Kimura Trap Sweep
Sweep · Half Guard
From half guard bottom with the kimura grip locked, this turns his defence into a sweep to the top. The moment is when he pulls the trapped arm back or starts to stand to free it. Keep the figure-four locked, come up on your elbow and sit up into him in the direction of his pull, hips following the arm. Use the grip as a handle: pull his arm across and down so he comes over your body, and come up on top still holding the figure-four so the kimura stays on. Fighting his pull, or leaving your hips behind, wastes the angle. If he grabs his own belt to defend, take the back; if he postures up, finish the kimura.
How to do it
- From the kimura grip, figure-four locked, feel them pull the arm back or start to stand to free it.
- Do not fight the pull: come up on your elbow and sit up into them as they pull, your hips following the arm.
- Use the grip as a handle: pull their trapped arm across and down so they come over your body.
- Come up on top, keeping the figure-four, so you can still finish the kimura from there.
Key details
- Their pull is what gives you the sweep: you add your sitting-up to their own force.
- Keep the figure-four locked the whole time; the grip is both the handle and the threat.
- Your hips follow the arm as you sit up; if they stay behind, there is no angle.
- When they stand or pull away, the grip becomes a handle for the sweep.
- If instead they keep their weight forward and hide the arm under them, sweep the other way: scoot your hips right under theirs, put a butterfly hook in, keep their shoulder pinned down with the grip, then bridge and lift with the hook to take them over your head, coming up still holding the figure-four.
Common mistakes
- Fighting against the pull. — You tire and lose the grip. — Go with the pull and sit up into them.
- Letting go of the kimura grip. — They pull the arm free and pass. — Keep the figure-four until you are on top.
- Staying flat on your back. — There is no angle to sweep from, and their pull just drags you. — Come up on your elbow as they pull.
How to drill it
Kimura grip, partner pulls, you sweep, 8 reps.
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