How To Do The Hitch Hiker Escape EASY
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Standard Hitchhiker Escape·Aaron Benzrihem bjj·Added by Admin
EASY ARMBAR ESCAPE // In this video I go over how to do the "hitch hiker arm bar escape." This is one of the most popul…
Standard Hitchhiker Escape
Genusスタンダードヒッチハイカーエスケープ(Sutandādo Hitchihaikā Esukēpu)
TransliterationTranslation: standard hitchhiker escape
Overview
The Standard Hitchhiker Escape executes the fundamental hitchhiker defence by rotating the trapped arm thumb-upward while simultaneously turning the body toward the trapped arm, sliding toward the attacker's head. [1] The defender rotates the forearm so the thumb points to the ceiling, then turns the entire body to follow the arm's rotation, which dramatically changes the angle of the armbar and makes it nearly impossible to finish. [1],[2] As the body completes the rotation, the defender slides the arm free and immediately works to pass the attacker's guard or recover position. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The hitchhiker escape is one of the most reliable armbar escapes at the highest levels of competition because it uses rotational mechanics rather than strength to defeat the armbar. [1] By rotating the thumb upward and turning the body, the defender changes the plane of the elbow joint relative to the attacker's hips, making the armbar mechanically unsound. [1],[2]
Lineage
Competition Record
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Breaking the opponent's leg control to advance to a more dominant position
Joints Involved — Hips (posture and pressure), knees (opening the guard with knee-in or standing), hands (grip fighting)
Force Vector — Forward pressure (stack/smash) or backward posture (stand-up break) to open the closed guard
Passing Mechanic — Once the guard is opened, speed passing, pressure passing, or toreando passing advances the position
Position & Entry
From opponent's armbar attempt — Stack the opponent by driving forward, clasp hands together to prevent extension, posture up and pull the arm free
From hitchhiker escape — Turn into the armbar, rotating the thumb toward the mat, slide the elbow past the opponent's hip line
Variants
Slide to side (choking-arm side) — fighting hands and sliding hips to the mat on the choking side
Peel-and-turn — stripping the seatbelt grip and turning into the opponent
Trap-arm escape — trapping one arm and rolling to pin the opponent's back
Body triangle escape — addressing the body triangle lock before escaping the hooks
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
4
Moderate4/10
Submission escapes carry risk of injury if executed too late; timing-critical
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive/transitional technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— UWW — Legal
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Standard hitchhiker escape execution: rotate the thumb toward the ceiling, turn the body toward the opponent's feet, post with the free hand, and pull the elbow free to come to the knees (Danaher, Armbar Escapes, 2019)
✓Step 1: as extension begins, point the trapped arm's thumb straight up (internal shoulder rotation)
✓Step 2: turn the entire body toward the opponent's feet — rotate with the thumb
✓Step 3: post the free hand on the mat near the opponent's hip
✓Step 4: push off the post to continue rotating until you can pull the elbow free
✓Step 5: come to the knees and establish top position
✓The rotation must be one committed motion — partial rotation gets you stuck
✓Against belly-down armbar, the hitchhiker can roll you completely over
✓Drill from both sides — most fighters have a strong and weak side
Common Mistakes
!Performing steps out of order — thumb rotation must be simultaneous with the body turn
!Bridging away from the opponent instead of toward their feet — direction matters
!Using only arm strength — the hitchhiker is a whole-body rotation
!Not coming to the knees after escaping — staying flat invites re-attack
!Rotating too slowly — must be explosive; slow rotation lets the opponent adjust
!Not drilling under realistic resistance — timing only develops in live training
!Attempting when the opponent's legs are very tight — stacking may be better when rotation space is denied
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Create Space — use frames, hip movement, or leverage to generate room to move
2Disrupt Control — break or weaken the opponent's grips and weight placement
3Execute Escape — apply the specific escape mechanic with timing and commitment
4Recover Position — establish a safe position (guard, standing, or top)
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Renzo Gracie & Royler Gracie, 2001)
2BookMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Renzo Gracie & John Danaher, 2003)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Renzo Gracie & Royler Gracie, 2001)
5CitationMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Renzo Gracie & John Danaher, 2003)
Community
Athletics
Requires
grip fighting ability, hip mobility for sliding to the mat, chin defence
Favours
strong hands for grip fighting, flexible hips
Key muscles
forearms (grip fighting), core, hip flexors, neck
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the key thing I need to remember about grip control in the Hitchhiker Escape?
You want to be the one to let go of the grip, not have your opponent break it—even though the end result is the same, maintaining control of when you release is crucial. As Aaron Benzrihem emphasizes, 'I don't want my opponent to break the grip. I wanna be the one to let go.'
What's involved in executing the Hitchhiker Escape itself?
The escape involves bending your elbow in an Americana-like fashion while bridging hard and shooting your arm. Timing is critical to the technique's success.
Is the Hitchhiker Escape a guaranteed way to escape an armbar?
No—Aaron Benzrihem is honest that it's not a foolproof escape, which is why he personally prefers the Roger Gracie escape or combines both techniques in conjunction with each other.
How does the Standard Hitchhiker Escape work?
The Standard Hitchhiker Escape executes the fundamental hitchhiker defence by rotating the trapped arm thumb-upward while simultaneously turning the body toward the trapped arm, sliding toward the attacker's head. The defender rotates the forearm so the thumb points to the ceiling, then turns the entire body to follow the arm's rotation, which dramatically changes the angle of the armbar and makes it nearly impossible to finish.
Where does the Standard Hitchhiker Escape come from?
The standard hitchhiker escape became a staple of BJJ competition defence after being widely demonstrated in high-level matches in the 2000s. It is now considered one of the essential armbar defences taught in most competitive BJJ programmes.
Is the Standard Hitchhiker Escape legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive/transitional technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Standard Hitchhiker Escape?
Danger rating 4/10. Moderate — submission escapes carry risk of injury if executed too late; timing-critical
How do I set up the Standard Hitchhiker Escape?
The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.
How do I defend against the Standard Hitchhiker Escape?
Standard counters include: Maintain Pressure — keep consistent weight distribution to limit escape space / Anticipate Direction — read escape attempt direction and block early / Transition — flow to a new position when the current one is threatened.
What are the variants of the Standard Hitchhiker Escape?
Common variants: Slide to side (choking-arm side) (fighting hands and sliding hips to the mat on the choking…); Peel-and-turn (stripping the seatbelt grip and turning into the opponent); Trap-arm escape (trapping one arm and rolling to pin the opponent's back); Body triangle escape (addressing the body triangle lock before escaping the hooks).
How effective is the Standard Hitchhiker Escape in competition?
The hitchhiker escape is regularly seen in IBJJF World Championship and ADCC matches, used successfully by elite competitors to survive deep armbar attempts. Its adoption across competition BJJ was rapid after high-profile successful uses in the late 2000s.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Hitchhiker Escape?
Top errors to watch for: Performing steps out of order — thumb rotation must be simultaneous with the body turn / Bridging away from the opponent instead of toward their feet — direction matters / Using only arm strength — the hitchhiker is a whole-body rotation / Not coming to the knees after escaping — staying flat invites re-attack.
What are other names for the Standard Hitchhiker Escape?
The Standard Hitchhiker Escape is also known as Sutandādo Hitchihaikā Esukēpu, Basic Hitchhiker, Standard Thumb Up Escape.