I had another great class last week which has prompted another tree diagram. This one starts from butterfly guard (where you’re sat up, but with no over or underhooks). It then charts a few possibilities when you go for the arm drag and hunt for the back.
Before I get to the diagram, I learned two really awesome details to the arm drag – take the back sequence:
1. Don’t go for the second hook (early on) Once you’ve got your opponent in turtle, and you’ve got one hook in and the seat belt (arms wrapped around them, one under the armpit, one over) then the temptation is often to attempt to get the other hook.
My coach pointed out how getting the second hook can often lead to you getting shaken off over the top. This is because of the way you end up after the arm drag and with the seatbelt: you tend to be high on your opponent’s hips, and shimmying down when they are defending is awkward at that point.
Instead, roll your opponent over (by rolling over your own shoulder). The key detail to getting your opponent to roll is the seesaw principle which I will explain in another post soon (it’s so damn useful). Once they’re over, then cool detail number two comes in.
2) Don’t just try and put the second hook in – set it up. With your current lone hook, cross your ankles (so you’ve locked your ankles round their thigh) then you arch your back and stretch your opponent out and then you can go for the second hook. You’ll find it so much easier this way.
So here’s the tree diagram I put together for this sequence (click to make it clearer):
I’ve also found a video for the calf slicer finish in the diagram (the video doesn’t start from the arm drag, but apart from that the positions are the same):
The Patient Grappler 