Guest post by Henry Akins, the third American to receive a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt from legendary fighter Rickson Gracie. Akins trained under Rickson Gracie for 15 years. Akins became the head instructor or “Professor” at the Rickson Gracie Academy from 2005 to 2008 before resigning due to a back injury. 

Akins has recently released an instructional website called Hidden Jiu-Jitsu where for the first time ever, he reveals the secret details that nobody outside of the Gracie family has been taught. 

By far the most common question about the top of Cross Side (side control) is… “Henry how do I FINISH more from side control when I get there?” Even to this day I have Brown and Black belts ask me this question not just white belts.

The answer is pretty simple…

Have two hands available to attack with and have the ability to pour suffocating pressure onto your opponent WHILE you’re attacking.

The biggest problems I see with most people when they get to the top of side control that STOPS them dead in their tracks from finishing are…

1) At least 1 if not BOTH hands are OCCUPIED squeezing and or controlling their opponent. If you don’t have hands (unless you’re the super hero they call Kyle Maynard) you can’t finish.

2) Both knees are on the ground. If all your weight is on your knees then your weight isn’t smothering your opponent.

3) People are to willing to concede or give up the side control position for a lesser position. If you don’t want the position bad enough you won’t finish from that position.

Remember I don’t see Jiu Jitsu as a “sport” its about life and death.

So when I say “this is how to FINISH from cross side (side control) I mean “this is how to avoid being reversed, maimed or KILLED when you achieve a dominant position like cross side.

If it works to save your life you can bet your last dollar it’ll win you a tournament.

The TRUTH the better your cross side is, the more afraid your opponents will be of it and the more they will FREAK OUT when you push pressure on them.

The down side of becoming DOMINANT from the cross side position is people’s RESPONSE will become more exaggerated and more freaked out and sometimes this makes them harder to submit…

Finishing from Cross Side isn’t about having 101 Submissions its having CONTROL of your opponent and letting him FOLLOW your lead right into YOUR submission attack.

From the cross side position your opponents first sign of being submitted should be his sudden realization that he’s GOTTA tap.

This is not some “theoretical idea” about cross side. What I’m saying is this…

By using the attacks in my Cross Side Attack System I GUARANTEE your regular training partners will RUN from your cross side (side control).

Here is Dan “The Arm Hunter” Camarillo’s Wicked Arm lock from Cross Side. Having this cross side attack in your arsenal is a game changer.”