twister side control / the truck / back
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Twister From Truck·Black Dragon BJJ / Cobra Kai Karate Dungannon
black dragon brazilian jiu jitsu class wednesday 2nd december 2015 TWISTER SIDE CONTROL / THE TRUCK / BACK dungannon lei…
Twister From Truck
Speciesツイスター(Tsuisutā)
TransliterationTranslation: Twister (katakana loanword)
Overview
The twister from truck is applied from the 'truck' position, where the attacker controls the opponent's far leg by threading their own legs through in a lockdown-style configuration while positioned behind the opponent. [1],[2] From the truck, the attacker threads one arm under the opponent's chin and grabs the wrist of the other arm, then rotates the upper body away from the trapped lower body to produce a severe rotational spinal crank. [1] The truck provides the leg control that anchors the lower body while the arms rotate the spine. [1],[2]
History & Origin
The truck position and its connection to the twister are hallmarks of Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, developed in the early 2000s. [1],[2] Bravo named the position and systematized the entries, creating a pathway from back-take attempts and calf slicer positions to the twister finish. [1] The truck-to-twister sequence is considered one of the most complete positional chains in the 10th Planet curriculum and has been adopted by grapplers across multiple systems. [1],[2]
Effectiveness
The truck position is the primary platform for the twister — once secured, the attacker has multiple finishing options including the twister, calf slicer, and back take. The twister from truck is the signature 10th Planet submission [1]
Lineage
Eddie Bravo developed the truck position as a modern evolution of the wrestler's leg ride, creating a systematic path to the twister. The truck-to-twister sequence is the foundational technique chain of the 10th Planet system [1]
Competition Record
Regularly finished at 10th Planet invitationals and Combat Jiu-Jitsu events. Chan Sung Jung's UFC twister was entered from truck position. Increasingly seen at EBI and other sub-only events [1]
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Compression of the neck structures — restricts blood flow or airway depending on technique application
Joints Involved — Cervical spine, surrounding musculature, and vascular structures of the neck
Force Vector — Directed compression against the neck from the choking limb or body position
Finishing Mechanic — Sustained pressure causes either vascular occlusion (unconsciousness) or tracheal restriction (breathing difficulty)
Position & Entry
From controlling position — Establish the dominant position, clear defensive grips, thread the choking limb into position
From guard (bottom) — Break the opponent's posture, isolate the neck and configure the choke from underneath
From transition — During a scramble or position change, secure the neck control and lock the choke before the opponent re-establishes defence
Videos
Eddie B. - twister side control to truck
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Twister From Truck·radiancethe
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The Twister from Truck is a cervical rotation submission executed from twister side control, taught collectively by Black Dragon BJJ and radiancethe. Both instructors emphasize that the technique begins with establishing twister side control, where the top player's buttocks remain elevated off the mat—a critical detail both stress prevents the bottom player from escaping via underhook or rolling to guard. The transition depends on the opponent turning into the top player, at which point control is established through two sequential grips: the fishnet (right arm underhooking the opponent's bottom leg) and the love handle (left arm gripping the hip). Black Dragon BJJ describes passing the opponent's leg from right to left and executing a gable grip before rolling into the truck position, with options for either a calf crank or back take. radiancethe emphasizes the same sequence but focuses more heavily on the fishnet's role in preventing the opponent from flattening out or getting underneath, then hooking the opponent's left leg with the left leg while maintaining high hips before the final roll into truck. Both agree the fishnet prevents defensive leg positioning that would flip the submission; radiancethe notes this is increasingly important against skilled opponents. The final submission involves either leg control for a crank or a transition to back control and figure-four lock.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- Black Dragon BJJ / Cobra Kai Karate Dungannon — twister side control / the truck / back: Detailed the transition from twister side control through hip control and leg passing to truck entry, including options for calf crank versus back position transitions.
- radiancethe — Eddie B. - twister side control to truck: Emphasized the fishnet's defensive role against skilled opponents, the love handle's immobilization function, and the sequencing of leg positioning before the final roll into truck, including finish options.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
9
Extreme9/10
Rotation cranks twist the cervical spine; among the highest-risk submission categories
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Expert
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
— FIAS Sport Sambo — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal — choke submissions are among the mos...
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The twister from truck transitions from Eddie Bravo's truck position to the twister spinal lock — the truck provides the leg entanglement foundation while the arms control the head for the rotational finish (Bravo, Mastering the Rubber Guard, 2006)
✓The truck position: the attacker is partially behind the opponent with their legs entangling one of the opponent's legs — this creates the lower-body anchor essential for the twister
✓From the truck: the legs are already entangled — the attacker reaches over the opponent and grips the far side of the head, then twists the upper body while the legs hold the lower body
✓The truck is the standard twister entry in BJJ: Eddie Bravo's rubber guard system progresses from guard to truck to twister as a systematic path
✓The truck provides multiple threats: the twister is one option, but the truck also supports calf slicers, back takes, and rolling entries — the opponent must address all threats
✓The truck-to-twister transition: maintain the leg entanglement, reach across for the head, establish the grip (figure-four or gable), then rotate — each step builds on the previous
✓The twister from truck is the most systematised version of the twister: the clear step-by-step progression from truck to twister makes it the most taught and drilled entry
Common Mistakes
!Entering the truck without the leg entanglement — the truck requires one of the opponent's legs to be hooked; without it, the position is just half-back control
!Reaching for the head before the truck is stabilised — the leg entanglement must be secure before the arms move to the head
!Not maintaining the truck during the head reach — the arms moving to control the head can destabilise the truck; maintain the leg entanglement throughout
!Applying the twist before both controls are established — both the leg hook AND the head grip must be set before twisting
!Not understanding the relationship between truck and twister — the truck is the position, the twister is the submission; conflating them creates confusion
!Applying explosive rotation from the truck — the truck's stability means the twist is particularly powerful; progressive application is critical
!Releasing the truck to chase the twister — if the head grip isn't achievable, maintain the truck for other attacks rather than abandoning the leg entanglement
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Establish Position — achieve the controlling position needed for this submission
2Create the Threat — begin the submission setup to force a defensive reaction
3Secure the Hold — lock the submission grip with proper body mechanics
4Finish — apply increasing pressure until the opponent taps or the joint/choke takes effect
Sources & References
Primary Source
note.com BJJ articles; Eddie Bravo 'Grappling Technique' Japanese edition (trans. 中井祐樹); JBJJF rules
Official Japanese BJJ federation — competition rules and terminology
2BookEddie Bravo — Grappling Technique: Rubber Guard (Japanese Edition)
Translated by 中井祐樹 (Nakai Yūki, 2007)
Japanese BJJ community writing platform
4OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
5Citationnote.com BJJ articles; Eddie Bravo 'Grappling Technique' Japanese edition (trans. 中井祐樹); JBJJF rules
Japanese terminology sourced from note.com BJJ articles; Eddie Bravo 'Grappling Technique' Japanese edition (trans. 中井祐樹); JBJJF rules
Community
Athletics
Requires
grip or squeeze strength, positional control
Favours
strong upper body for sustained compression
Key muscles
forearms, biceps, pectorals, core stabilisers
Sub-techniques
Figure-Four Clamp Finish
VarietyThe figure-four clamp finish for the twister from truck uses a figure-four leg configuration to lock the opponent's legs in place while applying the rotational neck crank. [1] From the truck position — where the attacker has one leg threaded between the opponent's legs — the attacker adds a figure-four clamp by hooking the foot behind the opposite knee, creating an immovable leg lock that prevents the opponent from rolling or repositioning. [1,2] With the lower body completely immobilised by the figure-four clamp, all rotational torque generated by the arm pulling the head is transmitted directly to the cervical spine. [2] This is the highest-control twister finish because the figure-four eliminates virtually all lower-body escape options. [2,3]
Explore
Standard Twister
VarietyThe standard twister from truck is the signature cervical rotation submission of the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, applied from the truck position by rotating the opponent's spine along its longitudinal axis. [1] From truck — where the attacker's legs are threaded through and controlling the opponent's lower body — one arm threads behind the opponent's head while the other grips the far leg, then the attacker rotates the upper body in the opposite direction from the lower body. [1,2] This counter-rotation creates extreme torsional stress on the entire spinal column, particularly the cervical and thoracic segments. [2] The standard twister is one of the most dramatic and dangerous spinal submissions in grappling, capable of causing serious injury if applied without control. [2,3]
Explore
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important thing to focus on when setting up the truck from twister side control?
Keep your ass off the ground and stay unstable—this prevents your opponent from pushing you down or escaping back to guard. Eddie B. emphasizes that maintaining an elevated base and constant movement is critical to controlling the position.
How do I transition from twister side control to the truck position?
Hook your opponent's leg with your leg, then execute the 'fish net'—threading your arm behind and underhooking their bottom leg—followed by the 'love handle' grip on their hip to keep them locked in place. Eddie B. notes this is the hardest but most important transition to master.
What should I do if my opponent turns into me from twister side control?
Control their right knee immediately and place your left knee on their hip, as turning into you gives you the position to hook their left leg. If you don't control the leg, they can escape by getting their knee underneath and rolling out with a grapevine.
How do I prevent my opponent from escaping when I have them in twister side control?
Use the fish net grip to underhook their leg and apply a love handle grip on their hip to keep them immobilized. If your opponent crosses their feet to defend, use your right leg to open up their position and continue the attack.
How does the Twister From Truck work?
The twister from truck is applied from the 'truck' position, where the attacker controls the opponent's far leg by threading their own legs through in a lockdown-style configuration while positioned behind the opponent. From the truck, the attacker threads one arm under the opponent's chin and grabs the wrist of the other arm, then rotates the upper body away from the trapped lower body to produce a severe rotational spinal crank.
Where does the Twister From Truck come from?
The truck position and its connection to the twister are hallmarks of Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, developed in the early 2000s. Bravo named the position and systematized the entries, creating a pathway from back-take attempts and calf slicer positions to the twister finish.
Is the Twister From Truck legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes are the safest submission cat…; IJF: legal — Legal (shime-waza) — strangulation techniques are one of three permitted subm…; ADCC: legal — Legal; Unified MMA: legal — Legal — choke submissions are among the most common finishes in MMA; FIAS Sport Sambo: banned — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Twister From Truck?
Danger rating 9/10. Rotation cranks twist the cervical spine; among the highest-risk submission categories
How do I set up the Twister From Truck?
The standard setup chain: Establish Position → Create the Threat → Secure the Hold → Finish.
How do I defend against the Twister From Truck?
Standard counters include: Early Recognition — identify the submission attempt early and begin defence immediately / Posture and Base — maintain strong posture and base to prevent submission setups / Grip Fight — deny the attacker their preferred gripping configuration.
What are the variants of the Twister From Truck?
Common variants: Standard grip variation (primary hand configuration for maximum choking pressure); Gi variation (uses the lapel or collar as an anchor for additional fric…); No-gi variation (adapted grip and positioning for submission grappling wit…); Transition finish (applied during a positional change to catch the opponent …).
How effective is the Twister From Truck in competition?
Regularly finished at 10th Planet invitationals and Combat Jiu-Jitsu events. Chan Sung Jung's UFC twister was entered from truck position.
What are common mistakes when doing the Twister From Truck?
Top errors to watch for: Entering the truck without the leg entanglement — the truck requires one of the opponent's legs to be hooked; without… / Reaching for the head before the truck is stabilised — the leg entanglement must be secure before the arms move to th… / Not maintaining the truck during the head reach — the arms moving to control the head can destabilise the truck; main… / Applying the twist before both controls are established — both the leg hook AND the head grip must be set before twis….
What are other names for the Twister From Truck?
The Twister From Truck is also known as Tsuisutā, Truck Twister, Guillotine Ride, Spinal Rotation from Truck.