As many of you guys know, the Half Guard is one of my favorite positions in BJJ. Especially the Z-Guard (Knee Shield), In the Z-Guard I am able to create a frame against the pressure and weight of my opponent. Because I have a frame between my opponent and myself I am able to create a situation where I can keep my opponent in my half-guard, without getting “smashed” by him. In No-gi one of the best “tricks” I can use to trap my opponent and get the submission is the Triangle Trap from Half Guard.
When I am training in the kimono, I always try to focus on controlling my opponent’s lapel to set up my sweeps from Single Leg Half-Guard, or from Deep Half-Guard. Because in No-Gi we are not wearing the Gi, we do not have the lapels to use as a tool against our opponent. We have to try things differently to replace the use of the lapel. Additionally, without grips, collars and lapels, it is a challenge to hold our opponent. When holding someone and controlling their movement (especially when the sweat has made you, your opponent and the mat slippery) it is important to be able to surprise them with a trap.
I still try to play the same game for no-gi, going to the single leg half or deep half but, when I want to surprise my opponent, there is a very cool triangle trap from the Z-Guard that I like a lot, and a technique that one of my training partners – Dillon Danis, has used a lot in training as well as competition and has found a lot of success using this position.
Dillon, is a very tough black belt from Marcelo Garcia’s school, that has won the most important tournaments as a brown belt, like Worlds, Worlds No-Gi (Double Gold), Pan-Ams (Double Gold), and in a very short period of time he has done a lot as a black belt too, winning his division and the open class in the Pan-Ams No-Gi last weekend, and many Golds at IBJJF Opens. Dillon recently has taken on the role of Jiu-Jitsu coach for the UFC Star Conor Mcgregor.
I asked Dillon to show and breakdown the most important details of the Triangle Trap. As I said before, this position works very well as a trap surprising our opponent. It is important to remember that it is a trap, we need to find the right timing to set the trap and once our opponent is deep into the trap, we slam it shut and get the submission. Hope you guys enjoy it.
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