Blue belt · Defense · Core
Kimura and americana defense
Defense for the kimura and the americana: keep your elbows tight, connect your hands and turn into them. Use it from side control bottom and in their guard whenever they grab your wrist.
Step by step
- Prevent it: keep your elbows tight to your ribs and your hands near your chest. A bent arm away from your body is what both locks need.
- When they grab your wrist, connect your arms: clasp your own hands, or grab your own thigh with the attacked hand.
- Against the kimura, turn your chest into them so your elbow stays in front of your body and your hand can't be pulled behind your back.
- Against the americana, bridge into them and turn onto your side, sliding your elbow back down toward your hip.
- In their closed guard, keep the attacked elbow tight, drive your weight into them and keep your hand connected until they let go.
- Tap when your hand moves behind your back (kimura) or your elbow lifts off the mat (americana) and the shoulder starts to hurt. Shoulders give little warning.
Details that make it work
- Your elbow is the key. Keep it close to your body and the lock can't bend.
- Turn toward the lock, not away from it.
Common mistakes
Drill it
Partner on top attacks the kimura or americana at 50%: 5 escapes each arm. Then 2 × 1 min positional from side control.
If it fails, or what comes next
- Side control escape: frame & re-guard Escape · Side (bottom)
- Side control escape: underhook to knees Escape · Side (bottom)
Set it up from
This defends against
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