Kimura from Side Control

Kimura from Side Control is a finishing attack built around a handful of repeatable controls. Top player has established side control with chest-to-chest pressure, a cross-face and underhook, while the bottom player is flat on their back framing against the shoulder and hip. Another common starting shape: the top player is in chest-to-chest side control with one arm under the head and the other framing across the hips. It is worth attempting once comfortable with: Stabilizing position after passing the guard and comfortable with: Stabilize side control with cross-face and underhook frames. The ideas that hold it together are hip switch creates space for the grip, break the elbow line first, and wrist before shoulder.

The kimura chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Switch hips to face the legs while keeping chest pressure. Trap the far wrist and feed under for the figure-four. Strip the defender's belt or pants grip before lifting the elbow. Trap the opponent's wrist palm-down and feed it to the figure-four grip. Kill the elbow connection to the body before rotating the shoulder. Step or pivot to break the line so the rotation is unblocked. Drive the hips low and forward to remove space and prevent the bottom player from turning in. Maintain cross-face pressure to keep the opponent's head pinned away from the action. Top player has secured the figure-four kimura grip with the elbow above the back and the shoulder isolated.

Later in the kimura, position before submission, weight distribution from the hips, not the arms, and weight distribution tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Not transitioning hips before reaching for the grip. Rotating before peeling the elbow off the floor. Letting the opponent grip their own belt or pants to defend the figure-four. Letting the elbow flare away from the body, giving up frames. The high-percentage version of kimura from side control is the one you can still chain when the first squeeze is defended.