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Blue belt · Escape · Core

Sprawl

The defense to a shot on your legs: throw your hips back and land your weight on their head and shoulders. A good sprawl turns their takedown into your front headlock.

Standing Front headlock

Wrestling Moves - Sprawl by Ben Askren · BJJ Fanatics · YouTube

Step by step

  1. Read the shot: their head drops and their shoulders come at your hips.
  2. Throw your legs back and wide, hips down to the mat, toes dug in.
  3. Drop your chest onto their head and shoulders; get an underhook or a whizzer to stop the wrap.
  4. Circle off to their side or lock a front headlock.

Details that make it work

  • Hips first: the sprawl is about getting your hips away from their hands.
  • Heavy hips on their shoulders keep them stuck and tired.

Common mistakes

  • Sprawling with your hips high, so they just lift a leg.
  • Sprawling and then staying still instead of spinning behind or snapping their head.

Drill it

Solo: 20 sprawls back to stance. Partner: shot-and-sprawl reactions, 2 × 1 min.

If it fails, or what comes next

Set it up from

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