The Chair Sit to Back Take is a systematic transition from attacking turtle position to establishing dominant back control. The technique exploits the opponent’s defensive turtle posture by controlling their hips and preventing forward movement while you climb onto their back through a controlled intermediate position. The chair sit creates a mechanical barrier with your leg across the opponent’s thigh, preventing them from turning into you while you establish the seatbelt grip. This intermediate control station is what separates the chair sit from direct back climbing attempts that often fail against experienced defenders. The technique requires precise hip positioning, weight distribution, and grip sequencing to prevent common defensive reactions such as rolling or sitting through. When executed correctly, the chair sit creates a near-inescapable funnel toward back control or truck position.
From Position: Matrix (Bottom)
Key Attacking Principles
What are the key principles for executing Chair Sit to Back?
- Control opponent’s near hip to prevent forward escape before establishing leg barrier
- Use your shin as a rigid barrier across opponent’s thigh to block rotation toward you
- Establish seatbelt grip before attempting to climb onto the back
- Maintain forward weight distribution to prevent backward rolls and forward drives
- Keep chest-to-back connection throughout the entire transition sequence
- Insert hooks progressively rather than forcing both simultaneously
- Break opponent’s turtle structure onto their side before committing to the climb
Prerequisites
What do you need before attempting Chair Sit to Back?
- Opponent in defensive turtle position with weight distributed on hands and knees
- You have secured control of opponent’s near-side hip, waist, or belt
- Sufficient space exists to thread your near leg across opponent’s thigh
- Your chest is maintaining pressure on opponent’s back preventing standup
- Opponent’s far arm is monitored to prevent strong posting or framing
- Your base is stable enough to handle sudden directional changes from opponent
Execution Steps
How do you execute Chair Sit to Back step by step?
- Establish hip control: From attacking turtle position, secure a firm grip on opponent’s near hip using your near hand. Your other hand controls their far shoulder or collar to prevent posting. This dual control limits their ability to move forward, turn into you, or stand up explosively.
- Insert blocking leg: Thread your near leg across opponent’s near thigh, positioning your shin as a horizontal barrier that prevents them from turning into you. Your foot should hook around their far thigh, creating a strong structural frame that controls their hip mobility and limits escape directions.
- Sit to chair position: Lower your hips to the mat while maintaining the leg barrier, sitting perpendicular to your opponent with your blocking leg rigid across their thigh. Your far leg posts out for base to prevent being rolled backward. Keep your weight forward with chest pressure on their back.
- Establish seatbelt grip: Release your hip grip and thread your bottom arm under their near armpit, connecting your hands in a seatbelt configuration with your top arm over their far shoulder. This grip transition must be smooth and immediate, as any gap allows the opponent to drive forward and escape.
- Break opponent’s turtle structure: Use your seatbelt grip to pull the opponent onto their side, collapsing their turtle base. Your top arm pulls across their chest while your bottom arm drives their near shoulder forward. This eliminates their four-point base and creates the angle needed for hook insertion.
- Insert first hook: As the opponent collapses to their side, swing your free (far) leg over their hip and insert your first hook inside their top thigh. Maintain tight seatbelt control throughout this movement. The first hook secures your connection and prevents them from turning to face you.
- Remove blocking leg and insert second hook: With your first hook secure and seatbelt grip tight, extract your blocking leg from across their thigh and thread it underneath to insert your second hook inside their bottom thigh. Both hooks now control their hip movement and you have established full back control.
- Consolidate back control: Settle your weight with chest glued to their back, both hooks deep inside their thighs, and seatbelt grip locked. Adjust your position so your hips are directly behind theirs, preventing any rotational escape. You are now in dominant back control ready to initiate attacks.
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Back Control | 68% |
| Failure | Turtle | 20% |
| Counter | Turtle | 12% |
Opponent Counters
How might your opponent counter Chair Sit to Back?
- Opponent sits through to blocking leg side, rotating their hips away (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Maintain seatbelt grip and follow their rotation rather than fighting it. Thread your blocking leg through to establish truck position, which offers twister, calf slicer, and continued back take opportunities. → Leads to Turtle
- Opponent drives forward explosively to flatten you or escape (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Use your blocking leg as a rudder to redirect their momentum laterally while maintaining chest contact. If seatbelt is established, their forward drive actually helps you climb onto their back as they extend. → Leads to Turtle
- Opponent rolls over their far shoulder attempting to invert and face you (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Keep your base leg posted firmly and follow the roll, maintaining seatbelt control throughout. As they complete the rotation, you often end up in an improved back control position with hooks partially inserted. → Leads to Turtle
- Opponent grabs your blocking leg and attempts to strip it or execute a leg drag (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Their hands on your leg means their hands are not defending their neck or controlling your upper body. Immediately establish seatbelt grip if not already secured and use upper body dominance to complete the back take while they focus on your leg. → Leads to Turtle
Safety Considerations
What are the safety concerns for Chair Sit to Back?
Chair sit to back take is generally a low-risk technique when practiced correctly, but practitioners should be aware of potential knee stress on the blocking leg. Avoid forcing your blocking leg position if the opponent is much larger or driving significant pressure into your shin, as this can cause knee ligament strain. When your training partner is transitioning to your back from chair sit, avoid explosive rolling movements backward, as this can injure their posted leg or torque their knee. During drilling, communicate clearly if hip or shoulder pressure becomes uncomfortable during the structure-breaking phase. For practitioners with previous knee injuries, consider using alternative back take methods that do not require the shin-across-thigh blocking position. Always tap early if caught in any submission during failed back take attempts, and respect your partner’s tap immediately when practicing from the attacking side.