Armbar
Chain finish · Side Control
An elbow lock: the straight arm is bent backward over your hips. It follows the kimura when he grabs his belt and rolls onto his side or belly to escape the rotation. Keep the figure-four locked so his arm stays attached to you, put your bottom knee on his ribs to keep him on his side and step your head-side leg (the one next to his head) over his head. Sit back close to his shoulder with your knees pinched on the arm; only once you are down release the figure-four, hug the wrist to your chest with the thumb up and lift your hips into the elbow. The usual error is letting go of the grip during the step, and he pulls the arm back to his chest. Extend slowly.
How to do it
- From the kimura grip, let them roll or turn onto their side or belly to escape the rotation. Keep the figure-four locked the whole time; it keeps their arm attached to you.
- Once they are on their side, bring your bottom knee onto their ribs. The knee pins their body and blocks them from turning back toward you.
- Step over their head with the leg nearest to it: lift it and swing it over their face to the other side, without letting go of the kimura grip. While you step, keep your weight on them, not on that leg, so it lifts easily. Do not sit down until the leg is on the other side of their head.
- Sit back close to their shoulder, keeping the arm trapped and your knees pinched on it. Only when you are down do you release the figure-four and hug the arm to your chest.
- Straighten the arm and lift your hips into the elbow. Their elbow sits against your hips and bends backward over them as you raise the hips.
Key details
- Keep the kimura grip until you sit down. The figure-four is what stops them pulling the arm back to their chest during the transition.
- Sit close to their shoulder. Any gap between your hips and their shoulder is a space for the arm to slip through.
- Knees pinched on the arm. Pinched knees stop them twisting the elbow out of line before you extend.
- Once they are on their side, bring the bottom knee onto their ribs, then swing the top leg over the face. The knee on the ribs keeps them on their side so the leg can come over.
Common mistakes
- Letting go of the figure-four before stepping over. — Once the figure-four is gone, they pull the arm back to their chest. — Keep the figure-four until the leg is over the head and you are sitting.
- Sitting far away from the shoulder. — Far from the shoulder there is a gap, and the arm slips through it. — Sit tight to the shoulder so the elbow has no room.
- Knees open on the arm. — Open knees let them twist the elbow out of the lock. — Pinch the knees on the arm before leaning back.
- Sitting down first and only then trying to bring the leg over the head. — Your weight leaves him before the head is trapped; he turns in or pulls the head out and the arm goes with it. — Keep your weight on him, lean so the head-side leg is weightless, swing it over the face, and only then sit back.
If they defend
- They clasp their hands together. → Break the grip with your leg or push on the wrist.
- They roll toward you. → Follow the roll and finish from on top.
How to drill it
Kimura to armbar, 8 each side; then the partner grabs the belt every time.
Safety
Extend the hips slowly.
Where it comes from