Photo: Giovanni L. Sacco
A sitting master world champion, today the black-belt Ninja Pinto kindly shares some of his knowledge with our readers. In this video, Ninja teaches how he finishes via triangle in the aftermath of a one-leg sweep — a position intended to confuse the passer during the fight.
“Because it’s a traditional position, many people don’t pay attention to the necessary details like, for example, the hip movement when you go to climb to finish via triangle,” says Ninja, who leads International Brazil Academy in Lenexa, Kansas. “Having good hip movement is a key piece of the position.”
Right at the start, he sets up the open guard and changes to the one-leg to start feigning a sweep — which will actually result in the triangle. The sweep attempt works as a trap.
“When I feign the sweep, I raise my hip and lasso his neck with my two legs. Notice how I don’t release the left-arm grip, which remains under control even as I attack. My hip moves at the same time I open the legs to go for the triangle.”
Watch and remember: Move your hips and don’t release the arm grips.
