The hip escape — often called shrimping — is the single most important solo movement drill in BJJ. You push one foot into the mat, bridge on your shoulders, and slide your hips sideways and away from a controlling opponent. Done repeatedly, this recovers guard, creates space for frames, and generates the movement habit that underlies almost every bottom-position technique.
Most coaches drill hip escapes in warm-ups because the reflex takes months to build and has to be automatic. When someone passes your guard and takes side control, the correct response begins with a hip escape — but only if you have trained it enough that your body does it without thinking.
The hip escape is named "shrimp" because the body curls like a shrimp on its side as the hips push away. Beginners often push with the wrong foot or move too small; effective shrimping requires committing your whole hip movement in one explosive push.