Turtle Position... What to do!
0
Defensive Turtle·TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian
This video I work with my students on a basic system of what to do with your turtled opponent. Enjoy! If you have any q…
Defensive Turtle
Family防御亀(Bōgyo Kame)
TraditionalTranslation: defensive turtle
Overview
The Defensive Turtle family covers the turtle positions from the perspective of the defending fighter, who uses the curled-up posture to protect against submissions, pins, and strikes while working to escape. [1] Defensive turtle positions prioritise protecting the neck and arms from attacks while maintaining a stable base that is difficult to flatten or turn over. [1],[2] This family includes the standard turtle (basic defensive posture) and the tight turtle (compressed defensive posture with maximum protection). [2],[3]
History & Origin
Defensive turtle positions have been fundamental to wrestling and judo, where the bottom fighter's ability to maintain the turtle and prevent being turned or pinned is a critical defensive skill. [1] BJJ added neck protection as a primary defensive concern due to the choke threat from behind. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
The defensive turtle is emphasised in judo ne-waza as protection against turnovers and in BJJ as a guard recovery position. [1]
Competition Record
The defensive turtle is commonly used in judo and BJJ competition when guard is lost. [1]
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Establishing and maintaining a controlling position relative to the opponent
Joints Involved — Body positioning determines which joints and limbs are available for control and attack
Force Vector — Varies by position — gravity, frames, hooks, and pressure dictate control dynamics
Positional Mechanic — Hierarchy of positions — each position offers different offensive and defensive capabilities
Position & Entry
From guard pass defence — When the guard is about to be passed, turn to hands and knees (turtle) to prevent giving up side control
From takedown defence — After a partial takedown, land on hands and knees in turtle to prevent being put flat on the back
From scramble — During a scramble, transition to turtle as an intermediate defensive position
Videos
1 video
Learn This Technique
No instructional courses yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest a course.
Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Turtle is a defensive shell position; vulnerable to back takes and chokes
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Beginner
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
— matte called
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal — common transitional position
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— UWW — Legal — bottom position, opponent works to turn/pin
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Defensive turtle is the all-fours position used to protect against guard passes and back takes — it is a survival position that must immediately transition to escape or guard recovery (Marcelo Garcia, Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 2011)
✓Defensive turtle principles: tuck the chin to protect the neck, keep the elbows tight to prevent arm entries, and maintain a tight, compact structure
✓Defensive turtle is NOT a resting position — the longer you stay in turtle, the more the opponent can attack; escape within 3-5 seconds
✓The primary escapes from defensive turtle: sit-out (rotate to face the opponent), guard pull (shoot the legs through), standup (post and rise), and roll (forward roll to guard)
✓The hands in defensive turtle protect the neck: one or both hands should be near the collar/chin to defend choke attempts
✓Defensive turtle is more common in MMA than in BJJ: fighters turtle when guard is about to be passed to avoid giving up position points
✓The mental approach to defensive turtle: it is an emergency position; treat it with urgency and escape immediately
Common Mistakes
!Staying in turtle for more than a few seconds — escape immediately; turtle is emergency-only
!Flattening from turtle to a belly-down position — maintain the all-fours structure; flat means defeated
!Not protecting the neck — the chin must be tucked and hands near the neck at all times
!Reaching backward for the opponent — keep the arms in front; reaching back exposes the neck
!Relaxing in defensive turtle — the opponent is actively attacking; maintain alertness
!Using turtle as a guard replacement — turtle is inferior to guard; recover guard as the first priority
!Not training turtle escapes against active opponents — passive drilling doesn't develop realistic escape timing
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Achieve Position — transition into this position through passing, sweeping, or scrambling
2Stabilize — establish controlling grips and weight distribution
3Maintain — adjust to the opponent's escape attempts to hold position
4Attack — launch offensive techniques from the stabilized position
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [3] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)
5OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
6CitationKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [3] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
7CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Community
Athletics
Requires
core strength, tight elbow position, neck protection
Favours
compact build with strong core for stability
Key muscles
core stabilisers, shoulders, neck, hip flexors
Sub-techniques
Standard Turtle
SubFamilyThe Standard Turtle subfamily covers the basic defensive turtle position with the fighter on hands and knees, elbows tight to the body, chin tucked, and head down to protect against chokes and submissions. [1] The standard turtle provides a stable defensive base while keeping the arms close to prevent arm attacks and the chin tucked to prevent choke entries. [1,2] From standard turtle, the defender works to escape via sit-outs, rolls, guard pulls, or stand-ups. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Tight Turtle
SubFamilyThe Tight Turtle subfamily covers the defensive turtle variation where the fighter compresses the body as much as possible, tucking the elbows to the knees, chin to chest, and hips low, creating the smallest possible target and maximum protection. [1] The tight turtle sacrifices escape mobility for maximum protection, used when the opponent has a strong attacking position and the defender needs to survive before creating an escape opportunity. [1,2] The tight turtle makes it extremely difficult for the attacker to insert hooks, slide in chokes, or flatten the defender. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
The defensive turtle (balling up on hands and knees) appears in 362 passages under 'turtle' across 80 books. The most common defensive recovery position in grappling — protects the neck and prevents the opponent from establishing mount or side control. The weakness is vulnerability to back takes and chokes. (80 books; Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the seatbelt grip when my opponent is defending their neck in turtle?
Use a distraction by going around their face with one hand, then punch your hand through their defense to get inside and secure the seatbelt grip.
Why do people say the scissor choke from turtle doesn't work?
According to Coach Brian, the scissor choke fails because most people don't position correctly—you end up on the opponent's face without a proper choke, usually just resulting in them escaping. The key is using it as a distraction while your actual control comes from your knee on their chest.
What should I do to prevent my opponent from escaping the turtle position?
Coach Brian emphasizes pulling your opponent to prevent them from returning to turtle, and positioning yourself tightly by getting up on your knee to maintain control and prevent them from jumping their body over yours.
Is the scissor choke or an armbar the simpler approach from turtle?
Coach Brian recommends going for the choke as the simpler and safer approach because it keeps you in a better position rather than taking the risk of transitioning to an armbar.
How does the Defensive Turtle work?
The Defensive Turtle family covers the turtle positions from the perspective of the defending fighter, who uses the curled-up posture to protect against submissions, pins, and strikes while working to escape. Defensive turtle positions prioritise protecting the neck and arms from attacks while maintaining a stable base that is difficult to flatten or turn over.
Where does the Defensive Turtle come from?
Defensive turtle positions have been fundamental to wrestling and judo, where the bottom fighter's ability to maintain the turtle and prevent being turned or pinned is a critical defensive skill. BJJ added neck protection as a primary defensive concern due to the choke threat from behind.
Is the Defensive Turtle legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal — common transitional position; IJF: restricted — Legal position but extended turtle without attacking penalized for non-combat…; ADCC: legal — Legal; Unified MMA: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal — bottom position, opponent works to turn/pin; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Defensive Turtle?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — turtle is a defensive shell position; vulnerable to back takes and chokes
How do I set up the Defensive Turtle?
The standard setup chain: Achieve Position → Stabilize → Maintain → Attack.
How do I defend against the Defensive Turtle?
Standard counters include: Posture Control — maintain strong posture to limit the opponent's offensive options / Escape to Neutral — work back to standing or a neutral position.
What are the variants of the Defensive Turtle?
Common variants: Standard turtle (hands and knees with elbows tight, head protected); Flattened turtle (driven to the mat from turtle, attempting to re-turtle); Active turtle (using sit-outs or rolls from the turtle position).
How effective is the Defensive Turtle in competition?
The defensive turtle is commonly used in judo and BJJ competition when guard is lost.
What are common mistakes when doing the Defensive Turtle?
Top errors to watch for: Staying in turtle for more than a few seconds — escape immediately; turtle is emergency-only / Flattening from turtle to a belly-down position — maintain the all-fours structure; flat means defeated / Not protecting the neck — the chin must be tucked and hands near the neck at all times / Reaching backward for the opponent — keep the arms in front; reaching back exposes the neck.
What are other names for the Defensive Turtle?
The Defensive Turtle is also known as Bōgyo Kame, Defensive Shell, Balled Turtle, Protective Turtle.