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Understanding the Armlock in Jiu Jitsu

Author: Sean Apperson
Date Posted: December 17, 2008

For one of the most basic and first moves you will learn in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Armlocks are far from a simple concept. There are two variations of armlocks you will learn in jiu jitsu. The straight armlock can be applied from various scenarios and is an extremely effective finishing technique. The limit of the straight armlock vs the bent armlock is the control factor. A bent armlock aka the "kimura," can be used as a finishing technique as well as a controlling technique. Another benefit to the bent armlocks are they usually are lower risk because the attacker usually maintains good positioning if the move fails unlike the straight armlock. Due to this difference the order of attack usually begins with the bent armlock and then transitions into the straight armlock.

With that in mind let's break down the two into some specifics.The straight armlock is classically attacked from the guard and the mount position however it is possible to hit this move from the back, turtle, cross side, and standing as well. The BJJ and Judo expert David Camarillo, who is well known for having one of the nastiest armlocks in the sport, once explained to me the armlock should be called the elbow lock. It does make much more sense to name the move the elbow lock because only the elbow is isolated in a straight armlock.

The important thing to remember in this move is where the breaking pressure comes from. The main pressure is applied using the hips so you must have SQUARE hips not tilted to one side. From the guard when the leg is passes over the face you will be leaned toward one side and you must SQUARE off first before applying any pressure. The second most important breaking pressure comes from the isolation around the elbow joint provided by the knees squeezing together. With square hips and the knees pinched together the third element is proper wrist control.

DON'T HOLD THE WRIST WITH YOUR HANDS!!!

Instead use what I call the tombstone grip. If you don't know this grip its trapping the wrist using the crook of your elbow which achieves two objectives. Firstly its much more powerful using your entire body weight to finish the move instead of just your biceps. Secondly it makes it very challenging for your opponent to defend the lock because his wrist is trapped and extended. If your opponent is fast enough to defend by stacking you up you made several mistakes. First thing armlocks from the guard have to be TIMED not just tossed out there. A well timed joint lock is much tougher to escape and combined with proper leg work is almost impossible. Rember that if something goes wrong its not the armlocks fault.

The bent armlocks are kimuras and American locks. As discussed prior the bent armlock is much more powerful than the straight armlock because of its controlling nature. The bent armlocks can come in handy when trapped on the bottom as they can be used to force an opponent to either submit or bail on position. The key to finishing these techniques is body rotation. The classic mistake with bent armlocks is trying to finish the move with the arms and not the body. To apply powerful finishing force one needs to attach their elbows in and use their entire body to finish the move. One thing to be careful of when using kimuras on bottom is the straight arm lock counter attack your opponent has, if this doesn't make sense ask me after class and ill explain it further as it's a complicated explanation. I hope this helps you guys out!! There will be more articles coming soon the move into the new academy has kept me busy.

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Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu articles.

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