⚠️ SAFETY: Twister targets the Cervical and thoracic spine, shoulder girdle. Risk: Cervical spine damage (neck injury). Release immediately upon tap.
The Twister is an advanced spinal lock submission popularized by Eddie Bravo and the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system. This technique creates a corkscrew-like torque on the opponent’s spine by controlling their lower body with a lockdown or body triangle while simultaneously controlling their upper body in the opposite direction. The Twister is primarily entered from the Truck position, where you have your opponent’s back while they are belly-down, with their legs controlled in a specific entanglement. The submission applies pressure to the entire spinal column, creating a twisting motion that forces the tap. Due to the complex mechanics and significant injury potential, the Twister is considered an advanced technique requiring extensive training under qualified instruction. In competition, it is illegal in many rulesets including IBJJF gi divisions, though it is legal in most no-gi competitions at brown and black belt levels. The Twister represents the culmination of Eddie Bravo’s systematic approach to back attacks and is the signature submission of the 10th Planet system.
Category: Joint Lock Type: Spinal Lock Target Area: Cervical and thoracic spine, shoulder girdle Starting Position: Truck Success Rates: Beginner 15%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 50%
Safety Guide
Injury Risks:
| Injury | Severity | Recovery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cervical spine damage (neck injury) | CRITICAL | 3-12 months, potentially permanent |
| Thoracic spine strain | High | 4-8 weeks |
| Shoulder dislocation or rotator cuff damage | High | 6-12 weeks |
| Intercostal muscle tears (rib area) | Medium | 2-4 weeks |
Application Speed: EXTREMELY SLOW - 5-7 seconds minimum progression, never spike or jerk the spine
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (most common due to limited mobility)
- Physical hand tap on your body or mat
- Physical foot tap if accessible
- Any distress signal or unusual vocalization
Release Protocol:
- Immediately release the head/neck control completely
- Release upper body grips and allow opponent to turn face-up
- Slowly unwind the leg entanglement
- Do not pull or twist during release - let opponent move naturally
- Check with partner after release to ensure they are okay
Training Restrictions:
- NEVER apply at competition speed in training - always 50% speed maximum
- NEVER use on beginners or those unfamiliar with the position
- NEVER apply sudden or explosive pressure to the spine
- NEVER continue if partner shows any signs of distress
- ALWAYS allow clear tap access and communicate throughout
- NEVER practice without supervision from a qualified black belt
- Avoid training this submission more than once per week to prevent cumulative spine stress
Key Principles
- Establish dominant Truck position before attempting - lower body must be completely controlled
- Create opposing tension vectors - legs pull one direction while arms pull the opposite
- Maintain perpendicular alignment between opponent’s upper and lower body throughout
- Apply pressure gradually and progressively - spine locks require slow, controlled application
- Control the far shoulder and head to prevent opponent from turning into you
- Use your entire body to create the twisting motion, not just arm strength
- Listen to your partner and err on the side of caution - spinal integrity is paramount
Prerequisites
- Secure Truck position with opponent belly-down and their legs controlled
- Establish lockdown or body triangle on opponent’s near leg to anchor lower body
- Control opponent’s far arm to prevent defensive frames
- Position yourself perpendicular to opponent’s spine
- Ensure opponent cannot turn toward you or escape their hips
- Have clear access to opponent’s head and far shoulder
- Confirm opponent is experienced enough to recognize the danger and tap appropriately
Execution Steps
- Secure Truck Position Foundation: From back control or turtle position, transition to the Truck by controlling opponent’s legs while they are belly-down. Establish a lockdown on their near leg by threading your inside leg through and hooking your feet together. Your opponent should be on their stomach with you perpendicular to their body, controlling their lower half completely. (Timing: 3-5 seconds to establish solid base) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Isolate the Far Arm: Reach across opponent’s back and control their far arm at the wrist or triceps. Pull this arm across their back and maintain control. This prevents them from posting or creating defensive frames. Your opponent should now be belly-down with one arm trapped behind them and their legs locked in your control. (Timing: 2-3 seconds) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Establish Head Control: With your free hand, reach over opponent’s far shoulder and cup under their chin or jaw (gable grip with your hands is ideal). Do not pull yet - simply establish the grip. Your body should be positioned perpendicular to their spine, with your chest near their ribs. (Timing: 2-3 seconds to secure grip) [Pressure: Light]
- Create Initial Separation: Begin extending your legs to push opponent’s lower body away from you while simultaneously beginning to pull their upper body toward you with your head/shoulder control. This creates the fundamental twisting motion. Move SLOWLY and feel for their body’s natural range of motion. Stop immediately if you feel resistance beyond normal flexibility. (Timing: 3-4 seconds gradual separation) [Pressure: Light]
- Increase Opposing Vectors: Gradually increase the separation between upper and lower body by extending your lockdown leg further while pulling the head and shoulder more toward you. Your opponent’s spine should begin forming a gentle ‘C’ shape. The twisting motion should be smooth and progressive, never sudden. Maintain perpendicular alignment to maximize effectiveness. (Timing: 4-5 seconds progressive increase) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Apply Final Twisting Pressure: Continue the opposing motion until opponent taps. Their lower body is pushed away by your extended legs while their upper body is pulled toward you. The submission comes from the rotational stress on the spine, not from pulling their head back. Apply extremely slowly and be prepared to release instantly upon tap. Maximum pressure should never exceed 70% of your strength. (Timing: 3-5 seconds to finish) [Pressure: Moderate]
- Immediate Release on Tap: The moment you feel or hear a tap, immediately release the head control first, then allow opponent to straighten out naturally before releasing the leg entanglement. Do not pull or twist during the release. Check with your partner to ensure they are okay before continuing training. (Timing: Immediate on tap signal) [Pressure: Light]
Opponent Defenses
- Turn into you to prevent perpendicular alignment (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Maintain lockdown pressure and use your free hand to post on their hip, preventing the turn. Re-establish perpendicular position before attempting the finish.
- Straighten the trapped leg to escape lockdown (Effectiveness: High) - Your Adjustment: Switch to a body triangle if they begin escaping the lockdown. Maintain lower body control at all costs as it is essential for the submission.
- Tuck chin and hide neck to prevent head control (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Control the far shoulder instead of the head, or use a chin cup grip. Focus on shoulder control and create the twisting motion through the shoulder girdle rather than the neck.
- Roll backwards over their shoulder (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Adjustment: Use your weight to prevent the backwards roll. Post with your free hand and maintain perpendicular pressure. If they commit to the roll, follow through and transition to back control.
- Grab your gi or limbs to create frames (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Adjustment: Strip their grips by pulling their arm behind their back more aggressively. In no-gi, maintain wrist control to prevent them from grabbing you.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the MINIMUM application time for the Twister in training, and why is this critical? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: The minimum application time is 5-7 seconds of extremely slow, progressive pressure. This is critical because the Twister attacks the spine, which has no ‘give’ like joints do. Spinal injuries can be catastrophic and permanent. Slow application gives your partner time to recognize the danger, feel the pressure building, and tap before injury occurs. Fast or explosive application can cause serious injury before the partner can respond.
Q2: Why is perpendicular alignment to the opponent’s spine essential for the Twister to work effectively? A: Perpendicular alignment creates maximum rotational torque on the spine by establishing opposing force vectors. When you are at 90 degrees to their spine, pushing their lower body one direction with your legs while pulling their upper body the opposite direction creates the most efficient twisting motion. If you are parallel to their body, you lose this mechanical advantage and the submission becomes ineffective.
Q3: What is the correct sequence of release when your partner taps to the Twister? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: First, immediately release all head and neck control completely. Second, release upper body grips and allow opponent to turn face-up naturally. Third, slowly unwind the leg entanglement without pulling or twisting. Fourth, check with your partner to ensure they are okay. Never pull or twist during the release process - let your partner move at their own pace.
Q4: What is the primary prerequisite position for entering the Twister, and what specific controls must be established? A: The primary prerequisite is the Truck position, where opponent is belly-down with their legs controlled in a specific entanglement. You must establish a lockdown or body triangle on their near leg to anchor their lower body, control their far arm to prevent frames, and position yourself perpendicular to their spine. Without solid Truck position and lower body control, the Twister cannot be successfully applied.
Q5: If your opponent is successfully tucking their chin and preventing head control, what is the proper adjustment? A: Control their far shoulder instead of attempting to force head control. You can create the same twisting motion by controlling the shoulder girdle rather than the neck. This is actually safer and can be just as effective. Focus on pulling their shoulder toward you while pushing their lower body away to create the rotational stress on the spine.
Q6: Why should the Twister never be practiced on beginners or unfamiliar training partners? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Beginners lack the experience to recognize when they are in serious danger from a spinal lock and may not tap early enough to prevent injury. The Twister requires partners who understand the mechanics, know when to tap preemptively, and can communicate if something feels wrong. Additionally, flexibility varies greatly between individuals, and you need experienced partners who know their own limits and will tap before reaching dangerous ranges of motion.
Q7: What common error transforms the Twister from a spinal lock into a dangerous neck crank? [SAFETY-CRITICAL] A: Pulling the head straight back toward you instead of creating rotational torque with opposing vectors. The Twister should create a twisting, corkscrew motion on the entire spine by pushing the lower body one direction while pulling the upper body the opposite direction. Simply pulling the head backward becomes a neck crank, which is more dangerous and less effective than the proper spinal lock mechanism.
From Which Positions?
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Twister represents one of the most mechanically sophisticated submissions in grappling, requiring precise understanding of spinal biomechanics and rotational force application. The key to the Twister is not brute strength but rather the creation of opposing force vectors that place the spine in a compromised position. From a systematic perspective, the Twister should never be viewed in isolation but rather as part of a comprehensive Truck position control system. The lower body must be completely immobilized through the lockdown mechanism before any attempt at the upper body finish. What separates effective Twister application from dangerous neck cranking is the angle of attack - you must maintain perpendicular alignment to the spine and create rotational torque, not simply pull the head backward. Safety-wise, this submission demands the highest level of control and communication because spinal structures have limited capacity for rotation and very little warning before catastrophic failure. In training, I insist on extremely slow application over 5-7 seconds minimum, with partners tapping at the first sign of discomfort rather than testing their limits. The Twister is a perfect example of why understanding the difference between training and competition application is paramount - what might be acceptable in a high-level competition is completely inappropriate for the training room.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the Twister is a game-changer when you can actually hit it, but it’s definitely a low-percentage finish compared to rear naked chokes or other back attacks. I’ve hit Twister in competition a few times, but more often I use the Truck position to set up calf slicers or transition to other back attacks. The thing about the Twister is that it requires a very specific set of circumstances - opponent has to be belly down, you need the lockdown locked in tight, and they can’t be defending intelligently. In high-level no-gi, most guys know the position well enough to defend or escape before you can finish. That said, when it’s there, it’s absolutely devastating and forces an immediate tap. The key difference between training and competition is the application speed - in competition, once I have the position locked, I’m finishing in 2-3 seconds because I know my opponent knows when to tap. In training, it’s a completely different story. I’m very cautious with the Twister in the training room because you can seriously hurt someone if you’re not careful. I only practice it with high-level training partners who I trust completely and who understand the position. For anyone learning this technique, spend months mastering the Truck position and the lockdown before you even think about attempting the finish. And when you do practice the finish, go extremely slow and let your partner tap at like 30% pressure. There’s no benefit to cranking someone’s spine in training.
- Eddie Bravo: The Twister is the crown jewel of the 10th Planet system and represents everything we’re about - innovation, creativity, and developing techniques that work in real no-gi combat. I developed the Twister by studying wrestling’s guillotine position and combining it with lockdown mechanics from half guard. The beauty of the Twister is that it’s a submission most people have never seen, so when you hit it in competition, they’re often confused about how to defend. But here’s the thing that’s absolutely critical - the Twister is an ADVANCED technique that requires serious respect and caution in training. I’ve seen too many people try to learn it too fast and either hurt their training partners or get hurt themselves. In the 10th Planet system, we don’t even introduce the Twister until students have been training for at least a year and have mastered the Truck position and lockdown completely. When we do teach it, we spend weeks just working on the position without attempting the finish. The Twister should always be applied slowly in training - I tell my students to take 7-10 seconds to apply it and let their partner tap at the first sign of discomfort. The spine is not something to mess with. In competition, sure, you can be more aggressive, but in the training room, safety is paramount. We’ve built an entire system around the Truck position - Calf Slicers, Banana Splits, Electric Chair - and the Twister is just one option in that system. Don’t get fixated on hitting the Twister and ignore all the other finishes available from Truck. And remember, the culture you create in your training room around submissions like this matters - if you’re cranking Twisters in practice, you’re going to hurt people and create a dangerous training environment.