Developing a devastating triangle: Nothing pleases me more in the training room that the sight of a student latching on to a tough opponent and exhibiting genuine and well directed control over him until he can incrementally convert it into a submission. When it comes to triangle work – the mindset I want you all working on is that of THE TWO STAGE APPROACH. Don't see the triangle as a single move, but rather as a move with two distinct phases. It begins with the TRAP TRIANGLE. This is the act of trapping your opponents head and one arm inside your legs and locking your ankles. At this stage (for front triangles from bottom position – the most common triangle scenario) you will be square in front of your opponent. Then when you have sufficiently controlled the situation, move on to the second phase, THE FIGURE FOUR TRIANGLE. This is where you switch from square to perpendicular angle while controlling posture and cinch a tight stranglehold. DON'T TRY TO BEGIN WITH A STRANGLEHOLD – begin with head control and only when that is assured do you move on to the strangle. Breaking your triangle attacks up into two distinct phases is the single biggest key to developing it into a devastating weapon with which you can dominate the mats. Here, Nicky Ryan, a young master of the triangle, latches on to a controlling trap triangle. Already he is planning the transition to phase two as his hand reaches to pull himself to a perpendicular angle and the strangle finish.
