The Hip Escape, also known as the Shrimp or Shrimping movement, is one of the most fundamental defensive techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This essential movement pattern allows practitioners to create distance and recover guard position when pinned beneath an opponent. The technique involves a coordinated movement of bridging, turning, and sliding the hips away from pressure while maintaining proper frames to prevent the opponent from following. Understanding and mastering the hip escape is critical for survival in bottom positions, as it forms the foundation for virtually all escapes from pins including side control, mount, knee on belly, and north-south positions. The movement creates the necessary space to insert defensive frames, recover guard, or transition to better positions. While simple in concept, the hip escape requires precise timing, proper weight distribution, and efficient body mechanics to execute effectively against a skilled opponent applying heavy pressure.
Starting Position: Side Control Ending Position: Half Guard Success Rates: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 70%
Key Principles
- Create and maintain strong frames to prevent opponent from closing distance
- Bridge first to create initial space and off-balance opponent
- Turn body to side while simultaneously sliding hips away from pressure
- Keep knees bent and feet ready to establish guard or create additional frames
- Execute movement explosively while opponent’s weight is shifted or committed
- Chain multiple shrimps together if single escape doesn’t create enough space
- Protect head and neck throughout movement to prevent guillotine or choke attempts
Prerequisites
- Opponent has established top control position (side control, mount, north-south, or knee on belly)
- Bottom player has identified escape direction away from opponent’s pressure
- Strong frames established on opponent’s hips, shoulders, or neck to create initial distance
- Proper body positioning with shoulders flat but hips mobile
- Recognition of opponent’s weight distribution and pressure points
- Mental commitment to explosive movement execution
Execution Steps
- Establish frames: Create strong frames using forearms and hands against opponent’s hips, shoulders, or neck. Keep elbows tight to body while extending frames to create maximum structural integrity. Frame placement depends on opponent’s position - typically one frame on hip and one on shoulder or neck. (Timing: Immediately upon being pinned)
- Bridge and turn: Drive hips explosively upward and slightly toward the direction you want to escape, using legs and core power. Simultaneously turn shoulders and upper body onto your side, creating a wedge shape with your body. This bridge momentarily disrupts opponent’s base and creates the initial space needed. (Timing: Execute bridge when opponent’s weight is committed forward or shifting)
- Slide hips away: As you bridge and turn, forcefully slide your hips away from opponent in the direction opposite their pressure. Push off the mat with your outside foot (the foot furthest from opponent) while dragging the inside leg. The movement should trace your hips along the mat in a ‘shrimping’ motion, creating 6-12 inches of distance. (Timing: Immediately following the bridge, while opponent is off-balanced)
- Maintain frames: Throughout the hip movement, maintain or re-establish strong frames to prevent opponent from following and closing the distance you’ve created. Frames must be dynamic - extending when space is created, tucking when opponent applies pressure, but always maintaining structural integrity to prevent being crushed. (Timing: Continuous throughout the escape)
- Insert knee shield: As space is created, immediately bring your inside knee (knee closest to opponent) up and across to create a knee shield barrier between you and opponent. The knee should target opponent’s hip or torso, with your shin creating a horizontal barrier. This prevents opponent from immediately reclosing distance and pressuring back into the pin. (Timing: Immediately as hips create separation)
- Recover guard position: Use the knee shield and frames to continue creating distance while bringing your outside leg around to establish full guard, half guard, or butterfly hooks. Maintain active pressure with frames and legs to keep opponent at bay while transitioning from defensive escape to guard position. Get your shoulders square to opponent and hips mobile for guard retention. (Timing: As knee shield is established and opponent’s advance is stopped)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent follows hip movement and maintains pressure (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Chain multiple shrimps together, creating cumulative distance. After each shrimp, re-establish frames and execute another explosive hip escape before opponent can fully settle their weight. Consider changing escape direction on subsequent shrimps to confuse opponent’s following pressure.
- Opponent collapses frames and drives weight through (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Switch to underhook battle or go for deep half guard entry instead of continuing shrimp. If frames collapse, immediately transition to alternative escape routes such as ghost escape, granby roll, or technical standup depending on space available and opponent’s commitment.
- Opponent transitions to mount or knee on belly during escape (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Accelerate the shrimp and focus on getting knee shield or full guard established before opponent completes position transition. If mount is being established, switch to bridge and roll escape or mount-specific hip escape variations. Timing and speed are critical to prevent superior position.
- Opponent attacks submission during escape attempt (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Prioritize submission defense while maintaining escape mechanics. If guillotine is threatened, protect neck with chin tucked and hands defending. If kimura or americana is threatened, keep arms tight and elbows hidden. May need to temporarily pause escape to fully address submission threat before continuing.
- Opponent switches sides to block escape direction (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Use opponent’s movement and weight shift as opportunity to escape in original direction or transition to technical standup. When opponent switches sides, they must shift weight and create space - capitalize on this transitional moment with explosive shrimp or alternative escape.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: Why is establishing frames critical before executing the hip escape movement? A: Frames create the structural barrier that maintains the space you create with your hip movement. Without frames, your opponent can simply follow your hips as you move, negating any space created. Strong frames on the opponent’s hips, shoulders, or neck prevent them from closing distance and allow you to maintain the separation needed to insert your knee shield or recover guard position.
Q2: What is the proper sequence of movements in a basic hip escape? A: The proper sequence is: 1) Establish strong frames, 2) Bridge hips upward and turn onto your side, 3) Slide hips away from opponent while maintaining frames, 4) Insert knee shield in the created space, 5) Recover to guard position. The bridge-turn-shrimp should flow as one continuous explosive movement, not separate distinct steps.
Q3: How should you respond when your initial hip escape fails to create enough space? A: Chain multiple shrimps together, creating cumulative distance. After each shrimp, quickly re-establish frames and execute another explosive hip escape before opponent can fully settle their weight. You may also change directions on subsequent shrimps to confuse opponent’s following pressure. Three to five consecutive shrimps can create significant space even against skilled opponents.
Q4: What timing considerations are most important for successful hip escapes? A: Execute escapes when opponent’s weight is shifting, they’re reaching for submissions, or adjusting their position. These moments create temporary reductions in pressure and compromises in their base. Avoid escaping when opponent’s weight is fully settled and their base is most stable. Develop sensitivity to weight distribution by training with progressive resistance and paying attention to subtle shifts in pressure.
Q5: How does the hip escape from mount differ from the hip escape from side control? A: Mount escapes require a higher, more explosive bridge directed toward opponent’s head, creating space to slide hips out from under their legs. The escape angle is more toward opponent’s centerline rather than purely lateral. From side control, the bridge is more lateral and the shrimp creates space to the side. Mount escapes also typically require more precise timing with opponent’s posting or weight shifts, as mount provides more control and attacking options.
Q6: When would you choose a reverse shrimp toward the opponent instead of standard shrimp away? A: Reverse shrimps are advanced techniques used when opponent heavily commits to preventing standard escape direction, creating opportunities for alternative guards like deep half or single leg X. They create unexpected angles that opponents aren’t defending against. This requires sophisticated timing and understanding of positional entries. Also useful when you want to access underhooks or leg entanglements rather than simply creating separation.
Q7: What role does body rotation play in effective hip escapes? A: Turning your shoulders and upper body onto your side is essential for creating the proper wedge shape that allows maximum hip mobility. Remaining flat on your back severely limits how far you can move your hips and prevents you from creating the angles needed for guard recovery. The rotation also helps generate power for the movement by engaging your core and allowing you to push more effectively off your outside foot.
Safety Considerations
Hip escape is generally a very safe technique with minimal injury risk when practiced properly. However, practitioners should be mindful of several safety points: Avoid over-bridging which can strain the neck, especially when tired. Keep head neutral and don’t push excessively with the back of the head against the mat. When drilling with partners, start with no resistance and progress gradually to prevent knee injuries from explosive movements against unexpected resistance. Partners providing resistance should avoid suddenly changing resistance levels, which can cause the bottom person to over-commit and potentially strain muscles. Be especially careful when chaining multiple rapid shrimps, as this can cause cramping in hip flexors or lower back strain if core engagement is lost. Students with previous knee injuries should be cautious with the explosive pushing motion and may need to modify the technique initially. Always communicate with training partners about resistance levels and stop immediately if any joint pain occurs.
Position Integration
The hip escape is perhaps the most fundamental movement in BJJ’s defensive hierarchy and integrates into virtually every bottom position scenario. It serves as the primary escape mechanism from dominant pins including side control, mount, knee on belly, and north-south positions. The technique forms the foundational movement pattern that enables all guard recovery sequences - without effective hip escapes, recovering guard from pins becomes nearly impossible. Beyond pure escapes, shrimping movements are essential for guard retention, allowing players to maintain distance and recover guard when opponents are passing. The hip escape also integrates into submission defense, creating the space needed to extract trapped limbs from kimuras, americanas, and other joint locks. Advanced players use shrimping not just for defense but for position improvement, using the movement to create better angles in half guard, establish deep half entries, or transition between guard variations. The technique connects closely with frame management concepts, as frames and hip movement work synergistically. In the overall BJJ system, hip escape proficiency is a prerequisite for blue belt competency and continues to be refined throughout one’s entire career. The movement pattern itself transfers to numerous other techniques including technical standups, granby rolls, and various guard-playing positions.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The hip escape represents the fundamental solution to the essential problem of bottom position: creating and maintaining distance from an opponent attempting to consolidate control. The movement’s effectiveness derives from basic biomechanical principles - by turning the body onto its side, we access the hip’s full range of motion, which is severely limited when lying flat on the back. The frame-bridge-shrimp sequence creates a kinetic chain where each element supports the next: frames provide the structural barrier preventing opponent advancement, the bridge disrupts their base and weight distribution, and the hip movement exploits this momentary disruption to create usable space. The technique’s power comes not from individual movements but from their proper sequencing and coordination. Common failures stem from attempting the shrimp without adequate framing or bridging, essentially asking the hips to generate space against an opponent’s full weight and settled base - a biomechanically impossible task. Students must understand that frame quality directly determines escape success rate; weak frames collapse under pressure regardless of hip movement quality. The hip escape should be viewed not as a single technique but as a fundamental movement pattern that appears throughout defensive and guard-playing positions.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the hip escape is your primary survival tool from bottom positions, and your success rate with this movement directly correlates with your ability to avoid being dominated. I use the hip escape constantly - not just for dramatic escapes from bad positions, but for micro-adjustments that prevent opponents from ever fully establishing their control. The key competitive application is understanding that you rarely escape with a single shrimp; elite opponents will follow your movement. Success comes from chaining multiple shrimps together while maintaining frame pressure, forcing opponents to choose between following your hips or maintaining their attacking position. This creates the hesitation and mental stack that allows the escape. Against high-level competition, I focus on explosive execution combined with deceptive timing - often initiating the escape when making eye contact or verbal engagement, as opponents instinctively reduce pressure slightly when their attention is divided. The frame strength component cannot be overstated; in competition, weak frames get crushed immediately. I specifically train frame endurance, holding frames against pressure for extended periods, because late in matches when you’re tired, frame collapse leads directly to mounted or back control positions. The hip escape is also essential for my guard retention system - I’m constantly shrimping to maintain distance as opponents attempt passes.
- Eddie Bravo: The hip escape is fundamental but we’ve developed specific applications within the 10th Planet system, particularly for guard recovery under no-gi conditions where collar grips aren’t available. What I teach students is that the standard hip escape is just the beginning - you need to understand the invisible spectrum between escaping away from opponent (standard shrimp) and escaping toward them (reverse shrimp for entries). This spectrum awareness opens up the entire Lockdown system, deep half entries, and Truck position access. The key innovation we emphasize is using the shrimp movement not just defensively but as a position-creation tool. When I shrimp toward opponent’s legs from bottom side control, I can access the Lockdown or Electric Chair entries that opponents aren’t defending because they expect escape away from them. We also heavily emphasize the running escape concept - consecutive shrimps creating cumulative distance - but with a twist: changing the angle slightly on each shrimp to prevent opponent from establishing a following rhythm. For no-gi specifically, the hip escape requires more emphasis on the bridge component since you can’t grip clothing to control distance; your frames and bridge must be more active and dynamic. Students should drill the shrimp-to-Rubber-Guard transition, using the space created to immediately establish Mission Control or other Rubber Guard positions rather than settling for basic closed guard.