Guys who grab fingers during rolls

[Brent Smith]

I grab hands all the time, I try to get some of the hand but even with just the fingers I will grab and control. As Brent said, its way better than wrist control. I don't bend or twist fingers but I will crush them. I'm also a fan of cranking necks and playing knee on face when the situation asks for it so maybe I am a bit of a d-bag.

Yes I crush then too. I can't say I go knee on face though lol

[John Alighieri]

Skull riding is probably the cuntiest move ever. Not the best way to make friends at your gym lol

[Brandon Mccaghren]

I grab fingers. In fact, I enjoy it tremendously. I don't have any problem with it. Skull riding I reserve for moments of "education."

[Brian Debes]

If your training partners contently make "mistakes" and "ops, only have one finger" which they are twisting on, that is Illegal in grappling and MMA as well as prohibited at almost every gym and the guys doing it I would not consider to be "high level". Probably just jerks. I don't care what belt they are wearing, when a GOOD guy grabs 4 fingers, he isn't just getting one which he is bending backwards.... common, that's not "high level".

If they are making legal grips with multiple fingers, then that is super common and I've even seen the kimora and such taught that way by good guys. And its not really dangerous or illegal. If that's what your talking about then I agree with the others here (that I think were all assuming these guys were making legal grips).

I also hate to see people rep cheating in training, be it grabbing one finger or grabbing inside an MMA glove, whatever. Carful, or that will become your identity, plus, good luck getting real good if your always using an unfair crutch... So yeah, no high level if that's the case, just jerks. Maybe discuss it with the instructor (I would not point anyone out, just state its a problem and ask if maybe he could remind everyone what a legal grip on the fingers/hand is?)

[Chris Garry]

I noticed Nathan Orchard grabbing at the fingers when trying to secure more dominant positions during rubber guard. He really goes after it in comp.

[Enrique "Kiko"]

Skull riding I reserve for moments of "education."

What would someone have to do for you to go "Professor" on them?

[Mike Nall]

Maybe discuss it with the instructor (I would not point anyone out, just state its a problem and ask if maybe he could remind everyone what a legal grip on the fingers/hand is?)

That's actually a good idea too. I mean even in gi, people do illegal grips a lot without realizing it. For example, gripping the inside of someone's sleeve or pants leg opening is illegal, but some people do it. Sometimes it's reflexive, and sometimes it's on purpose. But sometimes people do illegal grips of the gi or fingers without realizing that it's not legal and.or a jerk move. I've had people that habitually grabbed individual digits or thew inside of my gi sleeves get told by the instructor that it wasn't okay, and they just stopped doing it.

Jiu-Jitsu is complicated as fuck. Especially if someone maybe doesn't compete a whole lot and is a lower belt then I could see that they might not realize what they're doing is an issue.

[Arman Fathi]

I was told once to treat the hands and digits as if the guy were wearing winter gloves with no fingers. Haven't had any confusion since.

[Martin Harris]

I grab fingers. In fact, I enjoy it tremendously. I don't have any problem with it. Skull riding I reserve for moments of "education."

You aren't grabbing single fingers and twisting though are you?

If someone is grabbing single fingers on me and twisting/bending I will ask them to grab at least 3 at a time or don't do it at all. I haven't had a problem with anyone hurting me after asking. It's the training room not a tournament, no need to injure your training partners.

[TaylorWolf]

Yea… just to clear things up I was not yet aware of this 4-finger crush control that seems popular here. I will definitely consider using it once I have a better mastery of the basics. I already enjoy cupping/crushing the toes with Toe Holds and such.

I was specifically talking about guys who grab just a finger or two and yank in a fit of blind savagery. In my case yesterday we were in an open guard position both times. (I have been working a lot on disengaging and quick standing passes lately) My opponents were grabbing at my hands in order to pull me into some sort of spider guard position while I was dancing around. Its now apparent to me that they might have been going for this 4-finger control, but they couldn't secure it and instead just latched on to my index finger and tried to yank me down into guard. (this is why my first thought was to blame the Gi lol)

As far as white belts are concerned I am about as intimidating as they come. I tend to bring out the demon in blue and purple belts. They know I can tap them and they fight for their life to pretend I can't. I say bring it on because I'm feeling ready for serious competition. Like I said earlier, I am just going to focus that much harder on getting underhooks/overhooks quickly.