I have found one of the keys to finishing an Americana on good grapplers is to have solid fundamental pressure in your top game.. I have found it to be a solid submission even against good grapplers

I actually get the Americana a lot from both side and mount I have found the key to be in both the grip and shoulder isolation

I'm not sure Americana disappears as much as it becomes a leading move as you become more advanced. Americana becomes an opening move, which you use to provoke a response. Opponent extends arm, it leads to straight arm locks Opponent attempts to rescue arm, it leads to armbar, or head and arm choke positions, or gift wrap and back takes But all of those outcomes are created by the credible threat of an Americana Sort of like the cross collar choke from mount. At the beginner level may-be you can catch it on someone directly An advanced peer will have a strong mount defense. Tight elbows, 'T-rex' hands Putting a hand in the collar can provoke your opponent into moving elbows or hands. That response can create opportunities for follow up attacks So catching the cross collar choke becomes more rare, but it still is a logical opening move.

The weakest submission but is the most effective at white belt levels.

The weakest submission but is the most effective at white belt levels.

I wouldn't call it the weakest submission. I'd put it in the same class as something like the palm up palm cross choke: everybody learns that early, which also means everybody learns how to defend them early on too. I mentioned him already, but Mike Velotta (he posted earlier in the thread) is a good guy to talk to if you need to be convinced about how effective the americana can be (he still gets them on other black belts).

When are we getting a Mute Button feature? PLEASE PLEASE I need a Mute Button feature.

There is an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the thread. That will stop you from getting notifications on a forum you don’t want to see

That's not what I want. A mute button would allow me to select people's who's posts don't show up for me at all. Unless it's quoted by someone else.

It would be very useful: I'm a big fan of Mute/Block/Ignore on social media, it's the main thing that makes places like Facebook and reddit bearable. But yeah, I don't think that's how Christian likes to do things, AFAIK, though I wouldn't want to put words in his mouth.

It would make it easier to 'Be Nice' as I usually like to call BS when I see it. But I guess that's not considered being nice. Character DOESN'T matter here (see how I tied that into the other thread....)

Just laugh about it as it's all you can really do

I hear ya, Phil. I'm doing my best to adapt to the new generation who are more concerned about how they personally feel than how they act towards others. I have to look at things the exact opposite way but clearly, I get wrapped up when someone's being a shittard and want to smash. Gotta eat my own dog food and understand that there's nothing I can do to stop someone from being a shittard. But can't I at least not be forced to listen to shittardness? Damnit I really want that Mute Button!!!