Triangle to Armbar Submission

I saw this vid on YouTube today and Dennis Asche really does a great job of showing the technique involved in switching from the triangle choke to the armbar. I use this combination all of the time, it just works so well. The great thing about this particular combination is the defense for each submission actually aids in the execution of the follow up submission. The defense for the triangle has the opponent making posture straight up. For an armbar, the defense is to push in to the opponent and stack him as much as possible to pull the arm out. However, if you are in a triangle the last thing you want to do is stack, and conversely, if you are in an armbar the last thing you want to do is posture up. This is why the triangle/armbar combination is so effective. What ever your opponent does it is the wrong move.

I was always taught to keep the triangle when going for the armbar. The reasoning is that you can switch easily between the two submissions with out changing your legs. However, my current instructor, and Dennis here, both say that bringing the leg over allows for more leverage on the arm, something critical to the armbar. If you keep your legs in the triangle, and go for the armbar, you are still giving up the choke for a less than ideal armbar. Switching the legs over makes a tighter armbar, and, by rolling up on to the shoulder, you give yourself additional power, by rolling back on to your back, when switching back to the triangle.

They triangle/armbar movement is used against very strong opponents, and very skilled opponents. The strong opponent will tap to the armbar as he attempts to posture up and power out of the triangle choke. It is an easy switch to the armbar to get the tap. The skilled opponent will be tripped up eventually in the switching between submissions as they attempt to escape the bad position. This is why it is important to get up on to your shoulder for better leverage in the armbar, and to powerfully knock the opponent off balance as you switch back to the triangle when the opponent begins the armbar defense.