BJJ Move #59: Omo Plata

The omo plata is almost like a kimura you start from guard, then use your legs to finish instead of your hands. It's pretty powerful, and even if you can't always finish from the end, it's also a great control position.
It's a little complicated to describe, but actually not that hard to do. You may want to search Google for a picture.

WARNING! These techniques could result in serious injury or death if practiced incorrectly or even if performed correctly. They should only be practiced with the supervision of an experienced instructor.

Omo Plata / Chickenwing Shoulderlock Using Leg / Hiza Gatame (from guard):
-submission

Opportunities / setups:
1) From the guard, if your opponent ever puts an arm down (say, right arm) on the ground above your (here, left) shoulder, trap it by your neck/head with both hands.
2) He puts his hands on the ground near your hips.
3) He’s passing your guard and overhooks your leg (say, left leg).
4) You put your guard up high on his shoulders, until your right leg is over his left shoulder (known as the “crooked” or “climbing” guard), then force his right arm backwards (towards opponent’s back).
5) “Overhook” setup: Your opponent is in your guard and you have an overhook control with your left arm on his right arm.
Change your grip from overhook on your opponent’s right arm to hooking underneath your left leg, behind the knee (your left arm is still over opponent’s right arm but now hooks your left leg instead); your left hand can clasp your opponent’s right shoulder. Continue…
6) “Lockdown” setup: Your opponent is in your guard, and his right hand is on the ground to your left side or is near your left hip (it's not up high or on your chest).
Uncross your feet and bring your left leg, bent, up by the back of his right arm and put your left hand and forearm inside the crook of your knee from the outside, gripping your opponent's right upper arm / shoulder with your left hand.
Now clasp your right hand to your left hand, locking his right shoulder down.
At this point he may try to push your right knee down to pass, but it will be difficult for him to do it before you get the omo plata. The reason he can’t mess with your other leg is that you are trapping his shoulder tight to your body. The “lockdown” puts your opponent in a lot of danger, and without your leg inside can be used to control him from sitting guard, closed guard, or half guard. In fact you can squeeze your right leg tight against his body so it's like one side of a vee, allowing you to switch to an armlock (on his left arm if he tries to push his left arm through to get his head out), a reverse armlock (on his trapped right arm) or a triangle choke.
Your right forearm pressing against his neck is keeping his head away. Unclasp your hands.
Now, the rest of the move:
Push his head further away with your right hand, and bring your left foot underneath his jaw (you may want to use your right hand to pull on your left ankle to help put your put underneath his jaw).
Push against your opponent's left hip with your right foot to pivot you clockwise on your butt / lower back and into the position for omo plata—you sitting up, flush against his right side with your left side against him.
At the same time, put your left heel across your opponent’s back, trying to touch your heel to his opposite shoulder, trying to touch your own right knee.
Now use your left hand to hold his right elbow. Continue pivoting until you’re almost parallel to your opponent. If he resists this turn, drive your right leg out straight to bring his head down, then continue turning.
Now slide your right leg out from underneath him and come up sitting beside him facing toward his head. Your left leg now lies across the back of his right shoulder to press his elbow down into your lap.
Bend his arm into your lap for a chicken-wing shoulderlock as you hip all the way out to his side. His right hand will be palm-up at your belt buckle, arm entangled in your bent left leg.
Figure four your right knee over your left shin to keep his arm trapped.
Keep him from rolling forward with your left hand on his belt, lower back, or by hooking his near (here, right) leg. You want to keep turning until your body is alongside his, with your head facing the same way as his feet, and vice versa.
Now stand up onto your knees, leaning forward towards his head (to the left a little) to apply the pressure.
Tip: Guys with strong arms / shoulders won’t be easy to lock—grab his upper arm to your chest tight, clamping it there with your elbows; this makes the lock much faster and tighter.
Tip: You want his shoulders on the mat so you can apply the lock and so he can’t roll you back onto your back, so when you first sit up, straighten your legs to push his shoulders down.
Tip: Some opponents, however, are too strong to be pushed down by straightening your legs. There are two good ways to bring his shoulders down. First, you can scoot your butt back toward his feet. Second, you can pivot on your hips clockwise, which will take him down to his left where he’ll have no base.
Tip: It can be difficult to finish from here even once he’s down—-you may want to finish with an armlock (if he rolls over), wristlock, toehold, etc.


Comments? Please feel free to point out mistakes, describe tips on the techniques, suggest ways to make the descriptions clearer, etc.
Click here to go to the list of my BJJ move posts.