. The guys I train with know I’m safe; the guys I compete against know I’m dangerous. That distinction matters. Also, if someone starts to roll through, I almost always let them and take the back rather than trying to hold this finish - back control is generally a superior position unless the armbar is already fully locked.
- Eddie Bravo: The belly down armbar fits perfectly into the 10th Planet philosophy of attacking from everywhere and creating constant submission threats even from positions people think are neutral or defensive. What’s sick about this move is that most people think turtle is a safe position to stall or rest - we’ve spent years developing attacks specifically to punish that mindset. From our system perspective, this armbar usually comes after the twister, the crotch ripper, or the truck attempts get defended. They turtle up, post an arm, and boom - you’ve got the armbar right there. One variation we use a lot is combining this with our lockdown game: if someone defends the lockdown by turtling and trying to clear the leg, their arms are constantly exposed for this finish. The key innovation from our testing is that you don’t always need to fully extend the arm - sometimes just controlling it belly-down and threatening the finish opens up the truck or the back take. It’s about the dilemma: defend your arm, I take your back; defend your back, I break your arm. In training, we’re super careful with this one though - it’s one of those techniques where the tap needs to come early because once the arm is straight and the hips are driving, there’s no time to tap without damage. We drill the control portions way more than the actual finish, and we teach people to tap to the position, not the pain. That safety culture is what allows us to train this kind of dangerous shit multiple times per week without everyone ending up injured.