The Kimura from Crab Ride exploits one of the most common defensive reactions in turtle: posting the far arm. When an opponent extends or posts their arm to maintain base against crab ride pressure, they create the opening for a figure-four grip attack on the shoulder. This transition represents a powerful secondary threat from an already dominant position, punishing opponents who refuse to concede the back take by offering their arm instead.
Unlike traditional kimura attacks from guard or side control, the Crab Ride Kimura operates with gravity and positional dominance working in the attacker’s favor. The perpendicular angle of the crab ride provides unique leverage for peeling the arm away from the body, while the hook control prevents the opponent from simply rolling away to relieve pressure. The attacker’s chest-to-back connection serves dual purpose: maintaining ride control while providing the structural support needed to apply rotational force on the shoulder joint.
Strategically, this technique creates a powerful dilemma system within the turtle attack framework. Opponents who keep their elbows tight to prevent the kimura expose themselves to back takes, while those who post aggressively to resist the back take offer their arms for isolation. The Kimura from Crab Ride is most commonly used as a transition to Kimura Trap control rather than an immediate finish, as the perpendicular crab ride angle makes sustained finishing pressure difficult without first consolidating the grip into a dedicated control position.
From Position: Crab Ride (Top) Success Rate: 55%
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Kimura Trap | 55% |
| Failure | Crab Ride | 30% |
| Counter | Half Guard | 15% |
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute technique | Prevent or counter |
| Key Principles | Maintain hook and chest pressure throughout the kimura entry… | Keep elbows glued tight to the body in turtle to deny the in… |
| Options | 7 execution steps | 4 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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Maintain hook and chest pressure throughout the kimura entry to prevent opponent from escaping during grip transition
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Target the far arm specifically, as the near arm is protected by your body position and difficult to isolate from the crab ride angle
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Secure wrist control before threading the figure-four to prevent the opponent from retracting the arm prematurely
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Use your perpendicular angle to generate peeling force, pulling the arm away from the body along the axis of your chest pressure
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Transition to Kimura Trap control rather than forcing an immediate finish from the awkward crab ride angle
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Time the kimura entry when opponent posts aggressively or reaches to strip your hook, exploiting their arm extension
Execution Steps
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Identify target arm opening: From established crab ride, observe opponent’s far arm position. The ideal moment occurs when the op…
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Secure wrist control: Release your far-side upper body grip and reach across to secure a firm C-grip on the opponent’s far…
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Peel the arm from the body: Using your wrist grip, begin pulling the opponent’s arm away from their body in a lateral peeling mo…
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Thread the figure-four grip: Slide your near-side hand under the opponent’s far arm from the inside, reaching through to grip you…
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Consolidate the grip structure: With the figure-four secured, tighten the entire grip assembly by pulling your elbows close to your …
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Transition to Kimura Trap position: Shift your weight and hip position to consolidate into Kimura Trap control. This typically involves …
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Apply pressure or advance position: From Kimura Trap, apply graduated rotational pressure on the shoulder by driving the wrist toward th…
Common Mistakes
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Abandoning chest pressure to reach for the far arm
- Consequence: Loses positional control and creates space for opponent to escape turtle, turn into you, or strip the hook
- Correction: Maintain chest-to-back contact throughout the entire grip sequence; use one hand at a time while keeping your body weight committed to the ride
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Attempting to finish the kimura directly from the crab ride angle
- Consequence: Poor finishing mechanics result in low submission percentage, wasted energy, and the opponent building grip defenses during the prolonged attempt
- Correction: Transition to Kimura Trap position first where you have proper hip alignment and rotational leverage for finishing the shoulder lock
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Gripping the forearm instead of the wrist for initial control
- Consequence: Weaker mechanical control allows the opponent to rotate their arm free or retract it before the figure-four can be established
- Correction: Secure a proper C-grip directly on the wrist where the narrowest part of the arm provides maximum grip security and control leverage
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Keep elbows glued tight to the body in turtle to deny the initial arm isolation opening
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Recognize the wrist grab as the critical trigger requiring immediate arm retraction response
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Exploit the attacker’s grip transition window by turning into them when they release upper body control to reach
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Use the clasped-hands defense to buy time but treat it as a temporary bridge to a real escape, not a solution
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Move explosively during the attacker’s figure-four threading window before the rigid grip structure consolidates
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Protect the shoulder joint by keeping the elbow bent and pressed close to your ribcage throughout all defensive actions
Recognition Cues
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Attacker releases far-side upper body grip and reaches across your back toward your far wrist or forearm
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Sudden increase in chest pressure pinning your shoulder blade as the attacker anchors weight before hunting the arm
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Attacker’s hand wrapping around your wrist from the outside with a C-grip and pulling laterally away from your body
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Feeling of your arm being peeled away from your torso against your resistance in a lateral direction
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Attacker’s second hand threading under your arm near the elbow crease, establishing the figure-four connection
Defensive Options
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Immediately retract the far arm tight to the body, driving the elbow into your ribcage - When: As soon as you feel the initial wrist grip before the figure-four is threaded
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Turn shoulders aggressively toward the attacker and sit through to establish half guard - When: When the attacker releases upper body control to reach for the arm, creating a momentary gap in ride control
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Clasp both hands together with interlocked fingers to prevent figure-four isolation - When: After the wrist grip is established but before the figure-four threading is complete
Position Integration
The Kimura from Crab Ride fits within the broader turtle attack system as a secondary threat that complements back control entries. It creates a fork between defending the back take and defending the arm, forcing opponents into a lose-lose decision from turtle. The technique chains naturally into the Kimura Trap system, which opens pathways to back takes, sweeps, and submission finishes. Within competition strategy, threatening the kimura from crab ride forces opponents to abandon strong turtle defense and accept back exposure, making it a valuable positional bargaining tool even when the kimura itself is not the primary goal. This transition also connects to the crucifix system, as opponents who extend their arm to resist the kimura often expose themselves to arm trapping.