Standard Turtle

SubFamily

Translation: standard turtle

Range & classification

Overview

The 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]

Also known as

Basic Turtle^[1]Standard Turtle Defence^[2]Kame no Kamae (亀の構え)JP^[3]

Used in

BJJ Judo Wrestling MMA

History & Origin

The standard turtle is a fundamental defensive position in wrestling and judo, adapted for BJJ with additional emphasis on neck and arm protection against chokes and arm locks. ^[1] It is one of the first defensive positions taught in grappling. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

BrazilBJJ, MMA, Submission Grappling
Japanスタンダード亀(Sutandādo Kame)BJJ, Judo, Submission Grappling
GreeceWrestling
USAWrestling, MMA, Submission Grappling
RussiaSambo

Effectiveness

The standard turtle is the default all-fours defensive position. ^[1]

Lineage

The standard turtle is the fundamental turtle position in judo and BJJ. ^[1]

Competition Record

Commonly used in judo and BJJ competition. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Using the legs and hips to control the opponent from the bottom — maintaining distance management and attack angles

Joints Involved — Hips (primary engine for sweeps and attacks), knees (framing and hooking), ankles (secondary hooks)

Force Vector — Pulling, framing, and hip-escaping — creating angles for attacks while preventing passing

Positional Mechanic — The guard is an active offensive position — leg control compensates for bottom positioning by threatening sweeps and submissions

Position & Entry

From pulling guard or being taken down — Establish the guard position using legs and hips to control the opponent from the bottom

From transition — Move between guard variations to maintain bottom control and create attack opportunities

Videos

RVV BJJ

The Barrel Roll: When Turtle Turns Away From You

Standard Turtle·RVV BJJ

So far we have covered how to break your opponent down, and pull them towards you. However, many opponents will attempt…

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Moderate3/10

Turtle is a defensive shell position; vulnerable to back takes and chokes

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Beginner

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

Restricted

— matte called

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

Legal

— 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 RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓Standard turtle is the basic all-fours defensive position: knees and hands on the mat, elbows in, chin tucked, and body compact — the default turtle configuration used when guard is about to be passed (Marcelo Garcia, Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 2011)

✓Standard turtle structure: knees under the hips (not splayed), hands close to the knees, elbows tight against the body, and head tucked

✓The standard turtle provides: neck protection (chin tucked), arm protection (elbows tight), and a platform for all escape directions

✓From standard turtle, escape options are: sit-out to the left or right, guard pull by shooting the legs through, standup by posting and rising, or granby roll

✓The standard turtle should feel like a loaded spring: ready to explode in any direction at any moment

✓Standard turtle in wrestling is the referee's position bottom: the wrestler is ready to stand, sit-out, or switch

✓Training standard turtle: partner attacks from behind while you maintain structure and attempt escapes — timed rounds

Common Mistakes

!Splaying the knees too wide — the knees should be under the hips for a compact structure

!Keeping the elbows away from the body — tight elbows prevent the opponent from threading arms through

!Lifting the head and exposing the neck — the chin must stay tucked at all times

!Placing the hands too far forward — the hands should be close to the knees for a compact position

!Staying in standard turtle without escaping — the position is for immediate escape, not holding

!Not training escapes from the standard turtle position — every training session should include turtle escapes

!Using standard turtle as a default guard position — always attempt to recover guard rather than turtle

Related Techniques

Guard Pass — the primary attacking objective against this guard position Transition — movement between this position and adjacent positions in the hierarchy

Counter Techniques

Guard Pass — systematically work to clear the legs and establish a dominant position Leg Pin — control one or both legs to neutralize guard retention Pressure Passing — use heavy chest pressure to flatten and immobilize the guard player

Setup Chain

1Achieve Guard Contact — establish leg control around or against the opponent

2Control Grips — secure sleeve, collar, or wrist control for manipulation

3Manage Distance — use legs and grips to control the range and prevent passing

4Threaten Submissions/Sweeps — create offensive threats to keep the opponent reactive

Sources & References

Primary Source

Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)

1BookKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)

Alias sources — [1] IBJJF Rules (2024) [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [3] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

3SyllabusKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

Official Kodokan ground technique classification system

4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology

Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords

5CitationKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)

Alias sources — [1] IBJJF Rules (2024) [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [3] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

6CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Community

Athletics

Requires

hip flexibility, active legs, grip management

Favours

long legs for distance control and guard retention

Key muscles

hip flexors, adductors, quadriceps, core, grip

Sub-techniques

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Standard Defensive Turtle

Genus

The Standard Defensive Turtle establishes the basic defensive turtle with the fighter on hands and knees, elbows tight, chin tucked, and hips low, creating a compressed, protective ball that is difficult to attack. [1] The standard defensive turtle focuses on protecting the neck from chokes and the arms from locks while maintaining enough mobility to escape. [1,2] The fighter monitors the opponent's position and weight distribution to time escape attempts. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

What offensive options do I have once I establish back control from the turtle position?

Once you have back control with hooks and a seatbelt grip, you can add rear attacks like chokes, rear triangles, and arm submissions. RVV BJJ emphasizes that you can't go wrong with these back control offenses.

What's a common mistake when trying to pull someone toward me from the turtle position?

A common issue is having a hook and seatbelt grip but failing to effectively pull your opponent toward you, which can cause the attack to go wrong. Proper positioning and control are essential to make this work.

How does the Standard Turtle work?

The 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. 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.

Where does the Standard Turtle come from?

The standard turtle is a fundamental defensive position in wrestling and judo, adapted for BJJ with additional emphasis on neck and arm protection against chokes and arm locks. It is one of the first defensive positions taught in grappling.

Is the Standard 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 Standard Turtle?

Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — turtle is a defensive shell position; vulnerable to back takes and chokes

How do I set up the Standard Turtle?

The standard setup chain: Achieve Guard Contact → Control Grips → Manage Distance → Threaten Submissions/Sweeps.

How do I defend against the Standard Turtle?

Standard counters include: Guard Pass — systematically work to clear the legs and establish a dominant position / Leg Pin — control one or both legs to neutralize guard retention / Pressure Passing — use heavy chest pressure to flatten and immobilize the guard player.

What are the variants of the Standard Turtle?

Common variants: Standard guard (primary leg and grip configuration for control and attack…); Offensive guard (configured for sweeps and submissions); Defensive guard (prioritising distance management and preventing passes); Transition guard (moving between guard types to adjust to the opponent's pa…).

How effective is the Standard Turtle in competition?

Commonly used in judo and BJJ competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Turtle?

Top errors to watch for: Splaying the knees too wide — the knees should be under the hips for a compact structure / Keeping the elbows away from the body — tight elbows prevent the opponent from threading arms through / Lifting the head and exposing the neck — the chin must stay tucked at all times / Placing the hands too far forward — the hands should be close to the knees for a compact position.

What are other names for the Standard Turtle?

The Standard Turtle is also known as Sutandādo Kame, Basic Turtle, Standard Turtle Defence, Kame no Kamae (亀の構え).

standard turtle sutand do kame position turtle position defensive turtle bjj judo wrestling mma sambo submission grappling basic turtle standard turtle defence kame no kamae