Body Tethering

Be wary of any technique requiring you to tether your body to your opponent's core.

Any technique requiring you to cling onto your opponent like a backpack - especially if your opponent still has base and the ability to move - comes with significant risk.

This is because by tying yourself to your opponent, you're giving them the opportunity to throw your bodyweight around.  Additionally, because you're assigning your arms and legs the task of direct control on your opponent's core, you're possibly preventing yourself from basing out. Because this involves tight contact between two athletes bodies, it is easy to get thrown, swept, or reversed.

Situations where body tethering is a concern include:

• triangles from guard;
• attempting to establish back mount when your opponent is turtled.

Techniques involving body tethering are easily reversed, sometimes in devastating fashion.  This is especially true against a larger opponent.

Never assume your body weight alone is sufficient to keep your opponent in place.