Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated BJJ gym in Singapore.

Yes, the Hitchhiker Escape is the name of your savior! The way to implementing it is by turning your thumb down and using explosiveness.
What this means in practical terms is that, before your opponent goes to break your grip and extend your arm, you need to point your thumb down towards the floor. After all, one of the most important points to finishing an Armbar is to have the opponent’s thumb face towards the ceiling… So, you need to do the opposite! When you point it down, your arm won’t be extended as it is otherwise – and this is a great win for you!

With that in mind, as the training partner is trying to break your grip, you’ll initiate the escape by using your whole body in an explosive fashion, exploding with your arm so that you bend at the elbow and that your thumb goes towards the floor. Also, turn yourself into the opposite side.
From here, you’ll keep turning into that direction while keeping the pressure running through your bent arm’s shoulder; finally getting around your opponent and out of the Armbar danger – where you can get to Side Control instead.

Watch a great demonstration of the Hitchhiker Escape below:

Get Out Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s Worst Positions, Gi Or No-Gi, With Lachlan Giles’s Insights Into Escaping.
The 2019 ADCC Absolute Medalist Teaches How To Get Out Bad Grappling Positions With Narrated Live Rolling Of Him Performing The Techniques.