SAFETY: Kimura from Lockdown targets the Shoulder joint, rotator cuff, and shoulder capsule. Risk: Rotator cuff tear (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis). Release immediately upon tap.
The Kimura from Lockdown combines 10th Planet’s signature leg entanglement with one of grappling’s most fundamental shoulder locks. From lockdown half guard, the bottom practitioner uses the figure-four leg configuration to immobilize the top player’s base, then capitalizes on the resulting broken posture to isolate and attack the near arm. This integration of lower body control with upper body submission creates a particularly difficult defensive puzzle, as the opponent cannot simultaneously address the leg entanglement and the Kimura grip.
What distinguishes this Kimura variant is the lockdown’s ability to eliminate the top player’s primary escape mechanisms. In a standard half guard Kimura, the top player can often posture up, step over, or create distance to defend. The lockdown removes these options by anchoring their leg and compromising their base, forcing them to defend the shoulder lock with grip fighting alone. The lockdown extension can also be timed with the Kimura rotation to multiply finishing pressure, as extending the opponent’s trapped leg while rotating their arm creates simultaneous structural attacks on two planes.
This technique fits naturally into the lockdown attacking system as a complement to the Electric Chair and Old School sweep. When the opponent defends sweeps by keeping their arms tight and weight forward, the Kimura becomes available as a secondary attack. This sweep-to-submission chain creates the dilemma-based offense that characterizes effective lockdown play at intermediate and advanced levels.
Category: Joint Lock Type: Shoulder Lock Target Area: Shoulder joint, rotator cuff, and shoulder capsule Starting Position: Lockdown From Position: Lockdown (Bottom) Success Rate: 62%
Safety Guide
Injury Risks:
| Injury | Severity | Recovery Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rotator cuff tear (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) | High | 3-9 months with potential surgery requirement |
| Shoulder capsule damage and dislocation | CRITICAL | 6-12 months, may require surgical repair |
| Labral tear (glenoid labrum) | High | 4-8 months, often requires arthroscopic surgery |
| Bicep tendon strain or rupture | Medium | 6-12 weeks for strain, 3-6 months for rupture |
Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum in training, allowing partner time to recognize danger and tap
Tap Signals:
- Verbal tap (saying ‘tap’ or making any verbal distress sound)
- Physical hand tap (multiple taps with free hand)
- Physical foot tap (multiple taps with either foot)
- Any distress signal including screaming or unusual sounds
Release Protocol:
- Immediately stop all rotational pressure the instant tap is felt or heard
- Return the arm toward neutral position by externally rotating back to starting position
- Release the figure-four grip completely before releasing lockdown
- Allow partner to self-assess shoulder mobility before continuing
- Never release suddenly or allow arm to spring back forcefully
Training Restrictions:
- Never spike or jerk the submission - rotation must be smooth and controlled
- Never use competition speed or surprise attacks in training
- Always ensure partner has at least one hand free to tap
- Do not apply while partner is in awkward body position that prevents tapping
- Never combine lockdown extension with maximum Kimura rotation simultaneously at full force
- Respect immediate taps without testing partner’s pain tolerance
Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | game-over | 62% |
| Failure | Lockdown | 25% |
| Counter | Half Guard | 13% |
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute and finish | Escape and survive |
| Key Principles | Use lockdown extensions to break posture before initiating t… | Protect your wrist by keeping elbows tight to your body and … |
| Options | 7 execution steps | 4 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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Use lockdown extensions to break posture before initiating the Kimura grip - never reach for the arm while opponent has full posture
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Transition from overhook to wrist control during opponent’s recovery attempts when their attention is split between lockdown and upper body
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Hip escape away from opponent to create the finishing angle before rotating the arm behind the back
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Coordinate lockdown extension with Kimura rotation to attack the opponent’s structure on two planes simultaneously
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Maintain elbow control throughout the finish by keeping opponent’s elbow pinched tight against your torso
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Attack the Kimura when sweep defenses expose the arm - treat it as a chain from sweep threats rather than an isolated attack
Execution Steps
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Break posture with lockdown extension: From lockdown bottom with underhook or overhook, extend your lockdown by straightening your legs and…
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Secure overhook on near arm: As opponent’s posture breaks forward, thread your near-side arm over their posting arm and lock an o…
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Transition to figure-four Kimura grip: Slide your overhook hand down to grip their wrist, then bring your far hand underneath their arm to …
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Hip escape to create finishing angle: With the Kimura grip secured, perform a hip escape away from your opponent by pushing off with your …
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Pin elbow and begin rotation: With the angle established, pull their elbow tight against your ribcage using the figure-four grip. …
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Coordinate lockdown extension with final rotation: As you approach the finishing angle, extend the lockdown simultaneously with the final Kimura rotati…
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Complete the finish with progressive pressure: Continue the wrist rotation toward their back until you feel the shoulder lock engage. Apply pressur…
Common Mistakes
-
Reaching for the Kimura grip before breaking posture with lockdown extension
- Consequence: Opponent maintains strong posture and easily strips the grip attempt or postures out of range entirely
- Correction: Always extend the lockdown first to collapse their base and break posture, then transition to the Kimura grip while they are off-balance and their arm is exposed
-
Releasing or loosening the lockdown configuration while focusing on establishing the Kimura grip
- Consequence: Opponent extracts their trapped leg and passes to side control, eliminating both the Kimura and positional control
- Correction: Maintain tight lockdown throughout the entire Kimura attack sequence by keeping ankles crossed and squeezing knees together even while transitioning grips on the upper body
-
Attempting to finish the Kimura without hip escaping to create a finishing angle
- Consequence: The rotation becomes a strength contest that you will likely lose from bottom position, and opponent can stack weight to prevent the finish
- Correction: Always hip escape away from opponent before beginning the rotation to create the angle that allows leverage-based finishing rather than strength-based forcing
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Protect your wrist by keeping elbows tight to your body and hands clasped together whenever opponent threatens the overhook
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Work to recover posture through forward pressure even while defending the Kimura grip to limit opponent’s finishing angle
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Address both the lockdown and the Kimura simultaneously - neutralizing only one leaves the other as a continuing threat
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Drive weight forward through shoulder pressure to flatten the opponent and restrict their hip mobility for the finishing angle
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Never allow the opponent to isolate your arm with an overhook without immediately fighting to retract the elbow
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Prioritize leg extraction from the lockdown as the highest-percentage long-term defense since it removes the control platform
Recognition Cues
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Opponent establishes an overhook on your near-side arm from lockdown bottom and begins sliding their hand toward your wrist
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Opponent performs a lockdown extension followed immediately by reaching for your posting arm rather than attempting a sweep
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Opponent’s free hand reaches underneath your arm to establish the figure-four Kimura configuration
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Opponent begins hip escaping away from you while maintaining lockdown and overhook control on your arm
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You feel your arm being pulled across your centerline toward the opponent’s hip while your leg remains trapped in lockdown
Escape Paths
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Extract trapped leg from lockdown while defending the Kimura grip to return to standard half guard top position where posture and distance defeat the Kimura
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Drive forward with heavy shoulder pressure to flatten opponent completely, then work to strip the figure-four grip by straightening your arm and pulling the elbow free
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Roll toward the Kimura side to relieve rotational pressure, then use the scramble to recover posture and disengage from both the lockdown and the grip
From Which Positions?
Match Outcome
Successful execution of Kimura from Lockdown leads to → Game Over
All submissions in BJJ ultimately converge to the same terminal state: the match ends when your opponent taps.