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A straight arm lock from closed guard that isolates the arm and extends the elbow.
The armbar (juji gatame) isolates one of your opponent's arms and extends it against your hips while controlling their body with your legs. You squeeze your knees together, keep their thumb pointing up, and bridge your hips into their elbow to apply the break. It can be attacked from guard, mount, side control, and back mount, making it one of the most versatile submissions in grappling.
Key points
- Break posture and isolate one arm
- Pivot the hips before swinging the leg over the head
- Pinch knees and control thumb direction before finishing
Common mistakes
- Trying to finish before turning the angle
- Leaving space around the shoulder line
- Not controlling posture during entry
Common reactions
- Opponent pulls the elbow free
- Opponent stacks forward to defend
Position Flow
Details
Type
submission
Difficulty
beginner
Ruleset
Gi & No-Gi
Tags
joint-lock, arm, fundamental, competition