One of the first kimuras I learned was from side control. I learned a basic kimura where you attack the far arm. From there I was able to branch out and learn all sorts of ways to attack the far arm when I am in side control. Recently I have found myself getting the Kimura grip on the near side arm. My problem with this position has been that I have not been able to control the kimura properly and my opponent easily escapes the position. I was ready to write off this position as a throwaway position until I saw the video below. In the video, Lachlan Giles shows how to control the near side Kimura grip and shows to transitions from the grip.

Controlling the Grip

My biggest challenge with this position has been that I can never control the elbow properly to maintain the grip. I would try to use my body to block their elbow from sliding out but it never worked. Lachlan shows this in the gif below.

In the video, Lachlan talks about what you need to do is straighten your arms. When you straighten your arms you are able to lift their elbow up to the ceiling which makes it more difficult for them to escape. You also want to make sure that your hand that is grabbing their wrist applies some pressure on their wrist. If you do not give them the counter pressure on the wrist they will be able to escape.

Attacking with an Armbar

After securing the new and improved grip it becomes very easy to hit an armbar. Lachlan explains that once you have control of the elbow, you can easily stand up and throw your legs over for the armbar. This is a great option if your opponent does not roll away from you. When you stand up it is crucial that you maintain a good grip on the arm. If you loosen up your grip your opponent will be able to slide their elbow down and easily escape your armbar.

Taking the Back

One of my favorite parts of using a Kimura grip to control my opponents is that the grip can easily transition to other positions. From this grip, Lachlan shows a great way to take the back. Again during this transition, it is important to make sure that you keep the grip strong. Once the grip breaks down your opponent can escape. I can definitely see this being part of my game and a great way to tie the Kimura to the back.

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