The Granby Roll is a fundamental defensive movement technique that allows a practitioner to escape from inferior positions by rolling over the shoulder and inverting the body. Named after the wrestling technique popularized at Granby High School, this movement has become essential in modern BJJ for escaping turtle position, preventing back takes, and recovering guard. The technique involves a coordinated shoulder roll combined with hip extension and leg drive to create space and change the orientation of your body relative to your opponent. The Granby Roll is particularly effective against opponents attempting to take the back from turtle or when trapped in side control variations. Its effectiveness comes from the explosive nature of the movement combined with the ability to create angles that disrupt opponent control. Modern no-gi practitioners have elevated this technique to an art form, using it not just as an escape but as a transition into offensive positions and guard pulls. The movement requires significant flexibility in the spine and shoulders, as well as the spatial awareness to roll into open space rather than into your opponent’s control.
Starting Position: Turtle Ending Position: Closed Guard Success Rates: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 70%
Key Principles
- Roll over the shoulder closest to open space, never into your opponent’s control
- Maintain shoulder blade contact with the mat throughout the roll to protect the neck
- Generate explosive hip extension and leg drive to complete the rotation
- Keep elbows tight to the body to prevent arm isolation during the roll
- Time the roll when opponent’s weight shifts forward or their grips loosen
- Chain the movement into immediate guard recovery or offensive scramble
- Use the momentum of the roll to create distance from opponent’s hips
Prerequisites
- Opponent attempting to establish back control from turtle position
- Space available on one side to roll into (not trapped against the wall)
- Opponent’s weight shifted forward or grips not fully established
- Your head and shoulders mobile enough to initiate the roll
- Sufficient flexibility in the spine and shoulders to complete the inversion
- Awareness of which direction provides the safest escape route
Execution Steps
- Identify escape direction: From turtle position, quickly assess which side has more open space and where your opponent’s weight is distributed. The optimal direction is typically away from where their chest is pressuring and toward the side where their grips are weakest. Look for the shoulder you will roll over. (Timing: Immediately when sensing back take attempt)
- Tuck chin and position shoulder: Tuck your chin tightly to your chest and angle the shoulder on your escape side downward toward the mat. Your ear should nearly touch your shoulder. This protects your neck and creates the proper angle for the roll. Keep your elbows tight to your ribs to prevent arm drags or kimura attacks. (Timing: Before initiating the roll)
- Post opposite hand: The hand opposite to your rolling direction posts firmly on the mat near your hip to provide base and prevent being flattened. This hand acts as a pivot point and helps generate rotational force. Keep this arm strong but ready to release as you commit to the roll. (Timing: Simultaneously with shoulder positioning)
- Initiate explosive hip drive: Explosively extend your hips and drive your legs, particularly the leg on the side you’re rolling toward. This creates the momentum needed to overcome your opponent’s weight. The movement should feel like a powerful thrust that lifts your hips off the mat momentarily while your shoulder stays connected. (Timing: Explosive initiation when opponent’s weight shifts forward)
- Roll over shoulder blade: Roll diagonally across your back from one shoulder blade to the opposite hip. Maintain contact with the mat using your shoulder blade and upper back (never your neck). Your body should form a tight ball with knees pulled toward chest. The roll should be smooth and continuous, with your legs following over your head. (Timing: Continuous motion following hip drive)
- Complete rotation and establish guard: As you complete the 180-degree rotation, immediately extend your legs toward your opponent to establish frames or guard. Your hips should face them as you come out of the roll. Post on your hands if needed to prevent being driven back down. Look to insert hooks for butterfly guard, or frame and create distance for open guard. (Timing: Immediately upon completing the roll)
- Secure guard position or scramble: Based on your opponent’s reaction, either establish a specific guard variation (closed, butterfly, half) or continue scrambling if they pursue. If they back away, pull them into guard. If they press forward, use your frames and leg positioning to prevent the pass while recovering full guard structure. (Timing: 1-2 seconds after completing the roll)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent follows the roll and maintains back pressure (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Chain into a second Granby Roll in the opposite direction, or transition to a sit-out and turn to face them. Use the momentum they give you by following to create additional rotation and scrambling opportunities.
- Opponent sprawls and flattens you mid-roll (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Abandon the roll and immediately shrimp away to create space, then attempt a technical stand-up or different escape. Do not force the roll when flattened as this exposes your back completely.
- Opponent secures seat belt grip during the roll (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Continue the roll but fight the choking hand immediately upon completing rotation. Use your completed guard position to strip grips and prevent the rear naked choke while establishing defensive frames.
- Opponent times submission attempt during inversion (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Accelerate the roll and keep elbows extremely tight to body. If opponent goes for guillotine or front headlock, posture your head up as you complete the roll and immediately establish distance with frames.
- Opponent uses your roll momentum to take mount (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: This typically means you rolled into them rather than away. As you feel them following over, turn the roll into a reverse and go back the original direction, or accept the scramble position and work for underhooks.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What part of your body should make contact with the mat during a Granby Roll and why? A: The shoulder blade (scapula) and upper back should make contact with the mat, never the neck or cervical spine. This is critical for safety as rolling over the neck can cause serious injury including nerve damage, vertebrae compression, or stingers. The shoulder blade provides a stable, broad surface area that can safely support body weight during the rotation while protecting the vulnerable neck structures.
Q2: How do you determine which direction to execute your Granby Roll from turtle position? A: Identify the direction with the most open space and where opponent’s control is weakest. Roll away from where the opponent’s chest is pressuring and toward the side where their grips are less established. Check for obstacles like the mat edge or other grapplers. The optimal direction is typically the side where opponent has only one grip or where their weight is shifted away. Never roll into your opponent’s control or toward where they have established strong grips.
Q3: What is the primary source of power and momentum for completing a Granby Roll? A: Explosive hip extension and leg drive provide the primary power for the Granby Roll. The legs must thrust powerfully as if performing a bridge or hip escape, creating enough momentum to rotate the entire body over the shoulder. Without sufficient leg drive, the roll will stall mid-movement, leaving you inverted and vulnerable. The posted hand provides some assistance, but the legs generate the majority of the rotational force necessary to overcome opponent’s weight and complete the movement.
Q4: Why is it critical to establish guard immediately after completing a Granby Roll rather than simply finishing on your back? A: Completing the Granby Roll without immediately establishing guard leaves you in a neutral or disadvantaged position where the opponent can easily pass to side control or mount. The Granby Roll is not complete until you have your legs between you and your opponent with proper frames and guard structure. The technique should be viewed as one continuous movement: escape from turtle to guard recovery. Stopping on your back without guard engagement wastes the advantage created by the escape and may result in an equally bad position.
Q5: How should you modify your Granby Roll execution if your opponent follows you during the rotation? A: If opponent follows your Granby Roll by driving their weight forward, you have several options: execute a second Granby Roll in the opposite direction using their momentum, abandon the roll and transition to a sit-out and turn to face them, or continue the roll but accelerate the movement to complete before they can establish control. The key is recognizing their follow immediately and not committing to a single roll when they have anticipated it. Advanced practitioners often chain multiple Granby Rolls or mix them with other turtle escapes to create unpredictable movement patterns.
Q6: What physical attributes are most important for executing effective Granby Rolls and how can they be developed? A: Three critical physical attributes are required: spinal and shoulder flexibility to safely complete the inversion, explosive leg power to generate rotation momentum, and core stability to maintain body control during the movement. Flexibility can be developed through yoga, gymnastic bridging exercises, and gradual inversion work. Explosive power comes from plyometric training like box jumps and wrestling shot drills. Core stability is built through hollow body holds, candlestick rolls, and dynamic movement exercises. Without these attributes, the Granby Roll becomes dangerous (flexibility) or ineffective (power and stability).
Safety Considerations
The Granby Roll carries inherent risk of neck injury if executed improperly. Always ensure you roll over the shoulder blade and upper back, never over the neck or cervical spine. Practitioners should develop adequate flexibility in the spine and shoulders before attempting this technique at full speed or under resistance. Start with slow, controlled solo drilling to establish proper mechanics. If you feel any pain in the neck during the roll, stop immediately and reassess your technique. The roll should be practiced on appropriate mats with sufficient padding. Beginners should work with experienced instructors to ensure proper progression and avoid developing dangerous habits. Never force the technique when your opponent has you flattened or when proper space is not available. The explosive nature of the movement can also cause shoulder injuries if the shoulder is not properly positioned. Athletes with existing neck, shoulder, or spine injuries should consult medical professionals before incorporating Granby Rolls into their training. Always maintain awareness of your training partners’ positions to avoid rolling into them or causing collisions.
Position Integration
The Granby Roll serves as a critical escape mechanism within the defensive hierarchy of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, particularly from turtle position and bottom positions where back exposure is imminent. In the positional framework, turtle is considered a neutral but vulnerable position where the primary defensive goal is preventing back control while working toward guard recovery. The Granby Roll directly addresses this by providing an explosive, dynamic path from turtle to guard that bypasses the typical slow methodical escapes. Within modern no-gi systems, especially those influenced by wrestling, the Granby Roll has evolved from a pure escape into a transitional movement that can lead to offensive positions like inverted guards, Single Leg X, or Deep Half Guard. It fits into the broader category of inversion-based guard retention and recovery techniques that have become essential in contemporary grappling. The technique also chains naturally with other turtle escapes like the sit-out, stand-up, and forward roll, creating a complete defensive system. Advanced practitioners integrate the Granby Roll into their guard retention, using it when opponents pass their legs or when they need to create distance and reset. The movement represents a shift from static positional defense to dynamic, movement-based defense that characterizes modern grappling evolution. Understanding when to use the Granby Roll versus other escapes is critical: it excels when space is available and opponent’s grips are loose, but fails when you’re flattened or trapped against boundaries.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Granby Roll represents a biomechanically efficient solution to the fundamental problem of back exposure from turtle position. The technique succeeds because it creates a geometric reorientation that is difficult for the opponent to follow while maintaining control. The key mechanical principle is the transfer of linear pressure into rotational momentum—when your opponent drives forward to take your back, you redirect that force into your shoulder roll, using their energy against them. The shoulder blade contact is non-negotiable from both safety and mechanical perspectives; the scapula provides the necessary surface area and structural support to bear weight during inversion. Students must understand that the Granby Roll is not merely an escape but a positional reset that should terminate in a superior guard structure, not simply lying on your back. The movement requires precise timing to exploit the moment when opponent’s grips are transitioning or their weight shifts forward. Without this timing component, you’re simply rolling into a controlled position. The athletic prerequisites—flexibility, explosive power, and spatial awareness—cannot be neglected. A poorly executed Granby Roll due to physical limitations is worse than remaining in turtle and using more conservative escapes.
- Gordon Ryan: I rely on the Granby Roll as a high-percentage escape from turtle and as a guard retention tool when opponents are passing. The movement is absolutely essential in modern no-gi competition where opponents are constantly working toward the back. What makes it effective at the highest level is the ability to chain multiple Granby Rolls together—if they follow the first one, you can immediately reverse direction and usually create a significant scramble that favors the person initiating movement. I’ve finished matches by Granby Rolling away from back attacks and immediately coming up on a single leg or entering leg entanglements. The key competitive insight is that the Granby Roll works best when combined with other escapes in an unpredictable pattern. If you only Granby Roll, elite opponents will time it and counter. But if you mix it with sit-outs, stand-ups, and forward rolls, the Granby becomes much more effective because they can’t predict which direction you’ll move. In competition, I use the Granby Roll most often when I feel my opponent committing too much weight forward to secure back control—that forward pressure gives me the momentum I need to complete the rotation. The technique also has offensive applications: I’ll intentionally give up turtle knowing I can Granby Roll into advantageous guards or leg positions. It’s not just defense; it’s a tactical weapon.
- Eddie Bravo: In the 10th Planet system, the Granby Roll is a cornerstone of our defensive inversion game and fits perfectly with our philosophy of constant movement and position flow. We teach it early because it develops the kind of dynamic, unconventional movement patterns that define our approach to no-gi grappling. What’s beautiful about the Granby Roll is how it chains into our inverted guard systems—you’re not just escaping, you’re potentially entering Rubber Guard, Lockdown, or leg attack positions depending on how your opponent reacts. We drill Granby Rolls extensively because they develop attributes that transfer to everything else: comfort with inversion, explosive hip movement, and the ability to scramble effectively. I’ve seen students use Granby Rolls to escape from positions that traditional BJJ might consider hopeless. The technique also exemplifies our approach to defense: don’t just survive, move into positions where you can attack. When you Granby Roll, you’re not just getting to guard, you’re potentially setting up sweeps, submissions, or transitions to more dominant positions. The key innovation from our perspective is using the Granby Roll offensively—if someone’s in your guard and you want to invert underneath them or change angles dramatically, the Granby Roll mechanics apply. It’s movement vocabulary that opens up entirely new possibilities in grappling exchanges.