The Matrix Back Take is an advanced transition from turtle position that exploits the opponent’s defensive posture to establish back control. This technique derives its name from the fluid, evasive movements required to navigate around the opponent’s defensive frames while maintaining constant pressure and connection. The Matrix Back Take is particularly effective when the opponent is tightly defending their turtle position with good base and posture, making traditional back take entries difficult. By using dynamic movement and precise weight distribution, the attacker can bypass the opponent’s defenses and secure the coveted back control position.
This technique requires excellent body awareness, timing, and the ability to read the opponent’s defensive reactions. The Matrix Back Take involves a series of coordinated movements that flow together seamlessly, creating a path to the back even when the opponent is actively defending. The key to success lies in maintaining constant connection to the opponent while continuously adjusting pressure and angles to prevent them from recovering guard or escaping to a better position. When executed properly, the Matrix Back Take feels effortless and creates minimal opportunity for the opponent to counter or escape.
The Matrix Back Take has become increasingly popular in modern no-gi grappling, where traditional gi-based controls are unavailable. It represents a sophisticated understanding of positional transitions and demonstrates the importance of movement quality over static pressure. This technique is commonly seen in high-level competition and is a staple in many contemporary back attack systems.
Starting Position: Turtle Ending Position: Back Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
Key Principles
- Maintain constant connection to opponent’s hips and upper body throughout the transition
- Use dynamic movement to bypass defensive frames rather than fighting through them
- Distribute weight intelligently to prevent opponent from recovering base or turning into you
- Control the near-side shoulder to limit opponent’s ability to turn and face you
- Flow continuously between positions without pausing or allowing opponent to settle
- Keep hips mobile and ready to adjust based on opponent’s defensive movements
- Establish hooks systematically, securing bottom hook before attempting top hook
Prerequisites
- Opponent is in turtle position with good defensive posture and base
- You have established control of opponent’s near-side shoulder and far-side hip
- Opponent is actively defending against traditional back take attempts
- You have the mobility and body awareness to execute fluid positional transitions
- Space exists between opponent’s elbow and knee on the near side for entry
- Your base is stable enough to support dynamic movement without compromising position
Execution Steps
- Establish initial control from turtle top: Begin from a strong turtle top position with your chest heavy on the opponent’s upper back. Secure a grip on the far-side hip with your far hand and control the near-side shoulder or lat with your near hand. Your weight should be distributed to prevent the opponent from sitting back or turning into you, while your knees maintain a wide base for stability. (Timing: Establish solid control before beginning the transition)
- Create angle and insert near-side arm: Begin to circle your body toward the opponent’s far side while maintaining pressure on their upper back. As you create this angle, thread your near-side arm deep under the opponent’s near-side armpit, reaching toward their far-side shoulder. This arm should be inserted deeply enough that your shoulder is pressed against their ribs, creating a strong connection point. (Timing: Coordinate angle creation with arm insertion in one smooth motion)
- Step near-side leg through: With your near-side arm deeply inserted, swing your near-side leg through the space between the opponent’s elbow and knee on the near side. Your foot should end up on the mat near the opponent’s far-side hip, with your knee maintaining connection to their near-side hip. This creates the beginning of the ‘matrix’ position where your body is perpendicular to the opponent’s torso. (Timing: Execute leg insertion while opponent is still processing arm control)
- Slide hips under opponent’s center line: Now perform the signature ‘matrix’ movement by sliding your hips underneath the opponent’s center of gravity while maintaining your arm and leg connections. Your back may briefly contact the mat as you slide through, resembling the backward lean from the movie Matrix. Keep your head and shoulders elevated to maintain pressure on the opponent’s upper body. (Timing: Smooth, continuous slide without pausing mid-transition)
- Establish bottom hook: As you emerge on the opponent’s far side with your hips underneath them, immediately insert your far-side leg as a bottom hook, curling it around the opponent’s near-side thigh. This hook should be deep, with your heel pulling toward the opponent’s groin area. The bottom hook is critical for preventing the opponent from turning into you or recovering guard. (Timing: Insert bottom hook immediately upon reaching the far side)
- Secure top hook and seatbelt control: With the bottom hook established, bring your near-side leg over the opponent’s far-side hip to establish the top hook. Simultaneously, adjust your arm position to achieve seatbelt control, with one arm over the opponent’s shoulder and the other under their armpit, hands clasped together on their chest. Apply back pressure by pulling with your hooks and squeezing your knees together. (Timing: Establish both hooks before opponent realizes they’ve lost the position)
- Flatten opponent and consolidate back control: Once both hooks are established with seatbelt control, work to flatten the opponent by pulling them backward with your hooks while driving your chest into their upper back. Break down their turtle structure completely and transition them to a fully supine position where you have dominant back control. Adjust your hooks as needed to maintain control and begin attacking for submissions. (Timing: Gradual pressure to break down structure without losing hooks)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent sits back heavily onto their heels as you attempt to insert your leg (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately switch to a traditional seat belt back take or truck entry. Use your near-side arm control to pull the opponent forward and off their base, then re-attempt the matrix entry or transition to an alternative back take.
- Opponent turns into you aggressively during the hip slide phase (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Allow the turn but maintain your arm and leg connections, transitioning to front headlock position or a modified anaconda/darce control. From here you can either finish a submission or work back to turtle top and re-attempt the technique.
- Opponent limp-arms and pulls their near elbow tight to their body, preventing leg insertion (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Switch to attacking the far-side back take by circling in the opposite direction, or use a harness-style control to lift the opponent’s hips and create the space needed for insertion. Alternatively, transition to a crucifix position by controlling the trapped near arm.
- Opponent rolls through as you’re sliding your hips underneath (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Maintain your connections and follow the roll, often ending up in a scramble position where you can still secure back control or transition to another dominant position like mount or side control. Use your superior position awareness to capitalize on the opponent’s movement.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the most critical connection point to maintain throughout the entire matrix back take transition? A: The near-side arm control on the opponent’s shoulder or lat is the most critical connection point. This arm acts as an anchor that prevents the opponent from turning into you while your body moves around them during the hip slide. Without maintaining this connection, the opponent can easily rotate toward you and eliminate your back take opportunity, potentially recovering guard or achieving a better position.
Q2: Why is it important to establish the bottom hook before attempting to secure the top hook? A: The bottom hook is your primary control point that prevents the opponent from turning into you or recovering guard. Attempting to establish both hooks simultaneously creates instability and gives the opponent the opportunity to sit back onto their heels or rotate away. By securing the bottom hook first, you create a stable base from which to safely establish the top hook without risking the entire position.
Q3: How should you respond if the opponent sits back heavily onto their heels as you attempt to insert your leg during the matrix entry? A: You should immediately switch to a traditional seat belt back take or truck entry rather than forcing the matrix slide. Use your near-side arm control to pull the opponent forward and off their base, which will create the space needed to either re-attempt the matrix entry from a better angle or transition to an alternative back take method. Forcing the technique when the opponent has countered effectively will result in loss of position.
Q4: What makes the matrix back take particularly effective against experienced turtle defenders? A: The matrix back take bypasses traditional defensive frames through dynamic movement rather than attempting to fight through them with static pressure. Experienced turtle defenders are very good at maintaining base and protecting against direct back take attempts, but the matrix slide creates an unexpected angle of attack that circumvents their usual defensive structures. The fluid, continuous movement of the technique makes it difficult for opponents to effectively counter once the sequence has begun.
Q5: Describe the proper weight distribution during the matrix hip slide phase and explain why it matters? A: During the hip slide, your weight should transfer smoothly from pressure on the opponent’s upper back to controlled pressure that maintains connection without crushing your own mobility. Your chest should remain heavy enough on their upper back to prevent them from posturing up, while your hips stay mobile and light enough to slide smoothly underneath their center of gravity. Proper weight distribution allows you to maintain control throughout the transition while preserving the movement quality necessary to complete the technique. Too much weight makes you slow and stuck; too little weight allows the opponent to escape or counter.
Q6: What is the purpose of controlling the opponent’s far-side hip during the matrix back take? A: Controlling the far-side hip serves multiple purposes: it prevents the opponent from rotating their hips away during your entry, it guides your own movement as you circle around their body, and it helps you maintain awareness of their body orientation throughout the transition. This grip limits the opponent’s defensive options by controlling their hip movement, which is essential for maintaining the proper angles needed to successfully slide underneath and establish back control.
Safety Considerations
The matrix back take is generally a safe technique when practiced with proper control and awareness. The primary safety concern is during the hip slide phase, where both practitioners are in somewhat vulnerable positions if coordination is lost. Always ensure your partner is comfortable with the movement before adding speed or resistance. When drilling, communicate clearly if you feel off-balance or unstable during the transition. Avoid slamming or dropping your weight suddenly during the slide, as this can cause neck or shoulder injuries to your partner. For the person in turtle, be aware that the matrix entry can feel disorienting the first few times, so tap early if you feel your balance compromised or if pressure on your neck becomes uncomfortable. When the technique is completed and back control is established, both practitioners should be mindful of proper hook placement to avoid knee or ankle injuries. The person on bottom should never explosively bridge or roll if hooks are deep, as this can strain joints. Progress slowly through the resistance levels in training progressions to allow both practitioners to develop the necessary body awareness and control.
Position Integration
The matrix back take is an advanced component of a comprehensive turtle top attacking system. It integrates seamlessly with other back take methods, particularly the traditional seat belt back take, truck entries, and crucifix transitions. The matrix entry becomes available when opponents are defending strongly in turtle with good base and posture, making direct back takes difficult. It’s often best employed as a secondary or tertiary option after probing the opponent’s defenses with more conventional entries. The technique connects naturally to the broader back attack system, where establishing back control opens up the entire arsenal of rear naked chokes, bow and arrow chokes, and arm attacks from the back. The matrix back take also shares similar entry mechanics with truck position entries, meaning practitioners can flow between these options based on the opponent’s defensive reactions. In competition contexts, the matrix back take is particularly valuable because turtle is an extremely common position where opponents frequently stall, and having a sophisticated entry system creates more opportunities to secure the high-scoring back position. The technique also reinforces important movement principles that apply across many positions, including maintaining connection during transitions, using angles rather than force, and reading opponent reactions to create openings.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The matrix back take exemplifies the principle that superior technique is about creating pathways of least resistance rather than overwhelming force. When analyzing this technique from a biomechanical perspective, we observe that the defender in turtle position has structural advantages that make direct back takes challenging against skilled opponents. Their base is typically strong, their defensive frames are well-positioned, and their ability to turn into attacks is preserved. The matrix entry solves this problem through a sophisticated application of angular momentum and weight distribution. By threading underneath the opponent’s center of gravity while maintaining critical connection points, you create a situation where their defensive structure becomes irrelevant. The defender cannot effectively defend against an attack coming from an angle their body position is not designed to address. The key technical element that practitioners often miss is the absolute necessity of maintaining shoulder control throughout the transition. Without this connection point, you are simply moving your body around an opponent who maintains the ability to track and counter your movement. With proper shoulder control, you create a fixed point around which your movement occurs, making the transition predictable and controllable. This is fundamental physics applied to grappling: establish a stable reference point, then move relative to that point.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the matrix back take is one of my highest percentage techniques from turtle precisely because most elite grapplers have developed such strong turtle defense. When everyone is defending the standard back take entries effectively, you need something unexpected in your arsenal. What makes this technique competition-viable is how quickly it can be executed once you recognize the opportunity. The entire sequence from initial entry to hooks established can happen in under three seconds if you’ve drilled it properly. That speed is crucial because in matches, your opponent will only give you small windows of opportunity. The key to making this work against high-level opponents is disguising your intention. I’ll typically threaten a standard back take or even a crucifix entry first to get my opponent focused on defending those attacks. Once they’re committed to that defensive mindset, the matrix entry becomes available because they’re not expecting the angular change. One thing I emphasize is never attempting this technique if you haven’t secured proper control of the far hip. That hip control is what allows you to guide the opponent’s body orientation during your entry, and without it, you’re just hoping they don’t move. In competition, hope is not a strategy. The other critical detail is maintaining offensive pressure even as you transition. The moment you pause or hesitate during the hip slide, experienced opponents will capitalize and escape or counter.
- Eddie Bravo: The matrix back take is pure flow, man. It’s about becoming water and moving around obstacles rather than trying to smash through them. This is exactly the kind of technique that represents the evolution of no-gi grappling, where you can’t rely on gi grips to force positions, so you have to develop this smooth, almost dance-like movement quality. What I love about this entry is that it completely violates the opponent’s expectations of how back takes should work. They’re expecting you to come over the top or maybe go around the side, but suddenly you’re sliding underneath them like you’re doing the limbo. That moment of confusion is everything. In 10th Planet, we’ve integrated the matrix entry into our turtle top system, and it chains beautifully with our truck game. If the opponent tries to counter by rolling, they’re often giving you truck position, which is exactly where we want to be anyway. The variation I teach involves looking for this entry specifically when the opponent is really tight and defensive in turtle, especially if they’re a no-gi specialist who understands traditional back takes. The matrix gives you an option when conventional entries aren’t there. One thing I stress is not forcing the technique if the angle isn’t right. This is a position of opportunity, not a position of force. You need to feel when the opponent’s weight is distributed in a way that allows the slide, and if you try to make it happen when it’s not there, you’ll just end up in a bad scramble.