What is the single most important early defensive action when you feel a Kimura grip being established?

The most important early action is to immediately begin two-on-one grip fighting to prevent the figure-four from being locked or to strip a shallow grip before the attacker can deepen their control near your elbow. Early grip prevention is exponentially more effective than fighting a fully established Kimura because the mechanical advantage of the figure-four increases dramatically with depth. Use both hands to peel the attacker's grip hand off your wrist while keeping your elbow tight to your body.

Your opponent has secured a deep Kimura grip and begins applying pressure - you cannot strip the grip. What is your next defensive priority?

If the grip cannot be stripped, your priority shifts to controlling how you move under the pressure rather than remaining static. Grab your own belt or wrist with the trapped hand to reduce pressure and buy time, then prepare to direct your inevitable movement toward the attacker rather than away. If you must turtle, keep elbows pinched tight, knees together, and hips low to deny hook insertion. The key is accepting that movement will happen while ensuring that movement does not give the attacker free back access.

What body positioning prevents hook insertion after you have been forced to turtle during this transition?

To prevent hook insertion from turtle, keep your elbows pinched tight against your ribcage so there is no space between your arms and body. Press your knees together and keep your hips as low to the mat as possible, eliminating the gap between your thighs and torso where hooks would be inserted. Tuck your chin and keep your forehead near the mat. This compact defensive posture makes hook insertion extremely difficult and buys time to work grip strips or sit-out escapes. Any space between your limbs and torso becomes an entry point for the attacker's feet.

How do you recognize whether the attacker is using the Kimura as a genuine submission attempt versus a positional advancement tool?

A genuine submission attempt typically shows constant escalating pressure in one direction with the attacker's weight committed to finishing the shoulder lock. A positional tool shows intermittent pressure pulses, the attacker's weight shifting to a more mobile position that can follow your movement, and their chest lifting slightly rather than driving down for the finish. When the attacker is using it positionally, they want you to move, so they apply enough pressure to motivate rolling but not enough to commit fully to the finish. This distinction informs your defense: against genuine finish attempts, fight the grip; against positional setups, control your movement direction.

Kimura to Back Take Defender | BJJ Defense Guide

Defending the Kimura to Back Take requires understanding the attacker’s strategic intent: they are using submission pressure as a tool to force you into a rolling or turtling motion that exposes your back. The critical insight for the defender is that the back take does not happen because of the roll itself, but because of uncontrolled rolling without addressing the grip and connection. Your defensive priority shifts depending on the phase of the attack - early defense focuses on neutralizing the Kimura grip or preventing the pressure that forces movement, while mid-transition defense focuses on controlling your own rotation speed and direction, and late-stage defense addresses hook prevention and guard recovery.

Successful defense begins before the transition starts, at the Kimura grip itself. If you can prevent the attacker from establishing deep figure-four control or break the grip early, the entire back take sequence is neutralized. Once the grip is established and pressure is applied, your defensive focus shifts to controlling how you move rather than whether you move. Directed defensive movement - such as turning into the attacker rather than away, or recovering guard frames during the roll - gives you the best chance of arriving in a recoverable position rather than conceding back control with hooks.

The defender must also recognize that panic rolling or explosive uncontrolled movement is the attacker’s ideal scenario. Measured, deliberate defensive actions that address each control point systematically yield far better results than desperate attempts to rip free of the grip.

Opponent’s Starting Position: Kimura Trap (Bottom)

How to Recognize This Attack

How do you know when someone is attempting Kimura to Back Take?

Attacker secures figure-four Kimura grip and begins lifting your hand toward your shoulder blade while driving elbow across your body
Attacker shifts weight off your hips and begins repositioning to follow your body rotation, indicating they want you to roll
Attacker applies progressive submission pressure in pulses rather than committing to the finish, suggesting they are using the Kimura as a positional tool
You feel increasing shoulder pressure that makes staying flat untenable and creates an instinctive urge to roll toward the trapped arm
Attacker’s chest lifts slightly from your torso as they prepare to follow your movement rather than pinning you down

Key Defensive Principles

What are the key principles for defending Kimura to Back Take?

Address the Kimura grip early - prevention of the grip is the strongest defense against the entire sequence
Control the speed and direction of your own movement rather than trying to remain completely static against pressure
Keep elbows tight to your body to deny space for hook insertion during any rolling or turtling motion
Turn into the attacker when possible rather than turning away, as facing them eliminates the back take angle
Prioritize recovering inside position and guard frames over simply escaping the grip under pressure
Avoid panic rolling or explosive uncontrolled movement which creates the exact back exposure the attacker seeks
Use two-on-one grip fighting on the Kimura configuration to strip or weaken the figure-four before pressure escalates

Defensive Options

What can you do to defend against Kimura to Back Take?

1. Two-on-one grip strip on the Kimura figure-four before pressure escalates

When to use: Early in the sequence before the attacker applies significant shoulder pressure or begins following your movement
Targets: Kimura Trap
If successful: Breaks the Kimura grip entirely, eliminating both the submission threat and the back take pathway, allowing you to work standard side control or half guard escapes
Risk: If grip strip fails, you have momentarily stopped defending other threats and the attacker may increase pressure or adjust angle

2. Turn into the attacker by rotating your body to face them during the roll, establishing frames on their shoulder and hip

When to use: During the rolling phase when you must move but can choose the direction of your rotation
Targets: Half Guard
If successful: You face the attacker and recover half guard or closed guard, completely negating the back take while the Kimura grip becomes less effective from inside guard
Risk: If you turn too slowly or without frames, the attacker can follow your turn and still establish back control or mount

3. Turtle tight with elbows pinched and deny hooks by keeping knees together and hips low to the mat

When to use: When the roll has already occurred and you cannot turn to face the attacker, as a damage control measure to prevent hook insertion
Targets: Kimura Trap
If successful: You prevent hooks from being inserted and create a stalemate where you can work to strip the Kimura grip from turtle or sit out to recover guard
Risk: The attacker maintains the Kimura grip and can continue applying pressure, transition to other turtle attacks, or patiently work to insert hooks

4. Grab your own wrist or belt with the trapped hand to prevent arm isolation and Kimura pressure escalation

When to use: Immediately when you feel the Kimura grip being established, before significant pressure is applied
Targets: Kimura Trap
If successful: Prevents the attacker from generating enough shoulder pressure to force your roll, buying time to work grip strips or positional escapes
Risk: Creates a static defensive posture that the attacker can work around through angle changes, and your defensive grip will eventually fatigue

Best-Case Outcomes for Defender

What is the best outcome when defending Kimura to Back Take?

→ Kimura Trap

Strip the Kimura grip through two-on-one fighting or wrist peel before the attacker can apply enough pressure to force your roll. Alternatively, turtle defensively with tight elbows to deny hooks and patiently work to strip the grip from the stalled position. The attacker remains in Kimura Trap Top but without the back take pathway.

→ Half Guard

During the rolling phase, direct your rotation toward the attacker rather than away from them. Establish frames on their shoulder and hip as you turn, insert your knee shield or half guard hook on their trapped leg, and recover to a standard half guard position. The Kimura grip becomes significantly less dangerous from inside your guard, and you can work standard grip strips and sweeps.

Common Defensive Mistakes

What mistakes should you avoid when defending Kimura to Back Take?

1. Panic rolling explosively away from the Kimura pressure without controlling direction or speed

Consequence: Creates the exact uncontrolled back exposure the attacker wants, making hook insertion trivial and back control nearly guaranteed
Correction: Accept that you may need to move, but control the direction and speed of your movement. Roll deliberately toward the attacker to face them, or turtle in a controlled manner with elbows tight and hips low

2. Attempting to straighten the trapped arm against the Kimura grip using pure strength

Consequence: Wastes enormous energy against a mechanically superior grip configuration, and the extension attempt can expose the shoulder to injury if the attacker maintains control
Correction: Instead of fighting the grip with arm extension, use two-on-one grip fighting to peel the attacker’s hands apart, or address the problem positionally by turning into the attacker

3. Leaving elbows wide and hips elevated while turtling after the roll

Consequence: Creates easy pathways for hook insertion as the attacker can thread their feet into the space between your body and the mat
Correction: Keep elbows pinched tight against your ribs, knees together, and hips as low as possible to deny the attacker space for hooks. Make your body as compact and impenetrable as possible

4. Focusing exclusively on the submission defense without addressing the positional back take threat

Consequence: Even if you prevent the Kimura finish, you concede back control with hooks because you never addressed the transition component of the attack
Correction: Recognize that the Kimura pressure is a means to an end. Your defense must address both the submission and the positional advancement. Preventing the roll or controlling its direction is as important as defending the shoulder lock

5. Waiting too long to begin defensive grip fighting, allowing the attacker to establish deep figure-four control

Consequence: A deep Kimura grip near the elbow is exponentially harder to strip than a shallow grip near the wrist, and generates much more shoulder pressure
Correction: Begin fighting the Kimura grip immediately when you feel the attacker threading their arm under yours. Early intervention when the grip is shallow is far more effective than late-stage grip fighting against a locked figure-four

Training Progressions

How do you train defense against Kimura to Back Take?

Week 1-2: Grip Prevention and Stripping - Early intervention against Kimura grip establishment Partner works to establish Kimura grip from side control while you practice two-on-one grip fighting to prevent the figure-four from locking. Start at 25% speed focusing on hand positioning and timing. Progress to moderate speed as recognition improves. Goal is to develop automatic grip prevention reactions before the figure-four is fully secured.

Week 3-4: Controlled Directional Rolling - Directing your defensive movement toward the attacker Partner establishes Kimura grip and applies moderate pressure. Practice rolling toward the attacker rather than away, establishing frames on their shoulder and hip during the turn. Partner allows the turn at first, then begins following to add complexity. Focus on frame placement and guard recovery after the turn.

Week 5-6: Turtle Defense and Hook Denial - Compact turtling when facing the attacker is not possible Partner has Kimura grip and you must turtle. Practice tight elbow positioning, hip-to-mat connection, and systematic grip stripping from turtle while partner attempts to insert hooks. Build endurance for maintaining defensive turtle under pressure while working escape sequences. Include sit-out drills from turtle with Kimura grip still active.

Week 7-8: Full Defense with Progressive Resistance - Chaining all defensive options against committed attacker Partner executes full Kimura to back take sequence at increasing resistance levels. Practice selecting appropriate defense based on the phase of the attack: grip strip early, controlled directional roll mid-sequence, and turtle defense as last resort. Partner provides realistic but not competition-level resistance. Track which defensive stage you successfully stop the transition at.

Kimura to Back Take Defender

Outcomes