Spiral Ride in Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)

Why the Wrestling Spiral Ride Works Wonders Against the BJJ Turtle

This classic control from folkstyle wrestling isn’t just about keeping someone down—it’s about applying smart pressure and creating openings. And when it comes to cracking open the turtle, the spiral ride is an elegant solution.

Cross-Body Control: The Anchor Point

The spiral ride isn’t just random hand-fighting from the top; it establishes cross-body control. Usually, one hand snakes across to hook near the elbow or bicep while the opposite arm latches onto the far hip or thigh. This diagonal grip creates leverage that anchors you in place while applying pressure from two different angles.

Kazushi from the Top: Tipping the Table

Think of your opponent like a four-legged table: each arm and leg is a “leg” holding their base steady. To topple the table, you don’t need to break all four legs at once—you just need to take out two while pressuring the other side.

That’s exactly what the spiral ride does. The arm control disrupts one “leg” while the hip grip drives weight and rotational force through the other side. Add in some shoulder pressure and a little forward motion, and suddenly their balance is compromised. Kazushi achieved.

Breaking Them Down or Opening Them Up

The beauty of the spiral ride is in its flexibility:

We start by working our arms into the small opening which is often easier than working in a leg or knee.

If your opponent is strong but rigid, you can use the ride to force them down to the mat, flattening their turtle.

If they try to stay up they will generally need to widen their base which creates opening to work in the legs.

Either way, the spiral ride makes their shell less safe. Once their limbs are disrupted, you can start threading hooks, chasing the back, or transitioning into chokes.

Smarter, Not Harder

The spiral ride isn’t about muscling someone open—it’s about applying angles, rotation, and constant balance-breaking. For smaller grapplers, older athletes, or anyone who doesn’t want to burn out cranking on someone’s legs, this is gold. Wrestling gave us a blueprint for keeping mobile opponents pinned, and BJJ practitioners can use it to dismantle the turtle with less effort and more control.

Grapple smarter, not harder. Next time you face the turtle, think spiral ride: disrupt the table legs, keep that cross-body control, and make your opponent’s safe space feel very unsafe.