Armbar from North-South
Submission · Side Control
An elbow lock: the straight arm is bent backward over your hips. In north-south he pushes your hips with a straight arm to make space: catch that arm and hug it to your chest so the elbow cannot bend back to his body. Walk your legs around to the side of that arm and up toward his head, keeping it hugged, then put your leg over his head and sit back close to his shoulder with your other shin on his ribs as a ramp. Pinch your knees on the arm, turn his thumb up and lift your hips while pulling the wrist to your chest. A gap at the shoulder is the usual failure: sit close or the elbow slips out. If he locks his hands together, switch to the kimura. Sit down with control.
How to do it
- In north-south, when they push on your hips, trap the arm that pushes. Hug it to your chest so the elbow cannot bend back to their body.
- Walk your legs around to the side of that arm, keeping the arm hugged the whole time. Walk them up toward their head to shorten the distance before you sit back.
- Put your leg over their head and sit back close to their shoulder. Your other shin is on their ribs as a ramp.
- Pinch your knees tight on the trapped arm and turn their thumb up, so the elbow faces the right way for the lock.
- Lift your hips into the elbow while you pull the wrist to your chest; the shin on the ribs helps pull them up into the lock.
Key details
- Their push toward your hips gives you the arm. The pushing arm is already straight and away from their body.
- Sit close to the shoulder. A gap at the shoulder lets the elbow slip out.
- Pinch your knees tight on the trapped arm. The knees keep the elbow in line with your hips.
- Walk your legs up toward their head to shorten the distance before you sit back. The closer you sit, the less room the arm has.
- Your shin on their ribs is a ramp to pull them up as you finish. It also stops them turning in toward you.
- Before stepping over, put your weight on his head and curl him up so his shoulder lifts; slide the laces of your back foot under that shoulder. When you sit back that knee pops up: if it stays pinned under his weight he has his way out, and the higher his shoulder, the tighter the lock.
- If he clasps his hands, keep the kimura grip so he cannot run, then put your heel in the crook of his elbow and kick to separate the hands.
Common mistakes
- Sitting far from the shoulder. — The elbow slips out through the gap. — Sit tight to their shoulder.
- Letting go of the arm to step around. — They pull it back to their chest. — Keep the arm hugged to your chest while you step around.
- Knees open on the arm. — They roll out toward you through the open knees. — Pinch the knees before you lean back.
If they defend
- They turn in to you. → Keep the arm and finish the armbar from the side.
How to drill it
North-south, partner pushes, you armbar, 6 each side.
Safety
Sit down with control; the arm extends fast.
What comes next
Where it comes from