Jon Borrows' Kimura System: Side Control, Dorsal, T, Half Guard

Jon Borrows (@jon.borrows), Eddie Bravo black belt at 10th Planet Newark, on kimura basics: grip mechanics and finishing details from side control, dorsal, the T, and bottom half guard. From his video: https://youtu.be/et58UeI5vks

Flow outline

  1. Wrist Control Grip

    • Two fingers in the hand, two fingers on the wrist, to control the end of the lever.
    • Grip: two fingers inside the hand, two fingers over the wrist
    • Angle: as close to the end of the lever as possible
    • Key detail Two fingers in the hand, two fingers on the wrist.
    • Avoid Gripping too low lets them bend the wrist and escape. Too high loses finishing power.

  2. Hand-to-Hand Connection

    • Reach under the shoulder and connect your hands.
    • The idea The closer the grip is to your elbow, the weaker it is. Always look for the hand-to-hand connection.
    • Entry: second hand comes under the shoulder to meet the first
    • Grip: grab over your pinky and cover your knuckles

  3. Elbow to Shoulder Line

    • Raise their elbow to the same line as both shoulders to lock the shoulder before you finish.
    • Angle: their elbow up to shoulder height
    • Pressure: thumb towards their armpit
    • Why: the higher the elbow, the more the shoulder is locked before you apply pressure
    • Key detail Elbow up to the shoulder line, thumb towards the armpit.

  4. Elbow to Floor Checkpoint

    • Drop your elbow to the floor as a base so they can't straighten the arm.
    • Checkpoint: elbow to the floor
    • Pressure: weight on the elbow to stop the arm straightening
    • Key detail Elbow to the floor is the checkpoint that stops them from straightening the arm.

  5. Hip Drop and Posture

    • Turn and drop your hip onto their near shoulder with good posture.
    • Weight: hip drops onto their near shoulder
    • Angle: body diagonal from near shoulder to far hip
    • Posture: big chest, head up, not crowding the arm you're attacking
    • Avoid Head down, crowding the arm. Keep good posture so you have a strong body.

  6. Step Over and Finish

    • Step over the head with a wide base, then lean back and pull the elbow.
    • Leg Path: step over the head with the hamstring covering
    • Base: wide base so you can't be rolled
    • Lever: take your elbow out towards them to get to the end of the lever
    • Finish: lean back towards their legs; your elbow comes back towards you, don't push it behind their head
    • Key detail It's a pull, not a push. Lean back towards their legs.

  7. Dorsal Kimura Entry

    • Dorsal: they're up on their side, you're over the head, almost north-south. Punch your arm through between their arm and ribcage.
    • The idea Punch the arm through first so if they clamp, you're already inside.
    • Grip: hand-to-hand connection from behind
    • Anchor: connect their tricep to your body
    • Key detail Control the end of the lever and pull it away from what it's attached to. Don't just rip.

  8. Dorsal: Hands Locked

    • Counter their locked hands with counter-pressure and reach through to open the grip.
    • Pressure: connect your watch to theirs and press down
    • Entry: reach through the bottom arm to open the grip
    • Posture: not just a pull with your arms; posture up and take it with you
    • Anchor: elbow or knee over their elbow to pin
    • Key detail Counter-pressure down as you pressure up opens the hands.

  9. Dorsal: Hand on Belly

    • Pull their hand away from their belly, out in front, then put it behind their back.
    • Checkpoint: back to the standard kimura position
    • Avoid Just lifting.

  10. Dorsal: Hand on Thigh

    • Grab over their four fingers to pull the hand off the thigh and switch grips.
    • Grip: grab over their knuckle line with your whole hand
    • Angle: pull down and away from the leg
    • Entry: switch the grip to the top side and return to position

  11. T Kimura Control

    • Keep your elbow under theirs and keep their elbow off the floor.
    • The idea If their elbow gets to the mat, they can build their base back up. Keep it elevated.
    • Angle: your elbow always stays under theirs
    • Pressure: flare your elbow into theirs to keep it off the floor
    • If they post: don't push them down; take your elbow out into theirs to lift it off the floor

  12. T Kimura Pendulum

    • Use a pendulum to rock up onto your elbow without unlocking the grip.
    • Anchor: keep the kimura grip locked the whole time
    • Hips: both feet come up, hips off the floor, not just turning
    • Key detail Don't unlock your hands. Use the pendulum to come up on top.

  13. T Kimura to Finish

    • Turn them and drop your hip onto the shoulder to get to the standard finish.
    • Weight: hip drops onto the shoulder
    • Finish: elbow to the floor and step over the head

  14. Half Guard Kimura Entry

    • From bottom half guard, take wrist control when they post, kick the knee shield out, and sit up to connect your hands.
    • From Jon Borrows (@jon.borrows), Eddie Bravo black belt at 10th Planet Newark, in his video "Kimura Basics That Still Work at Black Belt."
    • Setup: keep the cross face off so they post a hand
    • Leg Path: kick the knee shield out to sit up and get closer
    • Anchor: your armpit comes all the way up and over their tricep
    • Key detail Your armpit has to go all the way over the tricep, or it feels like your arms are too short.

  15. Half Guard Kimura Finish

    • Pull their elbow down to your shoulder line and connect your hands behind their back.
    • Pressure: use your body weight to pull back into the shoulder
    • Legs: keep the half guard locked for now
    • Finish: hands connected behind the back, turn and pull down towards the mat

  16. Half Guard Counter: Roll

    • If they free their trapped leg, force them into a roll and go to the T kimura.
    • Reaction: they free their trapped leg; you force them into a roll
    • Entry: high step and come back over

  17. Half Guard Counter: Thigh Grip

    • If they grab inside their thigh, free your hips and step on the hip.
    • Entry: knee up to keep their face away
    • Leg Path: foot up and over to step on the hip
    • Pressure: use your whole body to pull and generate power
    • Avoid Bailing on the kimura just because they grab their thigh.

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