Rhode Island BJJ Technique: The Ninja Roll

To be sure, the ninja roll is not the first move you’ll learn in your BJJ career. You will learn, though, that you should take your opponent’s back whenever it’s available – and you’ll learn, too, that it’s maybe most vulnerable when your opponent is sure it isn’t.

Enter the ninja roll. You’ll start in top side control and end up on your opponent’s back, turning your advantageous position into a really dominant one.

1. Convince your opponent to roll onto his side towards you. These steps will help you get him there and hold him there:
1. Take your left arm (or head-side arm, if your orientation is opposite Coach Dan’s) from under your opponent’s neck and plant your elbow in your opponent’s far-side underarm.
1. As Coach Dan illustrates, you don’t want your opponent’s arm under you, as that gives him more leverage.
2. The more you can isolate your opponent’s arm up next to his head – Dan aptly describes this as the “elephant-trunking effect” – the less use that arm is to your opponent.
2. Move your left knee in to your opponent’s hip, where your right knee typically is. This will give him a little space and begin tempting him to roll towards you.
3. Resist his roll, initially, with your right hand on his far-side (left) knee. Then, when he really works hard to turn, use his momentum against him by letting him roll towards you and then pulling his left knee in towards you. Clamp down to keep him from rolling back.
2. Maintain control, get ready to roll.
1. Transfer control of his left (now top-side) leg from your right hand to your left leg. Be sure to get your ankle behind your opponent’s knee.
2. At the same time, reach for your opponent’s right (mat-side) leg with your now free right hand.
3. Doing that will make you lean forward some, and you’ll use that shifting weight to roll.
3. Roll and take the back.
1. Throw your left shoulder towards your opponent’s feet. Otherwise, you’ll roll into a faceplant.
2. Kick forward with your left leg to force your opponent to roll with you.
3. Leave your left leg where it is; it’s your first hook. Wrap your right leg around your opponent to add the second hook.
4. Enjoy back mount.

 

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