BJJ position
Turtle
Turtle is the position where the bottom player is on their knees and elbows, curled up to protect the neck and hips. People usually end up there while defending a guard pass or after a scramble. It is a transitional position: staying in turtle for long is risky because the back is open, but used well it is a strong way to stop a pass and come back to guard or to your feet. The top player wants to take the back, choke from the front headlock, or roll the bottom player flat.
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If you're on the bottom
- Keep your elbows tight to your knees and protect your neck
- Recover guard by rolling or sitting through, or get back to your feet
- Grab a leg and attack a single leg or a sweep when the top player is high
If you're on top
- Get a seatbelt grip and insert hooks to take the back
- Use the front headlock to control the head and set up chokes
- Break down the turtle and roll the opponent to the side you control
Key details
- Don't give space between your elbows and knees for hooks to come in
- Keep your head moving and your hands fighting the grips around the neck
- On top, stay on the side of the turtle with your chest on the back
- Collar grips in the gi make clock chokes and back takes easier
Common mistakes
- Staying still in turtle and waiting
- Reaching back with an arm, which gives the top player an easy seatbelt
- On top: putting both hooks in too early and getting rolled
Techniques from turtle
In the BJJ Navigator library, each with a video clip.
Front Turtle Escape escape, bottomAchilles Slicer submission, top
Related positions
Add turtle to your map
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