The transition to Truck is a fundamental movement within the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system and modern no-gi grappling. When an opponent assumes the turtle position, the Truck offers a devastating alternative to traditional back takes, providing access to the Twister submission, various calf slicers, and back control options. The Truck position involves controlling the opponent’s leg while maintaining a specific body configuration that creates the signature “truck” shape - hence the name. This transition is particularly effective because it exploits the turtle position’s inherent vulnerability to leg attacks while the opponent focuses on defending their neck and preventing traditional back takes. The Truck serves as a gateway position within the larger Twister system, allowing the attacker to create multiple submission threats simultaneously. What makes this transition especially valuable is its ability to bypass traditional back defense protocols, as most practitioners are conditioned to defend against seat belt control rather than leg-based attacks from turtle. The success of this transition relies on timing, understanding weight distribution, and the ability to coordinate upper and lower body control simultaneously.
From Position: Turtle (Top) Success Rate: 60%
Possible Outcomes
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute technique | Prevent or counter |
| Key Principles | Control the far leg while maintaining pressure on the turtle… | Deny far leg access by keeping knees together and elbows tig… |
| Options | 7 execution steps | 4 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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Control the far leg while maintaining pressure on the turtle
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Create angles by positioning your body perpendicular to opponent
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Use your leg as a hook to prevent opponent from rolling away
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Maintain constant pressure to prevent opponent from standing or recovering guard
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Coordinate upper body grips with lower body positioning
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Understand the relationship between Truck and other back attack systems
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Recognize timing windows when opponent commits weight forward
Execution Steps
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Establish side position: From turtle, position yourself perpendicular to your opponent’s body, chest to their ribs. Establish…
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Secure the far leg: Reach your far arm under their body and grip their far knee or shin from the inside. This grip is cr…
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Insert your leg hook: Thread your near leg (the leg closest to their hips) under their far leg, inserting your shin behind…
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Triangle your legs: Bring your far leg over and lock it with your near leg, creating a figure-four or triangle configura…
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Adjust body position: Roll slightly onto your side, facing the same direction as your opponent while maintaining the leg t…
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Establish boot pressure: Press your free foot firmly against the opponent’s hip or upper thigh, creating the boot pressure th…
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Consolidate Truck control: Secure upper body control by gripping their far arm or controlling their shoulder. Your leg triangle…
Common Mistakes
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Attempting to triangle your legs before securing proper control of the far leg
- Consequence: Opponent easily extracts their leg and escapes to half guard or recovers to standing, wasting the entire setup and giving up positional advantage
- Correction: Always establish a solid grip on the far leg first with your reaching arm. Pull it toward you and feel the control before attempting to insert your hook. The grip comes first, then the leg insertion.
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Positioning your body parallel to the opponent instead of perpendicular
- Consequence: Cannot create the proper leverage for the Truck, opponent can easily defend by sitting back or rolling, and you lose mechanical advantage for all submissions
- Correction: Maintain a perpendicular angle throughout the transition. Your chest should be against their side ribs, not their back. Think of creating an ‘L’ or ‘T’ shape with your bodies.
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Releasing upper body control to focus entirely on the leg triangle
- Consequence: Opponent can explosively stand up, turn into you, or hand fight to prevent the Truck completion, potentially reversing position entirely
- Correction: Maintain at least one point of upper body control at all times - collar tie, cross face, or shoulder grip. Coordinate upper and lower body control simultaneously rather than sequentially.
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Deny far leg access by keeping knees together and elbows tight to inner thighs in turtle
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Recognize the attack immediately - any reaching under your body for the far leg signals Truck intent
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React explosively before the leg triangle locks rather than defending passively after it sets
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Sit back toward your heels to shift weight posteriorly when you sense the attacker moving perpendicular
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Keep your trapped leg bent and actively resisting extension to prevent the figure-four from locking
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Prioritize standing up or sitting through over remaining in turtle once the Truck threat is identified
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If the triangle locks, address boot pressure first since it is the engine of the entire control system
Recognition Cues
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Opponent shifts from directly behind you to a perpendicular angle against your ribs, changing from chest-on-back pressure to side-riding position
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You feel a hand or arm reaching under your body to grip your far knee or shin from the inside, threading between your body and the mat
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Opponent’s near leg begins threading between your legs or behind your far thigh, with their shin contacting the back of your leg
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Weight pressure shifts from your upper back to your hip area as the attacker drops lower to access your legs
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You feel the attacker’s chest disengage from your upper back and reposition against your lower ribs or hip, indicating they are abandoning traditional back take for Truck entry
Defensive Options
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Explosive sit-back to heavy base - drive your hips back toward your heels and flatten your body, squeezing your knees together to deny far leg access - When: Early stage when you first feel the attacker shift to perpendicular position or reach for your far leg, before any hook is inserted
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Stand up explosively by posting your hands and driving upward, pulling your far leg away from the attacker’s reach - When: When you feel the attacker commit their weight low to your hips for the leg entry, creating space above for you to stand before the triangle locks
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Granby roll away from the hooking leg - execute an explosive shoulder roll toward the side opposite the attacker’s leg insertion - When: When the attacker has partially inserted their hook but has not yet locked the triangle with their second leg
Position Integration
The Truck transition is a critical component of modern no-gi grappling and the 10th Planet system, serving as a bridge between traditional back attacks and leg-based submissions. Within your overall BJJ game, the Truck provides an alternative path when opponents defend against conventional back takes from turtle. It integrates seamlessly with other turtle attacking sequences - if your traditional back take is defended, you can switch to Truck; if your Truck entry is stuffed, you can return to back control attempts. This creates an attacking loop that’s difficult to defend completely. The Truck also connects your top game to your leg lock system, as successful entries open up the entire lower body submission network including calf slicers and banana splits depending on your ruleset. For competitors, the Truck is particularly valuable because many opponents are not well-versed in defending it compared to more common positions, creating knowledge gaps you can exploit. The position also serves as an excellent entry point for learning the biomechanics of leg entanglements, as the leg triangle in Truck shares similarities with configurations in other positions like Ashi Garami variants. Understanding the Truck improves your overall positional awareness and submission chaining abilities across your entire game.