Why BJJ Underhook Is So Important For You To Master As A Grappler?

There are some techniques and moves in the art of Jiu Jitsu that you can call the silent winners. The reason is that such techniques are not famous and therefore not practiced widely. But these techniques are very powerful and the impact is such that if you execute them properly, then you can win the match against your opponent just because of such techniques. One example of such a silent winning technique is the underhook. Although you might have heard the name but the chances of watching it executed by the grapplers in the match are very low. The technique is underrated, often overlooked, and not focused on. Let's explore the technique and learn why you need to master the underhook to execute against your opponent.

The underhook is a technique in BJJ in which you wrap your arms beneath your opponent’s arms and cover around their back. So you have or can control their back, hips, whole body, and posture, depending on how you are executing your technique and your desired targets. It is a very exceptional technique in BJJ in which you can control your opponent in various ways. Moreover, after you have completely executed the underhook against your opponent, you can implement various other techniques for submitting your opponent or forcing them to tap out. So, underhook can be your key to success in the game.

The underhook in Jiu Jitsu is very important for every grappler to master due to the following reasons:

• One of the most important benefits of learning the underhook is that you will be able to give yourself the opportunity to execute a lot of techniques. The reason is that the underhook is a very versatile technique. There is not a single fixed position or situation from which you can execute the technique. There are a lot of positions that give you the opportunity to implement the underhook on your opponent. Moreover, you can use the versatility for both defending yourself and attacking your opponent with various techniques. So it can be used in both offensive and defensive situations.

• Another benefit you get from its versatility feature is that the underhook gives you the opportunity to follow it with many forms of techniques, helping you to take your opponent to the submission. For example, you can make sweeps, submissions, locks, back takes, and other forms of attack to aid you in the submission.

• Unlike many other techniques, the underhook is applicable in both Gi and No Gi Jiu Jitsu. Besides BJJ, you can apply the technique in many other martial arts, such as MMA and wrestling. It can also prove a very good weapon in real life self defense situations.

In BJJ, both grapplers try to control each other, and they keep trying for this throughout the match. If you get control of your opponent at any time during the match, the chances for you to secure the win become much higher. The reason is that you can take your opponent to the submission much easily with this method. But how can you get that control over your opponent’s body? The answer supports the underhook. This is a very good technique and also the easy way, perhaps for most people, to get control over their opponent’s body.

Your opponent will try continuously throughout the match to surprise you with a different set of offensive techniques and moves just to force you to tap out. There will be some moves that you already know, and others might be new to you, which will make it even more difficult for you to tackle. So you should think about the way to restrict your opponent. You should not allow them to execute any move or technique on you whenever they want. That is something that you can do with the underhooks. With the proper control over your opponent’s body, you will be able to restrict their movement, and they won't be able to execute their offensive moves easily.

• The techniques in all martial arts are divided mostly into two categories: offensive techniques, which help you to attack your opponent to get submission, and defensive techniques, which help you to defend against your opponent’s techniques and moves. These are separate techniques that fall into both categories. But there are some techniques, particularly in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which, once you master, can be executed for both offensive and defensive purposes. One of these techniques is the underhook.

• The underhook, unlike many other techniques, is so powerful that it enables you to get over the top of any submissive situation and take your opponent to the submissive position. If you are in a position in which your opponent is getting dominant over you, then you can execute the underhook to get yourself to a dominant position by escaping from your opponent. In the same way, if you are in a neutral or dominant position and want to submit your opponent, then you should apply the underhook. So the underhook is applicable in both offense and defense situations.

• Smaller or short heighted grapplers have difficulty in many martial arts in executing such techniques over their opponent and gaining control. The same goes for the individuals who are not very strong, and they are competing against the stronger opponents. But there is a very easy solution for that. 
• Grapplers like those who are not very strong or do not have a very good height should learn some skills and techniques that will help them get the advantage over their opponent. Through such techniques, they can easily hit their opponent and keep them in their control. The underhook is one of such techniques that enables the grappler to dominate their opponents who are bigger and stronger than they are. The principle is simple, and that is the underhook utilizes the technique to get the opponent submissive. We all know that technique, if we execute properly, can always dominate the strength or height of the opponent.

There are numerous ways to train the underhook in your BJJ. The main goal is to just add it into your daily routine. Let's explore some of the best ways for training the underhook:

• Try to do the underhook at least once in your daily BJJ rolling. You have to find out what the perfect time is to execute the underhook. When you find the perfect position and situation, then execute it and see the results, and accordingly improve yourself.

• When you are in a submissive position during the BJJ training, try to defend and escape from the position through the underhook technique.

• Observe others while watching the grappling training or fight. Remain attentive throughout their match and continuously guess when one of the grappler should execute the underhook on their opponent. Moreover, also see the results of their execution, whether they got the submission or not.

The underhook is a versatile technique and effective in a lot of techniques, but there are some positions where you should definitely not consider executing the underhook against your opponent. The following are examples of two such positions:

The bottom guard is also known as the full guard or the closed guard. In this guard, your opponent has covered you all around your body, and they have your back. In this position, you should execute the overhook rather than the underhook because in the latter technique, you won't be able to save your face from the strikes from your opponent. So you should not apply the underhook when you are in the bottom guard.

Bottom mount is another position where you should be very careful about executing the underhook. The reason is that when you are in bottom mount and you try to execute the underhook, you extend your arms. Extending your arms will give your opponent a very high opportunity to grab your arm and do the armbar, which will further move you into the submissive position. So don't execute the underhook when you are in the bottom mount.

The following are the situations or positions while training or grappling in a professional BJJ match in which you should execute the underhook:

• Guard

• Half Guard

• Side Control

• Top Side Control

• Open Guard

• Standing

When you are in any of the above mentioned positions in Jiu Jitsu, you should consider executing the underhook on your opponent because this will help you escape from the submissive positions. Moreover, it will also give you various opportunities for sweeps and scrambles to move from one position to the other.

After the successful execution of the technique, you are also able to execute more techniques (e.g., submission techniques) for transitioning your opponent into the submissive position. Just make sure you are not extending your arms too much or for too long in any of these positions, which would otherwise force your opponent to execute the armbar on you.

The best thing about the underhook is that you can execute it in many martial arts. It is not restricted to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu only. The following are some martial arts in which you can execute the underhook and dominate your opponent:

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the art of grappling. You need to learn the techniques that focus more on ground fighting rather than standing fights. The underhook is allowed in Jiu Jitsu. It allows you to dominate the ground fighting effectively. If you are making the perfect underhook ,then your opponent will find it nearly impossible to defend it. You just need to first execute the hook and then follow with yet another submission technique to make them tap out. It allows you to execute many other ground based techniques, sweeps, and transitions, all helping you to submit your opponent.

The underhook is not very popular in Muay Thai as it is in BJJ. However, it is still used for securing the takedowns, transitions, and sweeps against the opponent to knock them out. The most common use of this technique in Muay Thai is to counter the collar tie, in which it is very effective. With this being said, the underhook is allowed and legal in Muay Thai, and you should definitely consider it for securing the takedowns other than countering the collar tie.

• Wrestling is considered one of the most ruthless martial arts, which is watched across the world and has billions of fans, particularly in the young generation. In this art, the wrestlers are always trying to take their opponent down or throw them to the ground by any means. This gives them the advantage over their opponent. They use many techniques and strategies for achieving dominance over their opponent. One of the techniques they use is the underhook. 
• With this technique, they are able to throw their opponent to the ground and keep their body in control. Moreover, this technique is also helpful for them in destabilizing their opponent. This becomes a key benefit for using this technique because a wrestler, if destabilized, cannot fight easily afterwards. They shift themselves to the defensive mode, and therefore, they are easy to knock out.

• Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters utilize the versatility of the underhook in both ground and standing positions. They are very good at using this technique against their opponents in all possible positions. They use the technique for destabilizing their opponents, just like the wrestlers do in wrestling. They reset the positions of their opponents, and this becomes the source for transitioning their opponents into submissive positions. 
• MMA strikers continue employing the technique for taking down their opponents. Once they are successful in taking the opponents down, they are more than halfway to scoring the win and knocking their opponents out. So the underhook is allowed in MMA, and you should consider the underhook whenever you find the appropriate position or situation in the game.

Follow the steps given below to execute the BJJ underhook submissions perfectly:

• Firstly, try to close your body to your opponent. If you and your opponent are both in a standing position, then try to do the standing clinch. On the other hand, if you are in a ground position with your opponent, then try to secure any dominant position over your opponent. For example, you can be in a side control position to execute the underhook perfectly.

• The next step is to find the opportunity to get your hands and arms underneath your opponent’s arms and armpit. You should only get your arms through if there is some space available. You do not need to wait for the large space. You can just start passing your arms if there is a little bit of space available, but it must be enough for your arms. Because if there is no space or it is too small to get your arms in, then you will not be able to get the hook. Your opponent will know your coming technique, and they will instantly develop some defense.

• Now it's time for you to secure the tight grip. Once you have successfully gotten your arms through them, try to grip them. You have three ways to secure the grip. The first one is to just cup their shoulder. The cupping must be very tight so that it is not easy for them to get rid of. The second way is to simply grab their shoulder, biceps, or upper arms. Grabbing any one of them will be enough for you to execute the underhook.

• Now is the time to place your elbow in the field. Tuck your elbow in. The elbow must be placed in such a way that it is very close to your body, and it must be tightly tucked. It must be too tight for your opponent to remove it from its place.

• After the above step, your underhook is complete. The next steps involve the necessary adjustments to make it perfect. Move your shoulders closer to your opponent. In fact, you are directing them and pushing them towards them. Also, move your elbow upwards at the same time to move your posture up.

• Now is the time to get the real benefits from it. You should try to keep your balance solid. Don't allow your opponent to replace your position. Don't let them move you. Keep your feet stuck to a place. After ensuring your solid balance, the next thing to do is to disrupt your opponent’s balance. Make them move and execute different moves and techniques to submit them.

There are various ways through which you can submit your opponent through the underhook execution. The following are some of the best ways to submit your opponent through the underhook:

One of the ways to submit your opponent once you have got them in the underhook is the armbar. This is very simple to do. You can do this by isolating their arms, directing them towards your body, and then hyperextending them after grabbing them.

The second way to submit your opponent from the underhook is to execute an Americana lock on them. It is also known as a figure four lock or keylock. The execution of this technique has a lot of similarities with the armbar. In this technique, you have to isolate one arm of your opponent, particularly when you have them in the side mount or side control position. After isolating the arm, the next step you need to take is to apply pressure to their arms and their shoulder. Push the shoulder downward and inward.

The third way for submission is the kimura lock, also known as the shoulder lock. When you have your opponent in the underhook, you have a high chance of getting the kimura by isolating their arm and finishing with the shoulder lock.

The S mount is the like the side mount or side control with a little variation and that variation is the underhook. If you are in the S mount then you can execute the armbar by isolation of their arm. Hyperextend it and for further pressure rotate it slightly.

What’s the use of the underhook if you cannot even apply the choke on your opponent? The underhook proving its effectiveness provides you the opportunity to implement many chokes on your opponent once you have them hooked. You can take them into the cross choke and the guillotine choke. You already have their body in your control. You just need to control their neck and head more, and then follow with the choke.

Besides learning the perfect BJJ underhook execution, you should take care of the following things:

Always make sure you have a tight grip on your opponent. You cannot lose them just because of the weak grip on their body, because a tight grip means fewer chances of their escape from the underhook.

You must always follow the underhook with the other set of techniques. This is very important for you as it will make your position stronger and dominant over your opponent, so you can take them to the submission.

The underhook helps you to control mainly the inside position. So, besides the inside control, you have to keep yourself cautious of the other ways of escaping, because you may not have very good control over them.

You must develop your muscle memory for executing the underhook in your professional Jiu Jitsu match because in such situations, you are already occupied with various thoughts, ideas, and strategies. So, do the consistent practice by using the underhooks in your daily rolling. This will help you build the muscle memory.

Another important point you should always make sure of is that you need to continuously observe your opponent’s actions and reactions. According to that, make your strategy and change it at the last time if you need that.

The underhook in BJJ is a very effective technique. It is useful to create a dominant position for you from many different positions. Besides BJJ, you are allowed to execute it in many other martial arts. It is also effective in both standing and ground positions. So it is very helpful in daily life and self-defense situations. So you should master the underhook BJJ submissions, and it is very important for you. 

The underhook is a technique in BJJ in which you wrap your arms beneath your opponent’s arms and cover around their back. So you have or can control their back, hips, whole body, and posture, depending on how you are executing your technique and your desired targets. 

• It is a versatile technique.

• This is a very good technique and also the easy way, perhaps for most people, to get control over their opponent’s body.

• With the proper control over your opponent’s body, you will be able to restrict their movement, and they won't be able to execute their offensive moves easily.

• It is effective in both defense and offense situations.

• It enables the grappler to dominate their opponents who are bigger and stronger than they are. 

• Try to do the underhook at least once in your daily BJJ rolling.

• Try to defend and escape from the submissive position through the underhook technique.

• Guess while watching the matches when one of the grappler should execute the underhook on their opponent. Moreover, also see the results of their execution, whether they got the submission or not. 

• In the bottom guard, you should execute the overhook rather than the underhook because in the latter technique, you won't be able to save your face from the strikes from your opponent.

• The reason is that when you are in bottom mount and you try to execute the underhook, you extend your arms, making you vulnerable to the armbar. 

• Guard

• Half Guard

• Side Control

• Top Side Control

• Open Guard

• Standing

• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

• Muay Thai

• Wrestling

• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

• Armbar

• Americana

• Kimura Lock

• Armbar From the S-mount

• Chokes 

• Always make sure you have a tight grip on your opponent.

• Follow the underhook with the other set of techniques.

• Develop your muscle memory for executing the underhook in your professional Jiu Jitsu match.

• Observe your opponent’s actions and reactions, and accordingly, adjust your strategy. 

• Do the standing clinch.

• Get your hands and arms underneath your opponent’s arms and armpit.

• Secure a tight grip around the shoulder or arm.

• Tuck your elbow in.

• Move your shoulders closer to your opponent.

• Disrupt your opponent’s balance.