All new Turtle Position Lesson
The turtle position is both a defensive and transitional stance in jiu-jitsu, often used to protect against passing or as a reset after escaping a bad spot. While compact and mobile, the turtle leaves openings for attacks like back takes, guillotines, or rolling submissions.
Key to effective defense from turtle is maintaining strong posture with your elbows tight and chin tucked, while staying active to prevent your opponent from settling grips. From this position, you can execute sweeps, sit-outs, or transitions to guard. Mastering turtle requires balancing defense with opportunistic counters to regain control or escape.