Russian Tie
Transition · Standing
Both your hands control one of their arms: one on the wrist, the other deep on the upper arm, your chest against their shoulder. Their arm is dead and they cannot face you.
How to do it
- When they reach with one arm, grab the wrist with your same-side hand and connect the elbow of that arm to your hip.
- Reach your other arm across and wrap the upper arm deep, hand near their armpit, hugging the arm to your chest with the elbows tight.
- Step to the outside and pin their shoulder with your chest, your head tight to their shoulder and your forehead on the biceps side of the trapped arm.
- Pull the arm down and across so they bend toward you and cannot square up. Keep your hips close and lower than theirs, circling with small steps.
- Attack within two or three seconds: slide-by to the back, low single or kata guruma.
Key details
- Your chest and head do the work: the arm is pinned by your body, not the hands.
- Stay at an angle on the outside so their free hand cannot reach you.
- Keep your hips close and lower than theirs and circle with small steps: the tie is a starting point, not a finish.
- Connect the elbow of the wrist-gripping arm to your hip, so the wrist is held by your body, not by the forearm alone.
- Put your forehead on the biceps side of the trapped arm so they cannot turn in.
Common mistakes
- Holding the arm with straight arms. — They step in and pull the arm free. — Hug the arm to your chest, elbows tight.
- Standing in front of them. — The free hand pushes your head or grabs your collar. — Step to the outside of the trapped arm.
- Waiting in the tie. — They recover the posture and break the grip. — Attack within two or three seconds of the tie.
If they defend
- They pull the arm back toward their body. → Go with the pull: slide-by past the hip and take the back.
- They step in and square up. → Drop under the arm for kata guruma or a low single.
How to drill it
Tie drill: the partner offers an arm, you secure the Russian tie in two moves, 10 each side. Then add one attack from the tie.
What comes next
Where it comes from