Your complete guide to arm drags

[the combat analyst]

Your complete guide to arm drags


The arm drag is a simple move from wrestling that is used to either expose the opponents back or to set up an immediate attack. What I personally like about the arm drag is how simple and low risk of a maneuver it is. And the arm drag not only has uses in standing grappling but it also has uses on the ground too. However despite its uses in many positions it is still able to consistently maintain its low risk, offering the user minimal punishment if the arm drag fails.

So let's get into it


The first two videos I want to showcase are simply a tutorial on how to do the arm drag and some of the positions you can arm drag from.








The arm drag is really a simple maneuver but a key detail often missed is what part of your opponent's arm you have to pull. Many people make the common mistake of pulling too low on the arm but however as stated in the first video it is important that you pull your opponent's arm just below or at his armpit that way you have more leverage and really pull their body forwards, rather than just pulling on their arm.


And here is one more video showcasing legendary catch wrestler Billy Robinson teaching the different ways he uses the arm drag to set up different attacks.





Now as seen in the first video, the arm drag is most commonly done from a standing position in front of your opponent. This is done when neither grappler has obtained a distinct tie up or dominant position or angle.

However the arm drag can be executed from other standing positions.


The second most common way to execute an arm drag is simply when your opponent grabs your wrist with their same side arm.





As seen in the video when your opponent simply grabs your wrist you can easily counter with an arm drag. This set up to an arm drag is good because grabbing wrists is one of the first moves you'll see when two grapplers are hand fighting and this variation gives you a quick offensive option when your opponent simply does a maneuver you can almost always count on being done to you.


This next video features a video that I referenced in my breakdown of underhooks.





As seen in the video when you have an underhook you can also use it to set up an arm drag by using your underhook to pull your opponent's arm towards your free arm, allowing you to do the arm drag with your non underhooking arm.


Now the next arm drag setup is one that takes place from a Russian two on one.





As this video shows, arm dragging from a Russian 2 on 1 can offer you a safe way to expose your opponents back and get behind them. Now a common defense to the Russian 2 on 1 is to frame on your opponent's head and square up to them, taking away their dominant angle. However the arm drag can still be an effective offensive maneuver even when your opponent tries to counter your 2 on 1.


Now before we get into attacks you can do from an arm drag I want to get Into a common counter to the arm drag called the re-drag.





As seen In the video the re-drag is simply countering your opponent's arm drag with an arm drag of your own, however this video shows how you can prevent the re-drag counter.


Now let's move into attacks from an arm drag.

Now one of the first attack options you'll have following an arm drag is a simple double leg takedown. However in my opinion and experience your opponent will still have a good amount of space to react to your double leg takedown even after the arm drag. Therefore in my experience I like to save the arm drag to double leg combination for when my opponent is worn down and tired making their reactions slower and not as effective.


The next attack option you have from an arm drag is probably the most common, a single leg takedown, seen in the video below.





What I like about this video is that it not only shows how to do the move but also how to condition your opponent and really set up the arm drag rather than just going for the same arm drag and attacking in an uncalculated manner.


This next attack option from an arm drag is another single leg set up; however in my opinion it is a more risky but still effective set up.





This variation of the arm drag to single leg revolves around you dropping to your butt before you attack the single leg. By dropping to your butt you can add more weight and force behind your arm drag to really pull them forwards into your single leg attack. Now dropping to your butt is obviously a risky maneuver. If your arm drag fails and even if your opponent doesn't have any grips on you, if your opponent is wise they can still time your motion of standing back up by ducking under with a double leg or single leg of their own as you stand back up.


Therefore across the board in martial arts and combat sports when going for a risky attack it is important to work hard on your setup leading up to the attack. You must set a good trap for your opponent before you even execute your attack of choice so they fall right into your attack. In other words your attack is simply an afterthought your set up leading to the attack is where most of your attention should always be.


Now this next set up is a variation of the arm drag but it shows how to use your foot to trip up your opponent adding another element of unbalancing to your arm drag.

 

[the combat analyst]

Now that we've covered arm drags and attacks from standing positions let's talk about arm drags on the ground.

Probably the most common and basic arm drag variation is from the bottom of the closed guard. Here is a video with Gordon Ryan explaining how to do it.



Now the arm drag from closed guard is a basic option from closed guard used to take your opponents back. It is probably one of the first and most fundamental back takes you’ll learn in bjj.
A key element on the ground with arm drags is grabbing your opponents lat with your free arm.
Meaning when you execute your arm drag you want your free arm not doing the arm drag to go across your opponents back and grab their armpit from behind.

Another arm drag option on the ground is actually from the bottom of half guard shown in this video.



Now this video explains well how to do the arm drag from the half guard but one thing I want to talk about in particular when it comes to the arm drag from half guard is how you can actually use it to set up a twister. And I first encountered this technique from playing the UFC video game.



Now in this video showcasing the technique in the video game the guy in the clown costume executes an arm drag on his opponents left arm with his left arm.
The clown guy then uses the arm drag to expose his opponent's back and reach behind his opponent with his right arm.

After he reaches behind his opponent he then uses his left arm to reach over and behind his opponent's head to meet his right hand still behind his opponent.
When his hands meet together they meet under his opponent's armpit, he then uses his locked hands to pull his opponent into the core position to finish the twister.

Another submission option that is presented to you after a successful arm drag is the darce choke. Seen in the video below is a tutorial on how to use the arm drag to set up the darce choke this time from butterfly guard.



Now a true master of arm drags in the world of grappling is none other than Marcello garcia. And while Marcello didn't use the arm drag to set up twisters he did make the arm drag a key component to his game.



In the video above is a breakdown made by Jack Slack, breaking down Marcelo and his arm drag as well as the other parts of his game.

Now the next arm drag variation is what's known as a sucker drag. The sucker drag is a good way to counter your opponent when they sprawl on you after your failed takedown attempt



Above is an example of retired MMA fighter Glover Teixeira using the arm drag.
And the video below is a breakdown made by Sonny Brown going in depth on to do the sucker drag and its uses.



Now before I wrap up this breakdown I want to finish this breakdown with a counter to the arm drag that actually uses a blocking technique from karate to counter the arm drag.



Known as Shuto uke, this blocking technique is commonly seen in katas and forms in karate. But like many blocking techniques from karate and other arts like taekwondo it's real application doesn't have to do with blocking strikes, Its application is actually grappling.
For this simple arm drag counter when your opponent executes the arm drag on you use your free arm to frame on their chest or face. Now the pulling back motion commonly seen with the non-blocking arm in many karate blocks is called a hikite. A hikite is meant to free your arm from your opponent's grip. And this example is no different, your opposite arm that is not framing on your opponent is meant to be suddenly pulled back freeing you from your opponents grip.

And this is just one real world and effective application of using blocking techniques commonly seen in traditional martial arts.
If you guys want me to, I can do a breakdown of this going in depth of how these blocks are actually meant to be used.

But what do you guys think of this breakdown? How do you like to use arm drags?
And what type of breakdowns do you want to see from me in the future? Do you want me to look at a certain series of techniques, a certain fighting style, or a certain fighter?

Also feel free to take a look at my other breakdowns
as well, I've made some on both striking and grappling.

 

[Thrawn33]

Arm drag to Sumi Is my shit. Especially in BJJ with the leaned over stance.

 

[Kratos94]

Rei Higuchi and Soslan Ramonov are the kings of the arm-drag.