Triangle from Kimura
Chain finish · Half Guard
A triangle, a blood choke: your thigh closes one side of his neck and his own trapped shoulder closes the other. It comes from the bottom half guard kimura when he defends by turning the shoulder in toward you, which drops his head and leaves the elbow bent in front of him. Keep the kimura grip so the arm stays inside. Free your top leg, kick it over the back of his neck and lock the figure-four, the back of your other knee over your ankle. Then cut the angle toward the trapped arm and pull the head down. The detail: one arm in and one out, and the grip on the arm until the lock is closed. If he postures and stacks, the triangle armbar is there. Squeeze steadily.
How to do it
- You hold the kimura grip from bottom half guard. He turns the shoulder in toward you to unwind the lock: his elbow comes forward and his head drops toward your chest.
- Keep the figure-four and pull the trapped arm across your body, so his shoulder and arm stay inside your legs.
- Pull your top leg out of the half guard, put the bottom foot on his hip, lift your hips and kick the top leg high over the back of his neck, on the side of his free arm.
- Grab your shin, pull it down and lock: the back of your other knee goes over your ankle, so the shin is across the back of his neck.
- Let go of the kimura only once the lock is closed. Pull the trapped arm across his neck, shift your hips out toward that arm to cut the angle, pull the head down and squeeze the knees together.
Key details
- His turning in is your signal: the defense of the kimura brings the head and arm exactly where the triangle needs them.
- The kimura grip keeps the arm inside until the lock is closed; drop it early and he pulls the arm out, leaving both arms out.
- The leg must land high across the back of the neck, not on the shoulder blades; lift the hips with the foot on his hip to get there.
- Cut the angle toward the trapped arm: square on, your thigh does not close the side of the neck.
Common mistakes
- Letting go of the kimura to shoot the leg. — The arm leaves your legs and the triangle has no shoulder to close the second side of the neck. — Keep the figure-four until your feet are locked.
- Locking with the leg low on his back. — The lock squeezes his upper back, not his neck, and he postures out. — Pull the shin down and climb it up to the back of the neck before you lock.
How to drill it
From bottom half guard with the kimura grip, your partner turns the shoulder in on his own timing; you shoot the leg and lock the triangle without letting go of the grip. Five reps each side, then add a light posture-up defense.
Safety
A blood choke works within seconds: squeeze steadily and release at the tap.
Where it comes from