Far Side Armbar

Key principles

• · Control the far wrist or sleeve to prevent the opponent from clasping hands or framing.
• · Pinch your knees tightly together around the isolated arm to eliminate space and prevent withdrawal.
• · Your hips must be as close as possible to the opponent's shoulder to maximize leverage on the elbow.
• · Anticipate the opponent defending by clasping hands—address this by prying the grip before fully committing to the rotation.
• · Keep the thumb of the trapped arm pointing upward (toward the ceiling) to ensure correct hyperextension angle on the elbow.

Execution

1. 1 From mount or kuzure kesa gatame, secure control of the opponent's far wrist with both hands or a cross-grip, pinning it to their chest or the mat.
2. 2 Shift your weight toward the far arm side, stepping your leg over the opponent's head while maintaining heavy chest pressure to prevent them from turning into you.
3. 3 Swing your other leg across their torso and sit back, keeping knees squeezed tightly with the arm trapped between your thighs and their thumb pointing up.
4. 4 Elevate your hips into the elbow while pulling the wrist down toward your chest to finish the armbar.
5. 5 If they lock hands to defend, use a two-on-one grip to peel the wrist free or bridge your hips to break the grip before completing the extension.