My 10th Planet Van Nuys training partner and all around great guy Gabe Calvento recently wrote a great article on 5 Tips for Perfect Side Control which motivated me to write today’s article. When Eddie Bravo was developing the Twister System he found that it was easier to transition to the Twister when he switched his hips in side control and faced his opponent’s feet. By doing this he was then able to tie up the legs and quickly tranisition to the Twister or to the back. Since this position had so many great options for the Twister, Eddie named it Twister Side Control. Twister Side Control is one of my favorite positions in Jiu Jitsu. I really like how when I am in this position I can smash my partner’s upper body and pin it to the mat. Twister Side Control also offers numerous openings for transitions to the back, mount, or even back to regular side control as well as several different submissions. Below are two tips that I would offer anyone who is looking to learn Twister Side Control.

Tip #1

When I put someone in Twister Side Control, my first goal is to use my elbow on the mat to make my partner raise their hand. By doing this I am accomplishing two main goals of good positioning. First off I am eliminating their ability to frame me out. Secondly, when I make my partner raise his hand, I am also using my ribs to smash my partner’s face and make this a very uncomfortable position.

Tip #2

Do not allow your partner to put his hands on your back. One of the basic escapes for Twister Side Control is for the guy on the bottom to push the guy on top down to his feet. It can be very difficult for the guy on top to fight being pushed down the body once the guy on bottom gets good positioning. By smashing my partner with my ribs and making him raise his hand, I can effectively keep his hands from making contact with my back.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for last three tips! If you need any help learning more about how to use Twister Side Control for No Gi Jiu Jitsu or MMA, stop by 10th Planet Van Nuys and we can help turn your game around right away!