Omoplata

The Omoplata is a shoulder lock submission that uses the opponent’s arm and shoulder joint to create torque, forcing a tap. The submission is applied by trapping the opponent's arm with your legs and rotating your body, leveraging the opponent’s shoulder against their natural range of motion. It is a versatile technique, often used as both a submission and a tool to sweep or transition into dominant positions.

Key Concepts

Shoulder Lock

  • The Omoplata applies pressure to the shoulder by internally rotating the arm.

Leg-Based Submission

  • Your legs control and isolate the opponent’s arm, while your body movement generates the force.

Control and Rotation

  • Proper body positioning and tight control over their arm and shoulder are essential for success.

Execution Steps

Break Their Posture

  • From a guard position, disrupt the opponent’s posture to expose their arm.

Isolate the Arm

  • Pull their arm across your body while rotating your hips to position your leg over their shoulder and back.

Trap the Arm

  • Bring your leg over their trapped arm and around their back, locking it in place. Your hips should align with their shoulder.

Control the Opponent

  • Use your legs and grips to prevent them from posturing or escaping. Control their body to keep their shoulder pinned to the mat.

Rotate Your Body

  • Move your hips away from the opponent while rolling your body toward their shoulder. This motion applies torque to the arm and shoulder joint.

Finish the Submission

  • Gradually increase the pressure by lifting your hips and pushing their arm forward. Keep their shoulder pinned to the mat for maximum torque.

Common Entries

From Closed Guard

  • Break their posture and pull their arm across to set up the Omoplata.

From Butterfly Guard

  • Use hooks to elevate and isolate their arm, transitioning into the Omoplata.

From De La Riva or Spider Guard

  • Use their extended arm to swing your hips and set up the lock.

From Half Guard

  • Trap their arm as they try to pass, rolling into the Omoplata.

From Side Control Bottom

  • Transition into the Omoplata during an escape attempt by isolating their arm.

During a Triangle Choke Defense

  • If the opponent defends the Triangle Choke, transition to the Omoplata by trapping their arm.

During Guard Passing Defense

  • If the opponent extends an arm while trying to pass, isolate it and roll into the Omoplata.

Tips for Success

Control Their Posture

  • Prevent the opponent from posturing up by controlling their hips and head.

Pin Their Shoulder

  • Use your legs and hips to keep their shoulder on the mat, preventing escapes.

Angle Your Body

  • Adjust your hips and body angle to maximize torque on their shoulder.

Apply Gradual Pressure

  • Slowly increase the submission’s pressure to avoid injuring your training partner.

Use as a Transition

Positioning

The Omoplata is most effective when the opponent’s arm is isolated, and you can control their posture and Fundamentals/Base while using tight connections and proper angles to maximize pressure on their shoulder. It is also a highly versatile tool that can lead to sweeps, submissions, or positional advancements.

From Closed Guard

  • A classic setup for the Omoplata involves breaking the opponent’s posture and pulling their arm across your centerline to trap it.

From Butterfly Guard

  • Use hooks to elevate and isolate the opponent’s arm, transitioning into the Omoplata by shifting your hips and bringing your leg over their shoulder.

From De La Riva or Spider Guard

  • Utilize the opponent’s extended arm to swing your hips into position for the Omoplata.
  • Spider Guard setups are particularly effective as they provide strong control over the opponent’s arm.

From Half Guard

  • Trap their arm as they attempt to pass or defend, rolling into the Omoplata as their posture is compromised.

From Side Control Bottom

  • Transition into the Omoplata during an escape attempt by isolating their arm and using your legs to control their shoulder.

From X Guard or Single-Leg X Guard

  • Isolate the opponent’s arm as they try to base or post, transitioning into the Omoplata.

During a Triangle Choke Defense

  • If the opponent defends the Triangle Choke by posturing or pulling their arm back, transition into the Omoplata.

During Guard Passing Defense

  • If the opponent extends an arm while attempting a pass, trap it and roll into the Omoplata.

From Standing

  • Attack a flying Omoplata when the opponent’s posture and arm positioning allow it.

From Turtle Control

  • Trap the opponent’s arm as they post or attempt to recover guard, using their movement to set up the Omoplata.

During Scrambles

  • Capitalize on dynamic exchanges where the opponent’s arm is extended or exposed, transitioning quickly into the submission.

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