Kimura Control

Position

Kimura Control is a dominant grip configuration where you secure a figure-four hold on the opponent's wrist and elbow, usable from guard, half guard, side control, turtle, and standing positions. It serves as a versatile control platform that opens numerous submissions, sweeps, and transitions rather than being a finish itself.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Maintain a tight figure-four grip with your wrist-controlling hand gripping their wrist and your other hand gripping your own wrist, keeping elbows pinched tight to your body.
  • · Pin the captured arm to your chest or their body to eliminate space and prevent them from straightening their arm to escape.
  • · Use your entire body to control the grip, not just arm strength—connect the grip to your core by curling inward.
  • · Anticipate the most common defense of clasping hands together by immediately adjusting angle, peeling fingers, or transitioning to back take or other attacks.
  • · Keep constant downward pressure on their wrist to prevent them from rotating the elbow free.

Execution

  1. 1 Secure a same-side grip on the opponent's wrist with your palm facing down, pulling their arm away from their body.
  2. 2 Thread your other arm over their trapped arm and grip your own wrist to complete the figure-four lock.
  3. 3 Pull the captured arm tight to your torso, pinching your elbows together and engaging your core to form a unified structure.
  4. 4 Adjust your hip angle and body position relative to the opponent to maintain leverage and prepare for your chosen follow-up attack or transition.
  5. 5 Stay mobile—if the opponent moves or defends, follow their movement while maintaining the grip to chain into submissions, sweeps, or back takes.

Common mistakes

  • × Holding the grip with extended arms away from the body, which allows the opponent to posture up, create space, and strip the grip easily.
  • × Focusing solely on finishing the kimura from this position rather than recognizing it as a control hub, missing higher-percentage transitions when the opponent defends.
  • × Gripping too high on the opponent's forearm instead of at the wrist, which reduces leverage and makes it easier for them to rotate out of the hold.

Attacks & transitions

Offense available from Kimura Control.

Kimura submission Kimura To Back Take transition
9 less common
Kimura From Guard submission Kimura From Mount submission Kimura From North-south submission Kimura From Side Control submission Kimura From Turtle submission Omoplata Sweep sweep Rolling Kimura submission Triangle Setup transition Underhook Sweep From Half Guard sweep

Escapes & defense

Getting out of Kimura Control, or shutting it down.

Guard Recovery escape

How you get here

Techniques that land in Kimura Control.

Front Headlock Series Transition transition Kimura From Half Guard submission Kimura From Standing submission