Locoplata

What This Is

The locoplata is a gogoplata-family submission that uses the shin across the opponent’s face or jaw to create compression and forced head movement. Where the standard gogoplata is applied from a guard position with the attacker’s hips up and the shin driven into the opponent’s chin from below, the locoplata is applied from a more inverted or upside-down body position — the attacker has gone further under the opponent, often achieving a position where their own back is partially toward the mat and the shin can reach the opponent’s face from an angle that the standard gogoplata does not access.

The name “loco” (Spanish for crazy) reflects the unconventional body position required — the attacker is in a position that does not resemble conventional guard attacks. The locoplata appears from rubber guard, high guard recovery situations, and positions where the attacker has gone deeply under the opponent to avoid a pass.

As a gogoplata variant, the locoplata shares the same structural target: the opponent’s face and jaw, using the shin as the primary contact surface to create compression or forced head movement. The structural difference is entry angle — the locoplata’s inverted approach changes which opponent actions create the entry and what the attacker’s body looks like during the submission.

Ruleset note: Both the gogoplata and locoplata involve shin pressure to the face and are classified as neck cranks or face locks in many ruleset frameworks. They are illegal in IBJJF formats at all levels. Confirm competition rules before use. The locoplata referenced from the Gogoplata page.

Safety First

The locoplata requires explicit agreement before drilling. The inverted position means both the attacker and defender are in non-standard orientations where spatial awareness is reduced. Apply with a cooperative partner who understands the mechanics and has agreed to early tapping for any facial or neck pressure.

The Invariable in Action

The cervical spine receiving forced flexion or rotation from shin pressure on the face reaches structural limits rapidly — the same mechanism as the gogoplata. The inverted entry angle of the locoplata does not change this characteristic; it only changes how the shin contacts the face. The danger zone for cervical loading under forced movement is reached with small amounts of travel.

The opponent’s near arm must be controlled to prevent them from pushing the shin away from their face. In the standard gogoplata, this is achieved by trapping the arm with the legs. In the locoplata, the inverted position provides a different arm control angle — often using the body position itself (the weight distribution from the inverted posture) to limit the opponent’s arm movement. The arm control mechanism is position-specific and must be established before the shin reaches the face.

The locoplata is most accessible when the opponent’s balance is disrupted — leaning forward over the inverted attacker, committed to a pass attempt, or chasing a guard break. An opponent who can base well and maintain posture can push the attacker’s leg away and break the position. The entry capitalises on a moment of forward lean or positional commitment from the opponent.

Setup and Entry

From Rubber Guard / High Guard — Going Deeper

The attacker begins in rubber guard or high guard, with the opponent’s posture already compromised. The attacker goes further under the opponent by pulling their hips through and allowing the back to lower toward the mat — creating the inverted or semi-inverted position. From here, the near shin can reach across toward the opponent’s face from a different angle than the standard gogoplata would allow. The arm is controlled using the guard grip or by trapping with the legs.

From Guard Recovery — Opponent Passing

When the opponent is passing the guard aggressively and the attacker has been pushed to their side or toward an inverted position, the locoplata can appear as an opportunistic attack from the defensive recovery. The opponent leaning over the attacker creates access to their face from the inverted shin position. This requires the attacker to recognise the entry window quickly — it is a brief opportunity during the passing sequence.

Finish Mechanics

With the shin positioned across the opponent’s face or jaw, and the arm controlled:

Drive the shin into the jaw and face. The tibia (shin bone) contacts the opponent’s jaw, cheek, or nose area. The attacker drives the knee up and toward the opponent, pressing the shin more deeply into the facial contact point. The direction is inward and upward — pressing the opponent’s head backward or to the side.

Pull the opponent’s body toward the leg. Using the leg that is not attacking (the lower leg or a hip hook), the attacker pulls the opponent’s body forward and into the shin. This reduces the opponent’s ability to move their head away from the shin contact and increases the compression.

Arm control throughout. The opponent’s near arm must remain controlled throughout the finish. If the arm is released, the opponent can push the shin away and exit immediately.

The tap comes from facial pressure and associated cervical loading forcing the opponent to submit. Apply slowly and stage by stage.

Defence and Escape

Prevent the inverted position by controlling posture. The locoplata requires the attacker to achieve an inverted or semi-inverted position. Maintaining upright posture and not leaning over the guard player reduces the attacker’s ability to achieve the inverted entry. Posture control from inside the guard is the preventive defence.

Push the knee/shin away immediately. If the shin reaches the face, the immediate response is to push the knee away with both hands before the arm is controlled. Once the arm is trapped and the shin is pressing on the face, the escape options narrow. Priority: shin off the face first.

Turn the face away from the shin. Rotating the head away from the shin contact changes the loading angle and can reduce the compression. This is a short-term relief — combine with the push-off to create an escape.

Common Errors — and Why They Fail

Drilling Notes

Systematic Approach

Phase 1 — position familiarity. From rubber guard or high guard with a cooperative partner, practise going to the inverted position. Understand the spatial orientation: which way is the face, which way is the shin, what arm control is available. No shin contact with the face yet.

Phase 2 — shin contact identification. With the inverted position achieved, slowly bring the shin toward the partner’s face and identify the tibia contact point. No pressure. Confirm the arm is controlled before the shin lands.

Phase 3 — minimal pressure application. Apply very light shin pressure with the arm controlled. Partner taps at any sensation beyond light contact. This stage is identification-only — confirming the mechanics work, not applying submission force.

Phase 4 — entry practice. From guard recovery situations, practise recognising the locoplata window and moving into the inverted position. The entry is the skill; the finish follows from Phase 2-3 work.

Ability Level Guidance

Ruleset Context

Also Known As

Related Pages