Submissions never begin in a completed state: When you think of a perfect submission hold you think of the final state of the move, where everything is set in place and locked out. This is not how they begin however. Submissions typically start with an entrance that is quite far from the completed form. You have to work from that initial start to the final position. That process of going from initial entrance to final locked out submission will have to be done against maximal resistance. In order to be successful you'll need to be able to work step by step, being sure to make each step reinforced so that resistance doesn't destroy your progress. If the resistance proves too strong, you'll need alternative finishes that can be realistically made from the starting submission. Here I have locked in the starting position for a front triangle. There is still a lot of work to be done from here to get the original submission. My choices will be to either work step by step to complete the front triangle; if I take this option I'll need to be able to lock each step so as to maintain my progress. So for example I could use my left land to grip my right shin to prevent slippage as I turn an angle to shift into the completed triangle. Failing this I could shift off to a new choice of submission, juji gatame arm bar variations, omo plata, ude gatame straight arm bar, kimura and te gatame arm lock are obvious candidates here. Make sure you map your options from the entry to finish of your favorite submissions ahead of time, there won't always be time in a competitive match to figure it out on the fly, so have your favorites sorted out in training so they're ready when you need them!
