## Technique: Underhook Control The Underhook Control is a fundamental Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) technique used to gain leverage, control an opponent's posture, or transition into a more dominant position. An underhook involves threading your arm underneath your opponent's arm to gain control. This technique can be applied from various positions, primarily focusing on maintaining pressure and improving positional advantage. ### Position(s): - **Side Control** - **Half Guard** - **Butterfly Guard** ### Japanese Name: - N/A ### Detailed Steps: #### From Half Guard: 1. **Establish Base**: - Start in half guard, where you are on your back with one of your opponent's legs trapped between your own legs. - Maintain good posture with your lower body by keeping your trapped leg tight. 2. **Create Space**: - Use your arms to frame across your opponent's body to keep pressure off you. - Shrimp slightly away from your opponent to create space. 3. **Thread the Underhook**: - As soon as there's enough space, thread your far hand (the hand opposite to the side of the trapped leg) under and around your opponent's arm. - Secure the underhook by grasping your opponent's upper back or tricep, ensuring your hand is tight to their body. 4. **Angle Adjustment**: - Use the underhook to pull yourself underneath your opponent. - Bring the trapped leg outside and hook your opponent's outside leg, performing a shallow "hip escape" or shrimp. 5. **Achieve Control**: - You should now be on your side, with your head aligned below your opponent's armpit. - Your shoulder should snugly fit against your opponent's shoulder. 6. **Advance the Position**: - With the underhook secured, use your other arm to push against your opponent's hip for increased control. - Optionally progress to a back take by sliding out from underneath, controlling their hips, and establishing a seatbelt grip. #### From Side Control: 1. **Settle Your Base**: - Begin in a standard side control position, chest-to-chest against your opponent. - Use your non-dominant hand to control their near-side elbow. 2. **Enter the Underhook**: - Feed your dominant arm underneath their far arm and reach deep across their torso. - Secure the underhook by wrapping your arm tightly around their back and control their opposite shoulder or tricep. 3. **Maintain Pressure**: - Keep your chest and weight on your opponent, using the underhook to flatten them out. - Stay low, ensuring their back remains pressed to the mat. 4. **Submission or Transition**: - Use the underhook to set up submissions such as an Americana or transition to Mount by stepping over or circling around their body. The underhook is a pivotal control point in BJJ, whether for maintaining dominance from side control, advancing position in half guard, or even disrupting an opponent's base in the butterfly guard. Remember, control of the underhook is crucial for maintaining proper leverage, balance, and pressure.