BJJ Graph

Back Attack System

Jun 15, 20258 min read

Back Attack System

bjjsubmissionchainback_controlback_attackchoke

Chain Properties

Chain Description

The Back Attack System represents the most comprehensive and statistically dominant submission framework in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, built around the premier offensive position in grappling: back control. This system encompasses a complete attacking methodology that addresses all aspects of offensive back control, including the establishment and maintenance of the position, the systematic breakdown of defensive resources, and the execution of various submission attacks.

What distinguishes the Back Attack System is its exceptional positional dominance combined with high-percentage submission threats. Unlike many positions that offer either strong control or submission opportunities, back control provides both simultaneously at an unparalleled level. This creates a uniquely advantageous attacking platform where the practitioner can maintain positional superiority while systematically working through a progression of submission threats based on the opponent’s defensive reactions.

The system operates from several related back control variations, including traditional back mount with hooks, the body triangle, technical back mount, and turtle-based back control. From these controlling positions, the system offers multiple submission pathways focusing primarily on strangulations (Rear Naked Choke, Bow and Arrow Choke, Collar Chokes) with complementary joint locks (Armbar, Kimura) that exploit common defensive patterns. This creates a comprehensive attacking framework with exceptional adaptability across body types, defensive styles, and competitive contexts.

Core Mechanical Principles

  • Chest-to-Back Connection: Maintaining persistent spinal alignment and connection
  • Hip Control: Controlling opponent’s hip movement through hooks or body triangle
  • Defensive Neutralization: Systematically eliminating defensive hand fighting resources
  • Space Elimination: Removing all defensive space to maximize control and submission effectiveness
  • Harness Control: Establishing and maintaining upper body control through proper gripping mechanics
  • Submission Chaining: Connecting different submission threats based on defensive responses
  • Preventative Defense: Anticipating and preventing common escape attempts
  • Incremental Pressure: Building control and submission pressure progressively rather than explosively

Submission Sequence

  1. Primary Attack: Rear Naked Choke

    • Execution focus: Establishing proper seatbelt control and systematically eliminating hand defenses
    • Defensive triggers: Opponent defends by protecting neck with hands or chin tucking

  2. Secondary Attack: Bow and Arrow Choke (Gi) or Short Choke (No-Gi)

    • Transition mechanics: Utilize collar grip or modified choke when opponent effectively defends RNC
    • Execution focus: Creating choking pressure through collar control or alternative arm positioning

  3. Tertiary Attack: Armbar from Back

    • Transition mechanics: Isolate and control arm when opponent focuses entirely on neck defense
    • Execution focus: Maintaining back control while transitioning to proper armbar position

Decision Tree

Expert Insights

  • Danaher System: John Danaher has revolutionized back attacking methodology through his comprehensive “Straitjacket System,” which focuses on methodically breaking down defensive hand structures before attempting submissions. His approach emphasizes precise mechanical details in both the control and submission phases, treating back control as a systematic problem-solving process rather than a single technique. Danaher particularly focuses on specific grip configurations and body positioning that maximize control while minimizing energy expenditure, creating a sustainable attacking platform that can be maintained for extended periods against strong defensive opposition.

  • Gordon Ryan: As Danaher’s most accomplished student, Ryan has refined the back attack system to unprecedented competitive effectiveness, demonstrating perhaps the highest percentage back control finishing rate in elite competition. His approach emphasizes creating and maintaining a specific “harness grip” from the back that provides maximum control while systematically eliminating defensive options. Ryan particularly focuses on patience and incremental improvements in position, often maintaining back control for extended periods while methodically breaking down defensive resources until submission becomes inevitable.

  • Eddie Bravo: Within the 10th Planet system, Bravo has developed specialized back control mechanisms including his “Twister Side Control” and “Truck” positions that create unique entries to traditional back control. His system emphasizes unconventional entries to the back and specialized control variations that opponents are less familiar defending. When attacking from the back, Bravo focuses on creating control positions that facilitate his signature submissions, including the Twister and various Rubber Guard-based transitions that can be applied from back control variations.

Setup Positions

Common Defensive Reactions

  • Hand fighting (two-on-one grip) → Systematic grip stripping or transition to alternative choke
  • Chin tucking → Apply modified RNC with jaw pressure or transition to Bow and Arrow
  • Forward rolling → Follow movement to maintain back control
  • Hip movement and bridging → Adjust hook placement and maintain spinal connection
  • Attempting to turn into attacker → Transition to technical mount or armbar
  • Creating separation by pushing on arms → Re-establish harness control and eliminate space
  • Peeling hooks → Switch to body triangle or adjust hook position

Training Methodology

  • Progressive back control sparring with increasing resistance
  • Hand fighting sequences and stripping defensive grips
  • Transition flows between different back control variations
  • Submission chains based on defensive recognition
  • Escape prevention and recovery drills
  • Video analysis of high-level back control in competition
  • Specialized training on maintaining control during opponent’s escape attempts

Competition Application

The Back Attack System remains the most statistically dominant positional framework across all levels of competition and all grappling formats. Analysis of competition data consistently shows that back control leads to the highest submission rates of any position, making it the ultimate positional goal in competitive grappling.

The system demonstrates exceptional effectiveness in high-level competition where other attacking approaches often fail against elite defensive skills. When properly executed, the mechanical dominance of back control allows it to succeed even against fully informed defenders who understand the attacking mechanics. This creates a uniquely powerful competitive tool, representing the position most likely to lead to definitive victory across all competitive contexts.

In MMA and combat sports contexts, back control offers the additional advantage of providing both offensive opportunities and defensive safety, with the controlling practitioner largely protected from strikes while maintaining powerful submission threats. This has established the back attack system as a cornerstone of effective MMA grappling strategy.

The psychological impact of back control creates additional competitive advantages beyond the direct submission threat. Competitors forced to defend the back often demonstrate increased respiratory rates, elevated stress responses, and compromised decision-making, creating compounding advantages for the controlling practitioner. This makes the back attack system not only a technical solution but a strategic weapon that can fundamentally alter the competitive dynamics of a match.

Computer Science Analogy

The Back Attack System exemplifies what computer scientists would recognize as a “resource exhaustion attack” in cybersecurity. The system methodically targets and depletes the defender’s critical resources (defensive grips, frames, and movement options) until the defensive system can no longer maintain its integrity, creating an inevitable path to submission.

From a state machine perspective, back control represents the most advantageous non-terminal node in the BJJ positional graph. What makes this state particularly powerful is its asymmetric transition properties—the controlling player has many high-value transition options (to submissions or other dominant positions), while the controlled player has very few viable escape paths, each with low probability of success. This creates a positional state with exceptionally high expected value across all possible future sequences.

The relationship between control and submission in the back attack system demonstrates the concept of “privilege escalation” in security systems. The attacker begins with positional privileges (back control) and systematically leverages these initial privileges to gain additional access (breaking defensive structures) until achieving complete system compromise (submission). This staged approach to attacking complex defensive systems proves far more effective than attempting to achieve submission directly without first establishing the prerequisite control conditions.

In terms of algorithmic design, the back attack system implements a form of “gradient descent optimization,” where each adjustment and transition serves to incrementally minimize the distance to the optimal solution (submission) through small, iterative improvements. Rather than attempting to force a direct path to submission, the system continuously makes small adjustments that cumulatively lead to inevitable success, similar to how sophisticated optimization algorithms find global maxima through incremental local improvements.

From a game theory perspective, back control represents a position of such significant advantage that it fundamentally alters the strategic landscape of the match. The position creates what game theorists call a “dominant strategy”—one that yields better outcomes than alternative approaches regardless of the opponent’s defensive choices. This explains its persistent effectiveness across competition formats and skill levels, as it represents a fundamental structural advantage that cannot be fully neutralized through defensive knowledge alone.

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