Sit Out escape from Turtle
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Sit-Out Escape·Chosen Few BJJ
Sitout escape from bottom turtle One of my favorite techniques from Turtle to quickly take peoples back. Crypto donat…
Sit-Out Escape
Familyシットアウトエスケープ(Shitto Auto Esukēpu)
TransliterationTranslation: sit-out escape
Overview
The Sit-Out Escape family covers turtle escapes where the turtled fighter sits the hips out to one side, rotating the body to face the opponent and create a more favourable position. [1] Sit-out escapes are among the most fundamental and widely used turtle escapes in all grappling disciplines because they use a simple, powerful hip motion to escape the turtle while maintaining the ability to face the opponent. [1],[2] This family includes the standard sit-out (sitting the hips through to face the opponent) and the Granby roll (a shoulder roll that combines inversion with a sit-out motion). [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Lineage
The sit-out is one of the most fundamental wrestling escapes, taught at all levels. [1]
Competition Record
The sit-out is one of the most commonly used escapes in wrestling competition. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Creating space between the bottom player's body and the top player to recover guard or achieve underhook
Joints Involved — Hips (shrimping/hip escape), elbows and forearms (framing against crossface and hip), knees (re-inserting guard)
Force Vector — Lateral hip escape (shrimp) — moving the hips away from the opponent creates the space needed to insert knee or recover guard
Escape Mechanic — Frames create momentary space, hip escape maintains it, and knee insertion re-establishes guard
Position & Entry
From bottom side control — Create frames with the forearms against the opponent's neck and hip, hip escape (shrimp) to create space, insert the knee to recover guard
From underhook escape — Swim the near arm to an underhook, bridge into the opponent and come to knees or reverse
From opponent's transition — When the opponent moves to mount or north-south, use the movement to create space and escape
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Turtle escapes involve rolling and granby movements; neck strain risk
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— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— NCAA Folkstyle — Legal, escape scores 1 point, reversal s...
NCAA Wrestling Rules 2025-26PDFTraining Notes
✓The sit-out escape from turtle is the most fundamental wrestling-based turtle escape — sit through the opponent's control to face them (Cael Sanderson, Wrestling Technique, 2010)
✓Execution: from turtle, post one hand, kick one leg through, and sit to the hip facing the opponent
✓The sit-out creates a 180-degree turn — you go from facing the mat to facing the opponent
✓The posted hand provides the pivot point; the kicking leg creates the rotation
✓The sit-out works best when the opponent has chest pressure from the top — the sit-through goes underneath their weight
✓After the sit-out, you're in a seated position facing the opponent — transition to guard or standing
✓In wrestling, the sit-out is the first turtle escape taught and remains the most commonly used
✓The sit-out can be combined with a turn-in for a reversal: sit out → turn → take the back or shoot
Common Mistakes
!Sitting out without posting the hand — the post provides the structural support for the rotation
!Kicking the wrong leg — kick through the leg that creates the rotation toward the opponent
!Sitting out too far from the opponent — maintain contact; too much distance loses the reversal opportunity
!Not turning to face the opponent after sitting out — the sit-out is incomplete until you're facing them
!Sitting out when the opponent has hooks in — clear the hooks first; sit-outs don't work against body hooks
!Exposing the neck during the sit-out — keep the chin tucked through the transition
!Only training sit-outs in one direction — practice both sides equally
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] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Welker, 2010) [2] NCAA Wrestling Rules and Interpretations
2BookMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Petrov, 1977) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & 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] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Welker, 2010) [2] NCAA Wrestling Rules and Interpretations
5CitationMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Petrov, 1977) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip escape (shrimping) speed, framing strength, timing
Favours
flexible hips and quick lateral movement
Key muscles
hip flexors, obliques, triceps (framing), core
Sub-techniques
Granby Roll
SubFamilyThe Granby Roll is a dynamic wrestling escape from the turtle position where the bottom fighter rolls over their shoulder to invert, escape the opponent's top control, and recover guard or create a scramble — named after Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, where the technique was developed and made famous. [1] The Granby Roll uses shoulder-rolling momentum to escape when the opponent is riding or attempting to take the back from the turtle position, inverting underneath them and coming out the other side in guard or a neutral position. [1,2] The technique is a signature of American folkstyle wrestling that has been widely adopted into BJJ and MMA as a turtle escape, and has also influenced modern BJJ inversion-based guard play (berimbolo, rolling back takes) which use similar shoulder-rolling mechanics. [2,3] While athletic and requiring practice, the Granby Roll is one of the most effective escapes against heavy riders and back-take attempts from turtle. [3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Standard Sit-Out
SubFamilyThe Standard Sit-Out subfamily covers the fundamental turtle escape where the turtled fighter sits the hips out to one side, rotating to face the opponent from a defensive seated or guard position. [1] The sit-out is the most basic and universally taught turtle escape across all grappling disciplines — it uses a powerful hip kick-out motion to rotate the body 180 degrees, converting the turtle into a facing position. [1,2] The sit-out's effectiveness lies in its speed and simplicity — the hip motion is one of the most natural and powerful movements the body can perform. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
The sit-out is a fundamental wrestling escape from bottom (referee's position) — the bottom wrestler pivots on one hand, swings the legs through, and faces the opponent. Documented in every wrestling manual as one of the first bottom escapes taught. (Coaching Wrestling Successfully, Gable; 1943 US Navy H2H)
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do immediately when my opponent gets on top of me in turtle position?
According to Chosen Few BJJ, you should get your chin down to your chest and bring your shoulder up at the same time to prevent them from taking a quick guillotine or getting to your back for a rear neck choke. You shouldn't stay in turtle for more than 5-10 seconds before executing an escape.
How do I stay safe from guillotine and back takes during a sit-out escape from turtle?
Chosen Few BJJ emphasizes staying tight by getting your chin down to your chest while simultaneously bringing your shoulder up, which prevents your opponent from quickly securing a guillotine or accessing your neck and back.
Does the sit-out escape technique change based on where my opponent's hands are?
Yes, according to Chosen Few BJJ, the sit-out escape varies depending on your opponent's hand placement—whether they're going for a front headlock, head and arm control, or just general chest control.
How does the Sit-Out Escape work?
The Sit-Out Escape family covers turtle escapes where the turtled fighter sits the hips out to one side, rotating the body to face the opponent and create a more favourable position. Sit-out escapes are among the most fundamental and widely used turtle escapes in all grappling disciplines because they use a simple, powerful hip motion to escape the turtle while maintaining the ability to face the opponent.
Where does the Sit-Out Escape come from?
The sit-out is one of the oldest and most fundamental wrestling escapes, used in folk-style, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling from the bottom position. It was adopted into BJJ and MMA as a primary turtle escape due to its simplicity and effectiveness.
Is the Sit-Out Escape legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive/transitional technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal, escape scores 1 point (freestyle), reversal scores 1 point; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; NCAA Folkstyle: legal — Legal, escape scores 1 point, reversal scores 2 points
How dangerous is the Sit-Out Escape?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — turtle escapes involve rolling and granby movements; neck strain risk
How do I set up the Sit-Out Escape?
The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.
How do I defend against the Sit-Out 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 Sit-Out Escape?
Common variants: Shrimp to guard (framing and hip-escaping to recover full guard or half guard); Underhook escape (winning the underhook and coming to knees or reversing); Bridge to knees (bridging into the opponent and transitioning to turtle or…); Ghost escape (inverting under the opponent to re-guard from the opposit…).
How effective is the Sit-Out Escape in competition?
The sit-out is one of the most commonly used escapes in wrestling competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Sit-Out Escape?
Top errors to watch for: Sitting out without posting the hand — the post provides the structural support for the rotation / Kicking the wrong leg — kick through the leg that creates the rotation toward the opponent / Sitting out too far from the opponent — maintain contact; too much distance loses the reversal opportunity / Not turning to face the opponent after sitting out — the sit-out is incomplete until you're facing them.
What are other names for the Sit-Out Escape?
The Sit-Out Escape is also known as Shitto Auto Esukēpu, Sit Through, Sit Out.