BJJ

BJJ Ghost Escape: Best Way to Escape Side Control

BJJ Ghost Escape: Best Way to Escape Side Control

Nevertheless, submissions are part of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which makes it an even more exhilarating and amusing martial art. However, the practitioners are required to learn the effectiveness of the escape. It requires proper timing and angles, which help make the escapism revolutionary.


For beginners of Brazilain, jiu-jitsu surviving is an essential component. Framing escapes and guard retention are all fundamental parts of jiu-jitsu. Practicing these skills helps to stay in the game with the dominant control. It will also help prevent you from being entangled in a trap. If the fighter needs to improve at BJJ, he must learn how to escape for survival.

A person who cannot escape from adverse positions will have a terrible time. This might also deter their growth in proficiency.


A grappler must focus on learning anything related to postures fighting off the ground, which will aid them in winning. This ties back to the notion that being proficient in Jiu-Jitsu means avoiding getting hurt regardless of who your opponent is.


An "escape" in BJJ is a strategy for moving from a disadvantageous to a more advantageous position. It is about moving from being under the opponent's control to controlling the opponent.

1. What are Escapes?

The prime principle of any martial art, including jiu-jitsu, is escaping and surviving any position. The BJJ fighter needs to work on the escaping strategies to stay in a game.


Once the fighter realizes that an opponent is holding you in an unfavorable position or finishing a fight is impossible, the more at ease. The fighter is acting out in an offensive manner toward him.


Sometimes, an escape is made just to escape a submission attack, which is only an adorning concept, but practitioners of BJJ know it is much more than that.


If there is a satisfactory escape plan in your arsenal for BJJ, you will find yourself stuck in the wrong position and will not have to look for ways to avoid new attempts. Often, the best offense is a good defense. Grappler's initial skills are about evading, which would serve them well to be able to do combat effectively.

2. Get to Know about BJJ Side Control

Side control is, without a doubt, one of the most despised holds for the beginners of BJJ who stepped onto the mat during their first stage of BJJ training. Side control involves a pin whereby one fighter lies across the opponent, but their legs are not locked. Escaping side control requires some skilled techniques. In this article, we will explore the side control position and find out how to get out of it.


Side control is generally considered a very strong position for the top player in BJJ and MMA . It is also called a side mount. Below, the bottom is trapped on the ground, with the top person clasping it at an angle of 90 degrees.

Get to Know about BJJ Side Control

So, there are various ways to break out of side control. Once the fighter experiences that they might get trapped in a side control or side mount position, they can apply the pressure in the opposite direction. To maintain the space, work on the transition.


One thing to remember is that to perform side control properly, two basic principles must be observed:

  • Framing
  • Hip positioning

3. BJJ Ghost Escape

Typically, side control is crucial in BJJ and MMA because the side control position provides maximum opportunities. Notably, other than the flawless player being on the offense, the top fighter can direct their power on the defense of the bottom player, and he is completely immobilized and in a position to be defended.


In general, the opponent that employs side control stays in the dominant position, and the fellow fighter remains under his control, which keeps him down. Instead, it is necessary to make it possible to hold the bottom player's back flat to the mat to avoid him attempting to escape after applying the maximum pressure. Intrinsically, because of weight distribution, the side control position is ranked very high in Jiu-Jitsu and is valuable when applying for submissions.


The fighter needs to change and turn the side to get out of the side control. In this way, the escapes become much more accessible. The best option to get to the side position is bypassing the guard. For example, when the opponent has too much upper body strength, the opponent applies pressure on the torso to restrict movement.


Ghost escape is one of the most exceptional ways to escape side control. As the legs are not in the opponent's control, the escape is done with the movement of the legs in the outward direction. This is facilitated by the motion of the hips in the opposite or outward direction.


The shoulders are under the opponent's grip, and the pressure is maintained with the legs being taut on the waist. The fighter needs to move the lower body first. Eventually, it brings out the lower and upper body of the fighter.

4. Application of Ghost Escape

Escaping the side control is one of the most daunting tasks for any BJJ beginner. That is why mastery of BJJ hinges on this essential aspect, even if it claims to have elementary-level skills. However, how do you set out to learn how to properly escape a very secure side control?

Application of Ghost Escape

Ghost escape is considered one of the most remarkable ways to escape the strangle. Still, with the proper use of the appropriate time and with the correct positioning of the upper body, the fighter can get out of it into a far better position when he has turned sideways.


Ghost escape is believed to be one of the best methods of BJJ, and it is suitable even for beginners at the initial stages of jiu-jitsu.


Even here, the technique is beneficial because it works with the opponent's body weight and body orientation, which helps you create some distance and take up a better posture for the offensive technique.

4.1. Take the Control

Controlling the opponent with side control requires an initial frame against the hip with one arm and the head with the other.

4.2. Framing Method

Then, the next step is to move out of the lower body in the opposite direction or outside. The slide movement of the hips mainly does this step.

4.3. Opposite Side

As the fighter continues the movement, the body starts to twist and hip out, and the arm framing the hip goes across the body to the opposite side.

4.4. Change the Position

Commonly, the fighter is beneath the torso or under the opponent's control. So, after the lower body's movement, the upper area tends to move, and you can displace it altogether.

4.5. Slide the Direction

The torso begins to come out of the pressure of the weight, and with a slight tilt, the fighter comes into a more advantageous position, such as guard or back control.


This escape maneuver is deemed suitable, and many BJJ fighters often practice it. It can be performed with swift motion and without any strength, even though the move might require some potencies later.

5. Tips to Get Out of the BJJ Side Control

BJJ fundamentals are those that teach you to use the energy of your opponent. The BJJ ghost escape starts like any other escape or defense from the side mount when using the neck bumper to push a forearm against the opponent's head.


Afterward, one attempt was made to recover guard off the control, and in doing so, conditions were created for your opponent that allowed him to escape like a ghost, rushed with the use of the proper angles.


When stuck in a side mount, ghost escape from the side mount is considered the best way to go about it. Quickly sit up or turn in a roll and escape troubles along the way. The ghost is a whole process of moves, including escapes from side control, reverses north-south, or knee overpass guard passing.

6. Other Ways to Escape Side Control

Side control holds are often the most infuriating submissions to escape from in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu; however, there are many efficient ways to work out of them.


Guard Replacement or Shrimping: Start counteracting the person on top with the shrimping method; you need to slide your hips away from the fighter.

The next step is to drive your knee between them to replace your guard.


Rolling Method: Whenever your opponent has managed to pin your arm, extending their hip, you can try to move their leg with your other leg and lock onto their armpit in place, which will help change their position.


Target Elbow: If the opponent retracts their arm, target the elbow and drive up to their torso for them to turn or scramble.

7. Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs)

7.1. What are Escapes in jiu-jitsu?

Escapes are one of the most potent tools in jiu-jitsu. Practically, escapes in BJJ means the ability to move against the direction of the opponents or get out of their control. Suppose you know that no matter how your opponent controls you, be it side control or armbar.


Is it any attempt whatsoever? Because you can escape and counter all his attacks anyway, what level of freedom will you possess in your jiu-jitsu game? Why would you need to do anything else? You have the best defense!


Escapes in BJJ are probably the least noticed “BJJ Moves” yet should be one of the critical aspects to be mastered in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Being sure about your escapes will comfort you to go for complete offense and believe that no matter what happens, you will always know how to return to a strong position.

7.2. Why is Escaping Side Control Important in BJJ?

Escaping Side Control in Jiu-Jitsu is a challenging task. Instead, it is a most difficult task for many BJJ learners. When your opponent sets a strong and controlled body lock on the side, suffering underneath their control while they seek to submit you. to get out of it, you can waste a lot of energy trying to go nowhere.


The side control escapes in BJJ using some framing and creating space for the body movement. Creating space makes your escape, but this will not be the end of your escape. You must keep fighting and advancing south to your guard again. Hence, escaping side control is crucial to stay in a game.

7.3. Is escaping a big/massive guy in BJJ possible?

In a fight, the contender might have to face a more massive opponent. It will be a challenge for the white belts or even for the black belts. But the best part is that Brazilian jiu-jitsu provides the opportunity for every fighter to become dominant with takedowns, submission methods, and escapes. This way, the fighter can apply the escape technique to the vast and massive fighters.

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