Arm Crush in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Why Should You Learn?

There are many ways to submit to your opponent in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You can have chokes, locks, and many other techniques. It all depends on which method you prefer and also on the situation of the game. One of the most common ways people make submissions in BJJ is through arm locks. There are various arm locks, all with the same purpose of submission. One of the arm locks you can try is the arm crush. You have heard of an armbar, but your arm crush is also an arm lock like an armbar, with a bit of variation. This is also a very effective submission technique. This article will dive into the details of arm crush and why you must learn arm crush in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Arm crush is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu move in which you apply pressure and force on your opponent’s forearm. You do this by trapping their arms and then using your arms to apply pressure and generate force.

Learning an arm crush will equip you with a submission technique that has a lot of benefits for you. The following are some reasons you must learn BJJ arm crush:

• First, you should learn arm crush in BJJ because you have multiple opportunities for executing an arm crush on your opponents. In most submission techniques, you must rely on specific positions to execute such submissions.

• But this is not the case with the BJJ arm crush. This submission technique is versatile. You can use this submission technique in various positions. Whether in half guard, close guard, butterfly guard, or failed armbar, you can have this beautiful submission technique on your opponent.

• Many submission techniques in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu have the risk that they can cause injury to the one receiving the technique. Therefore, they have to stay very mindful of such submission techniques. They should immediately tap out if they do not see any chance of escaping. Otherwise, they can get seriously injured.

• But this is not the case with arm crush. It is one of the safest submission techniques in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You can execute it without any risk of injury to your opponent. This also makes it the best submission move to train with your opponents. You don’t have to have your coach supervise you just to avoid any serious circumstances.

• The third benefit of arm crush is that it generates a lot of power. The force applied using the arm crush on your opponent’s forearm is immense. You can easily submit your opponent. This increases the chances of your opponent using this technique as compared to other techniques. This again increases your chances for submitting your opponent.

• The reason that it generates immense power is that this submission technique uses your entire body to execute this move perfectly. You are using both your arms and other body parts to generate force, which, when applied to your opponent’s forearm, crushes them, leading them to tap out.

Another reason you should learn this arm crush submission technique is that you need to put minimal effort to execute this technique. You don’t need to be very powerful or muscular, and you don't need to apply full power to generate force on your opponent’s arm. This is the beauty of this technique. With minimal effort for executing the arm crush, you generate more power and force on your opponent’s forearm.

• The fifth benefit of learning and mastering the BJJ arm crush submission technique and executing it against your opponents in a professional BJJ match is that it is very easy to apply. It is not as complex as other submission techniques.

• You can easily learn the submission technique and apply it against your opponents. This easy execution, combined with other benefits of arm crush, makes it one of the best submission techniques in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You just have to learn the correct submission technique for applying this arm crush.

• BJJ arm crush is a simple submission technique. You may have observed that, if you are a BJJ practitioner, most submission techniques require that you apply the technique with precise timing and position. In some techniques, timing and position are so important that if you make a little mistake, the result will be worse for you. Your opponent can take advantage of that opportunity, taking you to submission. This is not the case with BJJ arm crush.

• It is easy and very simple to apply. You just have to trap their arm and apply pressure to it. For generating force or applying pressure, you can use your body weight, legs, or arms. The choice is all yours. Just make sure you have attached their arm to your chest. Nothing else is required for this submission technique. No need for accuracy and precision. Just the pressure, and you have your opponent in submission.

• The list cannot be completed, but the last reason we will discuss is the opening of other submission techniques or other attacks, which allow you to dominate your opponent. Firstly, it is rare that you can apply this technique effectively to your opponent. However, if you fail in using this technique against your opponent for any reason, whether it is due to your opponent being more technical, stronger, or any other reason, then you can apply other attacks to ensure you are keeping a dominant hand over your opponent.

• There are many attacks that you can consider when you fail to execute this technique against your opponent. If your opponent tries to escape by turning away from you, they will expose their back. Then you can attack their back. If they become successful in defending their trapped arm from you, you can go for an armbar. Moreover, if they change their posture, you can go for omoplata. There are a lot of other attacks and submission techniques you can consider for executing on your opponent if you fail to successfully apply the BJJ arm crush.

You can execute a BJJ arm crush accurately by following the steps given below:

• To execute the BJJ arm crush, trap your opponent’s one arm with both of your arms.

• Control your opponent with your legs and body weight.

• Force their arm tightly against your chest.

• Focus on their forearm rather than their biceps or shoulders.

• After trapping, generate immense force and power to apply to your opponent’s arm.

• Generate force with your legs and body weight.

• This will make your opponent tap out.

BJJ arm crush attack from the open guard is an excellent way to control posture over big guys, and a very good attack off of somebody who may grab your shoulder or grab hold of your neck. You can execute a BJJ arm crush against your opponent when you are in open guard by following the steps given below:

• Take your arm and go inside, palm up for a gable grip. Your left foot goes right to your opponent’s hip. Control the distance. Aim for the shoulder with your hands up. Put your foot on the hip to control the distance. Slide back and your right foot will come inside. For this reason, you still have a butterfly hook: if you take your leg up, you no longer have anything to control their distance to smash into you.

• Use your ear and connect it to your shoulder to pin their hand. They can turn their thumb up and pull their elbow back. When you come inside, slide, go ahead and do that motion. Some guys go to a gable grip. This is a decisive move. But it's better to go to a genie grip. Grab your bicep. Your other arm grabs your tricep.

• Do not do a hip thrust and keep your knees pinched. Do like a crunch and get your tap. With your opponent’s arm on the submission. If you are having trouble, maybe they turn their arm, and you start having problems. Block, get your knee through, and look to go for your triangle or other attack options.

• Always try to go from one attack to another. If you try one attack and it fails, don't get discouraged. Don't just try to return to another position; see what other options you have. You should keep your submission chain going at all times.

• Your opponent has their knees down and they are attacking. You go for your underhook control first, and your foot goes to the hip to control the distance. Slide back into position. They have a perfect base. Tuck your knees in. Now it keeps control. They are trying to pass your guard and go ahead and try to move around a little bit. Just start to move around, walk your feet around. Always stay to your hip.

• Stay nice and tight just to keep their arm extended. The block leg goes onto the shoulder, and a triangle is looked for. Drive the shoulder down, foot to their hip, so they can't pass. Control the distance. Shin right into their rib adjusted and a little subtle movements. Stay tight and slowly work your way. Get your tap. They start to turn their arm because we are a little loose, block, get your leg out, up onto their back. Now, just look for another attack option from here. There are a million things that we can do from this position. They may start turning back into you the other way, and yes, we can snap back into arm locks from there as well.

To execute a BJJ arm crush from BJJ mount, follow the steps given below:

• If you're having trouble getting off the rest mount or your opponent is being real tight with their elbows, they are keeping their elbows on your knees, and they are just kind of vampiring up.

• So you should hold the wrists here and then weave your knee on their chest and put it on their ear.

• Now you can slide up and isolate the arm.

• Don't take the pressure off this until you clear their head with your leg.

• Like any arm bar roll, don't let your hips touch the floor until that leg gets over the head.

• So step and get your leg over the head. Now you can start to turn and finish your arm bar.

Arm locks are a very effective way to submit your opponents. There are many arm locks you can learn. Arm crush is not a widely used technique in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches. Take this opportunity to your advantage and execute it against your opponents. Learn the technique and master executing arm crushes, as this is both versatile and very easy to execute.