Deep Hook: Thoughts?

[PacificFlows]

I've been drilling getting to spider web from crack head control (mission pump) and I've gotten in the habit of gripping my pants with my left hand, up by my hip, to keep the hook established (if that makes any sense). Can anyone think of any drawbacks to doing this? My hand usually floats back away from my right hip unless I keep an iron grip on those pants. I figure the gi pants are like having a bunch of handles everywhere, so why not use them?

[Chris Herzog]

For one, you won't have the same type of leverage.

You'll want to be able to twist your body towards your opponents legs. The type of power you'll have levering your deep hook arm off your hip to pry at your opponents defenses will be greatly reduced by grabbing the pants vs deep hooking on the upper thigh/hip.

[PacificFlows]

For one, you won't have the same type of leverage.

You'll want to be able to twist your body towards your opponents legs. The type of power you'll have levering your deep hook arm off your hip to pry at your opponents defenses will be greatly reduced by grabbing the pants vs deep hooking on the upper thigh/hip.

a reply from 10th planet Rochester?! i love this forum. i've experienced a huge problem getting myself at a 45 degree angle with my opponent while gripping the pants, and had no idea that was the cause! so when you talk about that turning power, how exactly is it generated? by pushing off my own hip, or off of my opponent somehow?

thanks for the tips, by the way. :D

[Chris Herzog]

Ok say I have a deep underhook with my left arm(hand on the outside of my right thigh as close to my hip as possible), on my opponents right arm. My right arm under hooks his leg and he is in spiderweb:


Lets assume he has a basic arm clasp defending the armbar (not the best defense but the most common).

I push off of my hip with my left hand, trying to straight my left arm as I roll/turn my left shoulder toward my opponents legs. The power you create is increadible, most times this alone can break the basic defenses. If not any one the spiderweb armbar breaks will work.

My favorite is one I call the RLS (or resltess leg syndrome)that I picked up from my Sambo coach years ago and still use to this day, and from the spiderweb its even more effective.
Watch for the video soon as I recently submited it to Ari for Submission 101. =)

[PacificFlows]

Ah, okay. I see what we're talking about, now. I thought you were talking about the turning power while still executing the mission pump. That's where I've been having most of my trouble. Breaking the grip that way sounds like it would work great. I usually just slip my feet in for an x break wicked quick, but if that doesn't work my arm crush is really sloppy. Probably has something to do with me grabbing my pants.

[Chris Herzog]

Excatly the same thing with the mission pump, when you rotate to underhook the leg. That extra bit of leverage will help things stay tighter during the transition to the spiderweb.

Also important for the Arm Crush, your going to want the hand on the thigh. Once the crush is on, if they are not tapping you want to rotate your arm, so the "wedge" is thicker and applies more pressure.