Check out weekly technique breakdowns by 3x NCAA champion Jason Nolf, presented by Athletes Ocean.
Zack Esposito's Elbow Control & Duck Under | Technique Tuesday
Sep 22, 2026
In this week's Technique Tuesday, 2005 NCAA champion and three-time All-American Zack Esposito breaks down Oklahoma State's elbow control — built on a single idea: before you build your own tie, you take his away.
Esposito starts with the three spots worth grabbing — the nub just above the elbow, high in the armpit, or right on the tricep — then drills "breaking the thumb," bringing his elbow down and shrugging his shoulder forward until his opponent's inside tie snaps off. From there he finds the sweet spot between his shoulder and his elbow, puts his free hand on the far shoulder, and takes his head to the opposite side of the body so he never gets blocked or run over. Once that control is real, he turns it into the outside step duck under: the free hand slides off the shoulder and digs into the armpit, he stomps the mat, opens the window, and pulls the elbow past him until his opponent's knees hit. If the grip isn't there, the same hard outside step becomes a high crotch.
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