He’s Got Your Back! - Felipe “Preguiça” Pena
The Portuguese term “Preguiça” roughly translates into “lazy” or “sloth” and just happens to be the nickname of one of, if not the hottest rising star in jiu-jitsu. If you’ve watched Gracie Barra’s Felipe Pena compete, you’d know that his nickname is far different from his character, as he’s a very lean, technical sensation on the mat who uses a ton of movement to get the better of his opposition. However, as many great stories told of men rising up from meager beginnings, so is the tale of Felipe. The man responsible for giving him his nickname is legendary jiu-jitsu professor Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhães and he did so because upon his initial encounters with Felipe he felt he was lazy and slow from being overweight. Consequently, this motivated Felipe to train much harder. While that may sound harsh, it was also Draculino who saw the potential in him and eventually, along with Marcelo Azevedo, awarded the young Brazilian his black belt.
Before receiving that honor this native son of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, was tearing up the scene by winning and putting on tremendous performances in the World Championships and Copa Podio as a brown belt. Beyond those triumphs he shocked the jiu-jitsu community at the 2014 IBJJF World Championships, not just by winning it within his first year at black belt, but also by defeating multi-time champion, Andre Galvao in the final to do so.
Felipe spreads his training time between Gracie Barra in his hometown and with another product of Belo Horizonte, Romulo Barral, at his academy in Northridge, CA. While visiting there we were able to get to know him better with the help of flying triangle sensation, Edwin Najmi. We were treated to a back take clinic (he showed us more moves than we could get in this issue) from a variety of positions. For more information and happenings going on with Felipe, check out his Facebook at www.facebook.com/felipecarsaladepena and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @felipepenabjj.
Main Achievements:
• World Champion (2014 black, 2012 brown, 2011 purple – weight & absolute)
• Copa Podio Champion (2013 brown)
• South American Champion (2012 brown – weight & absolute, 2011 brown – weight & absolute)
• Pan American Champion (2012 brown, 2011 purple)
• European Open Champion (2012 brown)
• Brazilian National Champion (2014 black, weight & absolute; 2012 brown)
• World Silver Medalist (2012 brown absolute)
• Brazilian National Silver Medalist (2010 purple)
• Favorite Technique/Position: Open guard & taking the back.
• Weight Division: Meio Pesado (Medium Heavy) (88kg/194lbs)
• Team/Association: Gracie Barra
Leg Drag To Back Take
This technique begins with Felipe standing in front of Edwin’s open guard. Felipe slyly sets Edwin up so he gets to a leg drag position. He does this by bringing his right leg forward between Edwin’s legs, stepping outside with his left leg, pushing Edwin’s left leg down at the knee, and lifts Edwin’s right leg over his right leg on top of his thigh simultaneously. Keeping his right elbow next to his right knee prevents Edwin’s leg from escaping, being able to scoot away or going inverted. Next, Felipe pushes Edwin’s right knee with his left hand through that gap, grips Edwin’s collar and places his left knee on the mat. This brings a strong reaction from Edwin to escape; he can’t go to his right, so he begins to turtle. Pivoting on his left knee, Felipe rotates his foot inward, slides it through the gap between the mat and Edwin, and places his hook inside. Holding Edwin tightly, Felipe pushes off on his posted right foot (like a hip escape) to scoot backward and pull Edwin closer to him. Now he gets seatbelt control, pushes his hips forward to stretch Edwin out and brings his right hook in.
1. Start standing in open guard
2. The set up
3. Secure the leg
4. Drop knee to the mat
5. Slide hook in when partner turtles
6. Hip away, pulling partner into you
7. Stretch partner out and bring hook over
DLR (De la Riva) To Back Take
Edwin finds himself in Felipe’s DLR guard with his posture broken thanks to a collar grip. Taking his right foot off the hip/leg, Felipe uses it as a hook behind Edwin’s left knee. Next, he removes the DLR hook and lassoes his leg up, around and inside, between Edwin’s legs. Immediately, Felipe drives his hips through Edwin’s legs by posting his left foot on the mat and dragging his body forward. His right leg remains bent in the air to prevent Edwin from passing, but Felipe doesn’t sit there and quickly transitions to X-guard. Releasing the collar grip, Felipe now grips near the ankle for a 2-on-1 grip of the leg and extends his legs, stretching Edwin’s base to imbalance him. Next, he brings the leg up and over his head to his right shoulder. Still gripping with his right hand, Felipe releases his left hand grip and now grabs Edwin’s belt. Felipe pulls the belt downward, punches his right arm upward, releases his left hook, whips it around Edwin’s left leg, connects the heel of his left foot to his right shin, and pinches his knee down to trap the leg. With his right foot hooking Edwin’s left, he extends the leg. This allows his left foot to slide in, hook Edwin’s calf and kick Edwin’s leg forward, exposing his back. From here, Felipe’s right hand reaches to grab Edwin’s right shoulder, pull Edwin toward him, lock the seat belt, bring his right hook in, and take the back.
1. Start from De la Riva guard
2. Hook backside of knee
3. Lasso leg around and through
4. Post foot and pull hips underneath
5. Transition to X-guard
6. Change grip from collar to leg
7. Extend legs to stretch out partner
8. Bring leg above opposite shoulder
9. Grab belt and pull down
10. Switch the hooks by whipping bottom leg around partners.
11. Bring partner to you
12. Stretch partner out and secure back
Spider Counter To Back Take
Edwin is using his spider guard this time around, but with a few modifications Felipe still finds a way to take the back. From within the spider guard, Felipe grabs Edwin’s pant legs from the back side of the calf, pushes them up and forward, while bringing his hips forward, and pushing Edwin’s calves to the ground to stack him. Next, he brings his right knee over Edwin’s left leg to control it, grips Edwin’s other leg with his right hand pushing it down, grabs the inside of the back of the pants, and lays down to his left side. Felipe has now fallen into the same position as in the previous technique. He whips his leg around Edwin’s, his left heel is connected to his right shin, and he pinches his knee down to trap the leg. With his right foot hooking Edwin’s left, he extends the leg. This allows his left foot to slide in, hook Edwin’s calf and kick Edwin’s leg forward, exposing his back. From here, Felipe’s right hand reaches to grab Edwin’s right shoulder, pull him toward him, lock the seat belt, bring his right hook in, and take the back.
1. Start in spider guard
2. Push legs up and forward
3. Stack partner
4. Gaining hip control
5. Lay down to your side
6. Switch the hooks
7. Bring partner to you
8. Stretch partner out and secure back
Bow And Arrow Choke – Option #1
Now that Felipe has back control on Edwin, in the immortal words of Mortal Kombat, it’s time to “Finish Him!” Felipe reaches over Edwin’s right shoulder, in front of his neck and into his collar with his right hand. His other grip is set underneath Edwin’s left arm, on the opposite lapel and just underneath his right hand. With this option he falls to the side of the choke. Once on the side, if Edwin escapes the bottom hook, no problem, if he doesn’t, then Felipe lets it go, leaving only one hook in. He will then come up top into Edwin’s half guard and bring the knee of his free leg up near Edwin’s head. Next, he sits back, rolling on top of his right leg, then frees it, to bring it up and around Edwin’s right arm, trapping it. To finish, he’ll stretch his arms and leg out for the choke.
1. Start on the back with lapel grips
2. Fall to the side of the choke
3. Partner escapes bottom hook or release it
4. Go to top half guard
5. Bring your knee to your partner’s head
6. Sit back and roll over leg to free it
7. Trap arm with leg and stretch out
Bow And Arrow Choke – Option #2
Felipe has the same grips as in option #1; however, Edwin begins to defend by falling to the opposite side. From here, Felipe places his right foot on Edwin’s hip and pushes him downward to create space to finish. Now he has enough wiggle room to bring his leg over the arm, trap it with his right leg and stretch his arms to finish the choke.
1. Partner falls to opposite side
4. Foot goes to hip and pushes downward
3. Leg goes over and traps arm
4. Stretch arms and leg to finish
Wrist Lock From The Back
If Edwin decides to fight the choke more Felipe uses a unique wrist lock option to submit him. Felipe gains the same top collar grip as in the previous two techniques, but Edwin grabs at the wrist cuff attempting to break it off. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to finish, Felipe reaches into the inside of Edwin’s defending left hand against his palm with his fingers, bends the wrist back, and pulls the grip off. Focused on his wrist now, Edwin ignores Felipe’s advancement of position as he brings Edwin to his side; meanwhile, his legs have moved up and around Edwin’s upper torso like a reverse triangle not fully locked. Releasing the collar grip, Felipe brings his right hand over to the top of Edwin’s palm and pushes down to finish.
1. Partner defends against the choke
2. Reach into inside of palm
3. Remove your leg and bring your partner to the side
4. Bring free hand on top of partners
Reverse Triangle Choke
The submissions from the back keep coming as Felipe showed us a reverse triangle choke with an armbar combination should your opponent not tap from the choke. Starting on Edwin’s back with seat belt control, Felipe pulls the collar bringing Edwin to the side, turns his hips at an angle, swings his right leg over the top of the shoulder, and locks his legs. From here, Felipe scoots back on his butt to create some space so he can sit up. Once he sits up he brings Edwin’s arm all the way up, almost behind his own head. He then re-adjusts his hips while simultaneously letting go of the lock, and then re-closes to a triangle, where his right leg is across Edwin, locked behind his left knee, and his left foot is behind Edwin’s butt, so he can’t escape. Squeezing his legs together and pushing his hip forward forces Edwin to tap.
1. Starting position with seat belt control
2. Turn your body at an angle
3. Bring leg over shoulder and close legs
4. Scoot your hips back and sit up
5. Bring your partner’s arm back
6. Release lock and readjust to triangle
7. Squeeze legs together and hip forward
Armbar Option
In the event that Edwin doesn’t tap from the triangle, Felipe drives his left arm underneath Edwin’s at the wrist, hugging it. Next, Felipe grabs his own knee, re-straightens his body, laying back, with Edwin’s arm caught behind his armpit and extending it against the hip for the tap.
1. Drive arm underneath wrist
2. Secure the arm
3. Lie back for the tap
