From Novice to Triangle Pro: 6 Games to Become a Triangle Master
The Road to Becoming a Triangle Submission Expert
"I've been playing the triangle games for almost 2 weeks now, and I'm already consistently catching brown belts." - Mizko (Blue-belt)
As you know, I'm a new fan of ecology. Even though I haven't fully embraced the approach, I've experimented with it and recommended a couple of games to some private students, and the results have been amazing.
One set of games I've been using in the past month, and have also recommended to many, are the triangle games I discovered on Greg Souders' Instagram (credit goes to him).
Two of my online blue-belt students have informed me that they are consistently submitting opponents with triangles after playing these games for a couple of weeks.
How to Play the Games:
My suggestion is to begin with the setup games (1-3) and spend some time playing and experimenting with each one. Once you feel more proficient at creating the "Arm in, Arm out scenario," move on to the finishing games (4-6).
Setup Games to Create the "Arm in, Arm out Scenario"
Source: Instagram Link
Game 1:
The bottom player starts in the guard position.
Goal: The bottom player's objective is to get the top player's hand on the mat and make them post on the mat as many times as possible. The top player's goal is to maintain posture and keep their hands on the opponent throughout.
Game 2:
Similar to Game 1, but now the bottom player aims to secure either an Underhook or an Overhook every time the top player posts.
Game 3:
The bottom player starts with either an underhook or an overhook, with the goal of isolating one arm and the head to achieve the "arm in, arm out scenario." The top player's objective is to maintain posture and keep their hand on the bottom player's body
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Finishing Games to Learn "Finishing Mechanics"
Source: Instagram Link
Game 4:
Begin in a fully locked triangle. The bottom player's goal is to work on their finishing techniques, while the top player's objective is to resist and try to escape.
Game 5:
The bottom player starts with the "arm in arm out scenario." Their goal is to break the top player's posture, control them, and secure a fully locked triangle (without finishing). The top player's aim is to posture up and escape the scenario.
Game 6:
The bottom player begins with an overhook and a bicep post on the biceps. The goal is to isolate one arm and the head to create the "arm in arm out scenario."
Resources
If you want to learn more about this approach, I highly recommend listening to Greg Souders on The Essential Jiujitsu Podcast.
And here are some more in-depth resources if you want to dive deeper into the Ecology rabbit hole:
That's it for this week! I hope you enjoy these games and open your mind to the ecological approach!
So are these games essentially just situations? Specific training?