Omoplata Defense
Defense · Closed Guard
Unwinds an omoplata with a forward roll over the trapped shoulder; often he follows and lands on top in side control, which is still far better than a torn shoulder. The moment is right after his legs wrap your shoulder from the side, while you are still on your knees: once your hips are flat the roll has no push. Before your chest touches the mat, turn your head away from the trapped arm and tuck your chin. Step your legs around toward his head so your body follows the arm and the shoulder angle stops closing, then put the back of the trapped shoulder on the mat and push off your feet into a diagonal roll over it: the bent arm unwinds as your body turns around it. Come up facing him, elbow back at your ribs, and rebuild posture. If he follows into a triangle, defend it; if the shoulder is already turned, tap.
How to do it
- Feel the omoplata early: their legs wrap your shoulder from the side and your arm is folded under their leg. Your shoulder is trapped by their legs; act now, while you are still on your knees.
- Before your chest touches the mat, turn your head to the far side, away from the trapped arm, and tuck your chin to your chest. This takes your head out of the path of the roll so you go over the shoulder, not the neck.
- Step your legs around towards their head in short steps. Your body follows the direction in which they are turning the arm, so the angle in the shoulder stops closing.
- Roll forward over the trapped shoulder: put the back of that shoulder to the mat and push off your feet into a diagonal forward roll. The arm stays bent and unwinds as your body turns around it.
- Turn to face them at once with the arm unwound, elbow back at your ribs, and scramble up into their guard before they come on top.
Key details
- Roll early, while you are still on your knees: the roll needs your legs under you to push off; once your hips are flat they cannot drive it.
- Roll over the trapped shoulder side: rolling that way turns your body in the same direction as the arm, so the shoulder unwinds instead of twisting further.
- Tuck your chin as you roll: the weight goes over the back of the shoulder, and the neck is not loaded.
- Trapped hand on your own belt or inside your thigh: it blocks a wrist lock and helps you resist being driven flat.
- Earliest answer, before he flattens you: walk around to his other side and keep his hips angled away from you.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the arm straight out of their legs. — Their legs hold the shoulder, so pulling only turns the shoulder further into the lock. — Roll over the trapped shoulder so the arm unwinds with your body.
- Waiting until you are flat on your belly. — From flat there is no roll left: your legs are behind you and they sit up to finish. — Roll at the first sign of the lock, while your chest is still off the mat.
- Rolling straight over the head. — The whole body weight lands on the neck and you lose a controlled landing. — Turn your head to the far side, tuck the chin and roll over the shoulder.
If they defend
- They hold your belt to stop the roll. → Walk your legs around to their head first.
How to drill it
Partner sets the omoplata slowly, you roll out, 6 reps each side on soft mats.
Safety
Tap if the shoulder is already turned. Learn the forward roll first so the neck stays safe.
What comes next
Where it comes from