Hip Escape

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.

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Attempting to shrimp without first establishing frames
- Consequence: Opponent easily follows hip movement and maintains crushing pressure, negating any space created. Without frames, opponent simply slides their body along with your escape attempt.
- Correction: Always establish strong frames before initiating hip movement. Frames create the structural barrier that maintains the space you create. Practice static framing drills to develop proper frame strength and positioning.
Mistake: Shrimping in small, weak movements instead of explosive escapes
- Consequence: Insufficient space created to insert knee or recover guard. Small movements are easily countered and waste energy without achieving escape objective.
- Correction: Execute each shrimp with maximum explosiveness, creating 6-12 inches of space per movement. Drive powerfully off the outside foot and engage core muscles fully. Quality over quantity - one powerful shrimp is better than three weak ones.
Mistake: Failing to turn body onto side during hip escape
- Consequence: Remaining flat on back limits hip mobility and makes it impossible to create adequate space or proper angles for guard recovery.
- Correction: Always turn shoulders and upper body onto side as hips move. Think of creating a wedge shape with your body. Practice solo shrimping drills focusing on proper body rotation coordinated with hip movement.
Mistake: Forgetting to bridge before shrimping
- Consequence: No disruption to opponent’s base or weight distribution, making it much harder to move hips and create space against settled pressure.
- Correction: Always bridge first to create initial separation and off-balance opponent. The bridge-and-shrimp should be one fluid motion: bridge UP, turn ONTO side, slide hips AWAY. Practice the complete sequence until it becomes automatic.
Mistake: Attempting escape without proper timing awareness
- Consequence: Escaping directly into opponent’s pressure or when their base is most stable results in wasted energy and failed escape attempts.
- Correction: Learn to feel opponent’s weight distribution and time escapes when opponent shifts weight, reaches for submissions, or adjusts position. Practice with progressive resistance to develop sensitivity to optimal escape windows.
Mistake: Giving up after single failed shrimp attempt
- Consequence: Accepting inferior position when multiple chained shrimps could create cumulative space for successful escape.
- Correction: Develop mental toughness to chain 3-5 consecutive shrimps if needed. Each escape creates incremental space that adds up. Practice high-repetition escape drills under pressure to build both technical skill and mental resilience.

Training Progressions

Week 1-2: Solo Movement - Develop proper shrimping mechanics without resistance Practice solo shrimping across the mat, focusing on explosive hip movement, proper body rotation, and coordinated footwork. Perform 5-10 minute solo drilling sessions at start of each training. Emphasize quality of movement over speed initially. (Resistance: None)

Week 3-4: Partner Framing - Add frame establishment and maintenance with static partner Partner holds modified side control position without applying pressure. Practice establishing frames, executing bridge and shrimp, and recovering guard position. Partner remains passive but maintains position structure. Focus on smooth integration of frames with hip movement. (Resistance: None)

Week 5-8: Progressive Resistance - Escape against increasing levels of pressure and following Partner applies 25-50% pressure and attempts to follow hip escapes. Practice timing, multiple chained shrimps, and dealing with opponent who follows. Partner provides feedback on frame strength and escape effectiveness. Gradually increase resistance as success rate improves. (Resistance: Light)

Week 9-12: Positional Sparring - Escape from fully established pins with active resistance Start in bottom side control, mount, or knee on belly with partner applying full pressure and defending your escapes. Practice recognizing optimal timing windows, dealing with submission threats during escapes, and chaining techniques. 5-minute rounds with reset after successful escape or submission. (Resistance: Medium)

Week 13-16: Integration and Combinations - Combine hip escape with alternative escape routes Train hip escape as part of complete escape system, flowing between shrimp escapes, technical standups, granby rolls, and other defensive movements based on opponent reactions. Partner applies full resistance and attempts to counter known escape patterns. (Resistance: Full)

Ongoing: Maintenance and Refinement - Continue refining technique under live training conditions Include hip escape drilling in regular warm-ups. Seek opportunities during live sparring to execute against resisting opponents of various sizes and skill levels. Film training to analyze technique and identify areas for improvement. Study high-level competitors’ escape mechanics. (Resistance: Full)

Variations

Running Escape (Multiple Shrimps): Chain 3-5 consecutive shrimps together in rapid succession, creating cumulative distance. Each shrimp builds on the previous one, with frames being re-established between each movement. Particularly effective against opponents who excel at following single shrimp attempts. (When to use: When single shrimp doesn’t create sufficient space or opponent is skilled at following your hip movement. Also effective when you have good cardio and opponent is tired or less mobile.)

Shrimp to Technical Standup: Execute initial shrimp to create space, but instead of recovering to guard, post hand and transition to technical standup position. Creates more distance and gets you vertical, though requires more space and timing than guard recovery. (When to use: When sufficient space is created and opponent’s base is compromised. Particularly useful in no-gi or when you prefer standing exchanges. Best against opponents who excel at guard passing but struggle with standing situations.)

Reverse Shrimp: Shrimp movement executed toward opponent rather than away, typically used to create specific angles for underhook establishment, deep half entry, or leg entanglement access. Counter-intuitive but highly effective for position entries. (When to use: When opponent is heavily committed to preventing standard escape direction. Creates unexpected angles and opportunities for alternative guards like deep half or single leg X. Advanced timing required.)

Bridge-and-Shrimp from Mount: Modified version emphasizing higher bridge and specific escape angles for mount position. Bridge direction is toward opponent’s head while shrimp moves hips out from under opponent’s legs. Requires precise timing with opponent’s posting or weight shift. (When to use: Specifically for mount escape situations. More explosive bridge required than from side control. Time execution when opponent sits up, reaches for submissions, or posts hands.)

Knee Shield Shrimp: Shrimp executed while already having knee shield established, used to further improve position or recover from compromised half guard. Focuses on hip movement while maintaining knee pressure against opponent. (When to use: From half guard or knee shield positions when opponent is driving pressure and you need to create better angles or prevent them from establishing dominant position. Also useful for transitioning between guard variations.)

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.