Half Guard: Elecric Chair Defense "Back to the Mat"
The Electric Chair is not only a great sweep and hip joint submission but you can also do a lot of damage to your opponent's knee. If you get caught in the Electric Chair there are a couple of ways to defend but the tech below is the safest on your knees.
At the 2008 Hungarian Submission Wrestling Championships I saw the Hungarian Freestyle Wrestling National Champion get his knee torn out and have to be carried from the mat because he did not know that he was in danger in the Electric Chair. Once the Electric Chair was on I told the person next to me that he was in danger and as soon as I finished the sentence his knee popped.
Here is what can happen if you do not defend the Lockdown or give up the sweep to protect your knee.
In the tech below you will have to give up the sweep but that is a must to protect against injury and continue fighting.
Here I have my opponent in my half guard with the Lockdown locked down. I also have double underhooks with a Ball & Socket grip.
Next I Whip Up by lifting my opponent's leg and lifting my arms up toward my head. I like to maintain the double underhooks as I Whip Up in order to maintain control of my opponent.
Once I get to my side while maintaining my underhooks I can go for Old Skool but if ...
my opponent bases out I can go straight to ...
go for the Electric Chair by swimming my left arm through to my opponent's armpit while underhooking his left leg with my right arm. Here you want to be sure to trap their leg tight between your right shoulder and the right side of your head.
Now here is where your opponent is in real danger of getting their knee torn out. If you stretch your body out here keeping their leg on your shoulder and squeezing the Lockdown tight you will break their knee. A lot of people will try to fight the EC with both hands on the mat doing a push up. This is the wrong thing to do. Instead you want to ...
Put your "Back to the Mat." This will change the angle of the Lockdown on your knee so that you will not be in danger. Instead of tearing ligaments and cartilage the Lockdown will just bend your knee the way that it naturally bends.
If your opponent goes back to the mat to protect his knee you will complete the sweep ...
go to Side Control and ...
Set up Twister Side Control. Your opponent will give up points for the sweep but their knee will be ready to fight continue fighting !
