Shrimp

The Shrimp (Reverse Shrimp) is a fundamental movement in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that focuses on moving backward to create space, recover Guard, or escape dominant positions. It is the opposite of the traditional Shrimp and involves a backward hip movement combined with framing and leveraging your legs.

Purpose of the Shrimp

Space Creation

  • Generates distance between you and your opponent to neutralize their pressure.

Guard Recovery

Escapes

Dynamic Transitions

  • Provides mobility for fluid transitions in scrambles or defensive scenarios.

Step-by-Step Execution

Starting Position

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat.
  • Use your arms to establish Frames against your opponent’s shoulders, hips, or chest.

Engage Your Core

  • Tighten your Core to stabilize your body and initiate controlled movement.
  • Keep your head slightly off the mat and your chin tucked for better posture.

Post and Extend

  • Post one foot firmly on the mat to act as a driving point.
  • Extend your hips backward by pushing through the posted foot, sliding your body away from your opponent.

Angle Your Hips

  • Turn your hips slightly to one side as you slide back, creating space and improving angles for recovery or attack.
  • Use your extended leg to maintain distance or block your opponent.

Reset Position

  • Once you’ve created enough space, bring your hips back to the centerline and prepare to follow up.
  • Transition into Guard recovery, Technical Stand-Up, or another movement as needed.

Key Principles

Hip Movement

  • The backward motion of the hips drives the effectiveness of the reverse shrimp.

Frames

  • Strong frames protect against pressure and provide leverage for creating space.

Angles

  • Slightly turning your hips during the motion helps neutralize direct pressure from your opponent.

Momentum

  • Smooth, controlled movement ensures efficient energy use and maintains positional control.

Common Uses of the Shrimp

Guard Recovery

Escaping Pressure

Dynamic Transitions

Neutralizing Top Control

  • Use the reverse shrimp to adjust angles and reduce your opponent’s control during scrambles.

Drilling Tips for the Shrimp

Solo Drills

  • Practice sliding your hips backward across the mat with alternating posts. Focus on clean, deliberate movements.

Partner Drills

  • Work with a partner applying light Pressure from Side Control or Mount, using the reverse shrimp to escape and recover Guard.
  • Increase resistance gradually as you improve timing and efficiency.

Flow Drills

Positional Sparring

  • Start in bottom positions and practice using the reverse shrimp to recover guard or create opportunities for transitions under live resistance.

Key Mistakes to Avoid

Flat Hips

  • Keeping your hips on the mat reduces mobility and effectiveness.

Weak Frames

  • Without strong frames, your opponent can collapse your movement and maintain pressure.

Lack of Control

  • Rushing or using jerky movements wastes energy and opens gaps for counters.

Predictable Direction

  • Repeating the same angle or movement makes it easier for your opponent to counter.
Tip

Mastering the shrimp is essential for improving your defensive capabilities and overall Guard Retention. Focus on precise, fluid movement during practice to build the muscle memory needed for effective application in live scenarios.

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