Erik Paulson - Kneebar from Triangle Escape

[RabidxPanda]

this is the meanest thing ever.  i am terrified.

[XiaoLinLong]

Sensei, could you talk more about your training back with Sifu Inosanto and Sensei Yori? I'd love to hear some old war stories lol 

[DJFilmsCorp]

I cant get enough of this stuff, so original

[PandawdyBob]

I've used this escape before and it worked, even after the triangle was fully set

[wondeboy12]

@PandawdyBob Surely you where alot heavier to make that work?

[PandawdyBob]

@wondeboy12 I've always been heavy. But really once you get your leg over, you can pop your head out. Of course you have to work fast, and if you mess it up, it's over.

[wondeboy12]

@PandawdyBob Oh ok so all providing you can get the leg over there is usually enough leverage to make it work (providing you havnt passed out while attempting?) AWESOME being competition I dont really give 2 shits about passing out so I'll risk a several second sleep.

Or is it too risky potentiall if the armbar is in too?

sorry if i sound silly I'm a wrestler & got a green belt in judo in highschool so basic grappling, throws, slams I'm good for but crafty shit like this is all brand new.

[PandawdyBob]

@wondeboy12 Been quite a while since I've practiced anything. But if I remember correctly, the main thing is getting your leg over. The more experienced people I rolled with never really tried a triangle on me. Even if they were far, far more experienced. It was lesser experienced guys that would catch me in a triangle. Weird eh? But the this escape did work on them.

[wondeboy12]

@PandawdyBob Well I've mostly done boxing & kickboxing & a little wrestling, some skills dont hurt but for the most part its all fresh.

The impression I get from the triangle is its like a spinning heel kick & I'll paraphrase Bas on his take on more difficult kicks "dont try unless you're 99.9% sure you are going to land it!" because normally you are vunrable when starting, they are easy to see comming & if you miss you wasted a move & left yourself open to a world of hurt.

[PandawdyBob]

@wondeboy12 I agree with you. The standard triangle leaves you open if you don't pull it off just right. In fact, I don't think I ever finished anyone with a triangle except for one guy that just gave up because he was tired. There are some good follow ups in case the triangle fails, but I would never attempt it unless I was 100% sure I could finish with it.

[wondeboy12]

@PandawdyBob Well it is training useing that excuse I mess with rubber guard on the less tallented whitebelts so I can learn about the move (I'm gifted with incredible natural flexability & did TKD as a kid) it hardly ever works but If I never try I will never learn & the less tallented ones usually cant do much after balking me meaning I can switch to something else.

Honestly I've gotten more gogoplatas then triangle chokes & as of yet have never gotten a tringle in no ghi it's a tough move.

[crazyman2323]

he shouldnt have to tap 5 times on every submission. the other dude is either cranking really fuckin hard or he just overdoing it for emphasis

[mrpopenfresh]

@crazyman2323

When you're doing leglocks, it gets painful really quick, and if it's on too long it can seriously fuck you up.

[thenewgeneration123]

Trust me this is the best triangle escape, i was in a grappling match, and he hade the triangle locked in, i put both my hands on his belly and pressed, then moved over his head, but its hard if he starts to try to roll to the side

[1lostinspace]

yeah right who is doing the triangle my grandmother

[Patricktsf]

That is awesome if not brilliant

[judoka1976]

This move relly rocks. But you have to be acreful and act very fast in order to avoid the triangle. A guy with good reflexes will finish you in 3 seconds. Nice video!

[logicomega7]

Na, I totally disagree. It's nearly impossible to catch good grapplers with weaker, unorthodox techniques. Basics still work best. LOL, catch Marcelo in a triangle?? That sounds stupid to me. Black belts rarely are able to triangle one another, it's just simple math.

[MrPolskaDuma]

@logicomega7 I definitley agree that basics are best. However, I don't understand why are MMA fighters caught in triangles if they are black belts in BJJ?

[choochoogoesit]

@MrPolskaDuma Black belts probably don't expect another black belt to be looking for a triangle. Plus... adrenaline... fists flying at you. Lots of things can cloud your 'vision' during a fight.

[Darkray16]

@logicomega7 I agree with you about catching advanced wrestlers with unorthodox techniques, but I would consider a triangle one of the basic techniques.

[choochoogoesit]

@Darkray16 It's a white belt move, as far as I know.

[beeefbeast]

@logicomega7 he got triangled in the last adcc

[KJGould]

There are usually three stages to sub defense. Avoidance, escape/ counter as the move is being put on, and escape/counter as the move is fully on. It's worth knowing all 3 because it's not a perfect world and even the best in the world can get caught (eg Marcelo Garcia even at this stage can still be susceptible to triangles / fig-four leg chokes).

Paulson shows how good posture can help avoid a triangle being fully locked in. He has other escapes when his posture is broken & it's fully locked

[pie138]

beautiful video by the way.

[pie138]

every generation and decade will be known for something. i feel like a huge part of ours will be these youtube comments. any kind of new music? what new era have we entered? my generation is so boring. ugh.

[marsnall]

0:08 hahahahha hilarious

[meleemonkey14]

the best defense against a triangle is to not get caught in one. i would learn how to defend it before u try to learn how to get out of one because against some one who knows what there doing the triangle choke VERY hard to get out of.

[tabwyo]

@meleemonkey14

Defend, Escape & Counter. Seems that this covers the last two. I haven't found a guy yet who doesn't "just get caught" every once in a while. Lets see your bulletproof vid on "never getting caught".

[meleemonkey14]

whats your problem dude i was just saying that when someone has a triangle in deep it is very hard to get out of. i never said anything about me knowing some way to never get caught. like u said u are going to get put in one every now and then but it helps a lot to know how to stop it B4 it happens!!!!!

[tabwyo]

@meleemonkey14

My problem is with people who spout off like know-it-alls to one of the best trainers and practitioners in the world.

[meleemonkey14]

wow you really need to learn to read. I never said anything bad about the guy teaching this or this move and i never said i know it all!!! all i was saying is to learn to defend and escape......DUMB ASS!!!!

[tabwyo]

@meleemonkey14

Hey DUMB ASS, what Erik is demostrating is an ESCAPE. "The best defense is to not get caught" is about as retarded as saying "the best way to never get a speeding ticket is to never learn how to drive. If you don't want to get caught then don't fight. Just don't spout off like some grappling guru and not expect a reply.

[meleemonkey14]

are u really that stupid. i don't know what part of my comment offended u, all i said is to learn to defend a triangle. i guess its just a case of PMS or something!!! and it would be the best way to never get a speeding ticket is to never speed!!!!! same thing here if u never give the guy the opportunity he cant put one in!!! Fucking dumb ass!!!!.

[tabwyo]

@meleemonkey14

I guess my "offense" to the OP I commented on was how I took it.  Kind of come off like you were saying "this idiot can't stay out of a triangle". I'd take the same dislike to any sort of comment to a video demostrating anything that stated "well... the best way to avoid **** is to not get caught in ****". On top of the fact that you seem to be critisizing one of the top submission fighters/trainers in the game. But then again I may just be off my meds.

[tigerchief]

sometimes i let guys triangle me so i can feel their dong against my face. i'm a very sexy black man with long fingers.

[OctagonBiTcH]

@tigerchief LMAO

[Got2DeadLift]

I love to be put in triangles!! Sometimes I bait guys into triangling me. I'll lay my arm out or stick my neck in deep and wait for that fighter to triangle me once he locks in POWERBOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a powerlifter and its very very effective if you have brute power and strength than Slamming is your way out. Sometimes I let guys guillotine choke me so I can suplex them.

[SoUthinkURtough]

just want to say thanks from all the guys at the gyms you train at for slamming us...

[AmbitionHCD]

wont work on someone who knows wha he's doing. For one, I know several defenses to prevent people from standing out of a triangle. Secondly, if a jiu jitsu practitioner knows how to correctly slap the mat, you'll just land, still in the triangle.

[scottytissue456]

if they do the technique right it can be almost impossible to lift the person up.. becarful powerbombing people.. if you doing that to your friends.. because that can cause serious injury

[allan2780]

wow the keyboard ninjas debate

[Jade27041989]

this wont work unless teh triangle guy sucks....

you turn yourself directly into his triangle when doing the escape of this video ...

being in a trinangle and going to the side where your arm is free -> makes the trinagle hella tight

all the guard guy has to do is move his body a bit towards his right and stretch the hips

-> he will choke the other guy out in 3 seconds

[Jonobos]

You will are unlikely to escape any submission if you wait until it is locked in

[irritatedpsycho]

I tried this. its really really hard but with a little extra muscle put behind it works.

[robertgrzz]

hes just being for the demostration what can you learn from that honestly this is a dumb statement your gay

[sukotsutoclone2]

lol of course Erik Paulson would know. check out his wiki and look at his credentials

[MartinezMuayThai]

I was being sarcastic I know who he is I had trained with him a while back he is an awesome coach.

[NakhitX]

i think i could make this work after all if it doesnt work there is all ways the judo escape by prying the legs open available in one of the other vids

[robertgrzz]

theres one thing wrong with this picture when the guy is puting the triangle he is not grabbing the head this would never work against anyone who actually knows how to do a triangle

[dquikdrawmcgraw]

I understand what you are saying, if someone has it completely locked in this probably won't work, but from the partial triangle, which a lot of people do to initiate a triangle, this will work pretty well.

I don't know if you have seen it, but some people throw their legs up and around to gain control of the head and shoulder and cinch the person down to finish. this works well as a counter to that technique.

[robertgrzz]

i agree but maybe its because im only been doing jits for 3 years and alot of other people on my team have been doin it longer ive had little or no sucess so far ill keep trying it I havnt got the knee bar but i have escaped a triangle while trying this

[oogie4486]

False, this will work, as long as you posture up, as paulson says "Head in Hip up". As you said most guys setup with the "square" (loose version of the triangle) and adjust into it. This would be an ideal time to use this triangle break. I do this all the time to guys in my school and it works. Obviously nothing works 100% of the time, but this is my favorite triangle escape

[robertgrzz]

my fav triangle escape is not getting in a triangle in the first place

[oogie4486]

well put!! But sometimes these moves sneak up on you in transition and its good to know a few escapes!

[eyezaya]

shoot i have to learn this stuff the only way i get out of triangles is slamming thst person

[robertgrzz]

there is other ways this is not one of them

[dquikdrawmcgraw]

I got the toe hold off of this the other day. I didn't have to go unusually fast either. It's all about staying tight and maintaining control. And yes the guy I caught was experienced, he was a blue belt. I was nervous at first because I felt like I was going to turn into the choke but the forearm in the throat and then leg on the other side of his body allowed me to control his hips and posture up. Great technique from Erik as usual!

[fritzdagger]

that isn't a usable escape!

anyguy with any experiance wants you to turn that way anyways. your just choking your self.

i dont know why everyones thinks its so cool.

[lordad]

Thats what i thought , too

[pyro458]

Thats badass

[cobrakeister]

Yeah, I never have hit a counter sub off off this. I use it to ESCAPE lol. I'm not quite at the level to fall into the kneebar. i end up fighting like hell just to twist out of the triangle even after i step over.

[dragowooo]

nice technique but its REALLY hard(near impossible) to sink in both submissions if my opponent is strong and stubbornly figure-fours his legs from 0:19 onwards. Any ideas?

[ParagonJr]

The move should be extremly quick leaving your opponent off guard for even maybe a second i found tho if i can not kneebar my opponent i just use this move to escape a tight triangle

[quake9057]

It's pretty easy to adjust when they figure four their legs. For example if you try to kneebar the left leg and they figure four you just start workin ankle locks, toe holds, and heel hooks on the right leg. That way they have to release the figure four or get finished by the other lock. You may have to go back and fourth a few times but eventually something should open up.

[gutierran]

if your opponent figure fours his legs and your going for the kneebar, and your sitting on his chest, you can go for a calf crusher, he'll tap in seconds.

[drkglass01]

Very nice lesson.

[sebastianbrosche]

is there any position from which you don't know a submission?

[tybonertyj12]

how do u get out of a knee bar

[MooneShadow]

Twist your body around so the knee is facing away from him and it is bending in a natural way. If he applies and has a tight grip your done for. You have to do it as he is trying to apply it. If its executed and you dont read into the knee bar fast enough your done for. : )

[vulturized]

I like the concept but the move is predicated on the fact that the guy performing the triangle is doing so loosely with no head control, allowing Erik to posture up to begin the move. A higher skilled opponent performing the triangle is going to do a much better job of controlling the head and keeping everything in tight. There's no doubt it would work against someone not doing these things though.

[desensitia]

I want to state, I am not arguing with you. Your points are true. I would like to add to what you were getting at toward the end of your comment, though. People nail textbook triangles. But how often do people go for them and not get them? I am positive you know that nailing every aspect of nearly any hold/lock is difficult and is often due to luck, a mistake on some part. The majority of counters exist due to the fact that almost no "move" will be perfect. You made a good point, though.

[vulturized]

I agree with you on your assessment that most moves are not going to be nailed to perfection, which leaves the opening for a potential counter. Just throwing an observation out there on this particular one, but I do understand and appreciate your point. Thanks for the reply, and happy training.

[MooneShadow]

Factor in fatiuge, and the fight over time factor, people tend to get sloppy as they tire out. If you can execute this and read into it you can execute it with out problem. If they are fresh and strong then the triangle might trump. Depending on the fight you look for mistakes then capitalize. This is just one of those... ok Ill keep that in mind if someone makes a mistake like this techniques.

[Hellride7]

sick...i havent been doing this for very long (about 8 months) and there is one guy that i train with every now and then and hes good at doing triangle and i always get caught...hopefully i will have a chance to give this a go...and practice it of course.

thanks erik!

[Triangle2armbar]

great thanks for the post

[uckushtar]

First off Scott.. you're a fag black belt.

Secondly thank you to the guys with this video. Most people don't offer productive counters.

[hannibalslaughter]

This channel is great because it shows a lot of counter attacks from a position that nobody would want to be in.

[giusepe125]

thaks for the tip!!!!

[haygoodfly]

lol... clap on... clap off

[QSN2006]

"lol... clap on... clap off"

ROFL! Well done Haygoodfly.

[haygoodfly]

oh the joys of being a demonstration aid

[hollerfirst]

nice

[passwordthisasspart2]

You have to begin the counter before it is locked in that is why it is a counter . In boxing when they say counter the hook with a straight right , they don't mean after it hits your face . So the posts that are like well he didn'thave it locked in ....... NO SHIT GENIUS !!

[choochoogoesit]

@passwordthisasspart2 lmao.

[rommelcs79]

Nice transition to knee bar. awesome.

[jugzy86]

stopping that escape is easy..whatever side he tries to circle around to you simply keep that are posted on his hip..youll circle with him. taking his angle away..switch it over to armbar if tri feels loose

[AIRTIGHT31]

That kneebar counter looks loose as a old ho's snatch.

[11Tibor11]

His leglocks are really great.

[mixmasternut]

Last night I tried to do that on Cub Swanson (brown belt who trains under Paulson- WEC featherweight), but his triangle was to tight for me to fully circle around to kneebar. But I'm also a newb and now see where I might have gone wrong.  I tapped hard!!!lol

[tommybrown2068]

the key thing i see missing from a lot of these escape videos is there assuming the guy is not using his arms. pulling the head down and keeping the arm in position are what makes the choke work in the first place

[whatevar]

The thing with these escapes is that you execute it BEFORE they get the triangle locked in, they're called submissions for a reason because once the sub is completed and sunk in, there's no way in hell you are getting out of it.

[tommybrown2068]

no way in hell depending on the skill of the person submitting and a submission is only completed when there is a tap

[whatevar]

Not true, there is about a 3-4 second timeframe before a person passes out from a blood choke, and even longer for an air choke. A tap doesn't mean the submission is completed, it just means the person has given up, I see some fighters tap out of a half-assed armbar.

[bjjche]

im not sold, an under hook will counter that before it starts

[electronikita]

exactly!

[iwait4death]

thats a fuckin sweet counter

[ibjames1118]

true dissevered

[youthwrestler]

thanks for the posting

this was really good for me, as a young wrestler

[justinGP12345]

Ill try this in class today while rolling.

[rocknroll1984]

how can you people honestly say that what he is teaching doesn't work? erik paulson is a bad ass and would give any fighter a run for his money even fedor would have trouble with him. if you were actual fighters instead of speculators you would know that this really does work

[bjjche]

i wouldnt dout erik he is a badass, but this tech will not work agaist a good triangle

[rocknroll1984]

the point of the technique is to execute it before he has a chance to angle out after he locks it in(yes you're probly done for if they angle),but i did do a version of this escape at a tournament a couple of weekends ago and finished with a knee bar so it does work you just have to be quick with it.

[bjjche]

ok you got a point, everything has a use i guess

im just partial to the triangle so i feel it wouldnt work on me but who knows anything can always happen

[honuamakaniahi]

haha brah speculators isnt a word but I totally agree with you. Erik has been around for a very very long time and knows his shit. He is a very skilled fighter.

[TaiRhee]

i hope this is more along the lines of an exhibition of moves not more of a how to. What exactly breaks the triangle?

[ibjames1118]

The things that breake the triangle are:1.The space he created for his neck when he stacked his opponent 2. The fact that he is using the spin as a way to escape out the "back door" which in this case you cannot do without a spin. By spinning he is increasing the speed in which his head moves away from the direction of the choke therefor generating enough force to pull his head out from between his opponents legs.

[ibjames1118]

If your opponent is appling a lot of pressure it may hurt your ears but it will work.

[dissevered]

if you noticed, he made his move before the triangle was fully locked... Most escapes have to do with countering before the move is in full effect.

[ibjames1118]

True

[musclebodylifter]

alot of face sitting

[xxboss]

that was the best triangel escape i ever saw.

nom im goint 2 use that Move when im grappling

[gwhite770]

This escape looks good but probably wont work very well realistically instead you should look at GSP's triangle defense very effective and from a proven fighter

[robnajar]

Erik is a proven fighter. First American to compete in Japan and win the Shooto Championship. He also trains many pro fighters (Josh Barnett & Cub Swanson).

[gwhite770]

Im not saying erik isnt a great fighter because he is im saying that it would be hard for the average guy to pull off that move in competition

[Hawaiimuthafukka]

Eric paulson is badass, and he does what works for him, but it seems to me he should spin the opposite way. No kneebar, but this is a high percentage triangle escape for me. I have used it effectively on Relson gracie brown belts. The human head weighs ten pounds.

[tobigforyou]

the best triangle esape i'ver ever seen

[Videofrigate69]

Wow! I like that and I was never taught that in my JJ class!

[blkescalade]

he was tapping on his azz lol

[1lostinspace]

lol if the triangle is closed there is no escape yet alone a knee bar.

You might pull this off on a blue belt.

[katocujokoa]

im going to try working this tonight,thanks for sharing eric

[licruz]

That's a great move, I definately have to put that at the top of my playbook!

[heartbreakhero]

this would never work if the guy on the bottom has a decent triangle. Spinning away from the trapped arm will tighten the choke...duh!!!

[Ninearm]

And a kick to the balls, would be the solution

[ThaSuper1]

ThaSuper1 on my space. or google me.

[J3r3meee]

good instructional video, but tap means stop, haha

[samson98]

Thank you Erik! Very helpful.