Ask yourself this: are you really using the Kimura to the end range of its potential? I doubt it, as there is a whole layer of Kimura-based shoulder-locking opportunities you’re missing out on simply because they’re not included in BJJ curriculums.
So, to supercharge your Kimuras, I recommend you pick up the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD. If you’re interested in learning about the catch wrestling roots of the Kimura and the different ways in which you can use it to pin, transition, throw, and counter stuff on top of submitting, then this is the perfect resource for you!
Key Takeaways
- An 8-part No-Gi BJJ instructional covering Kimura uses over five and half hours of material.
- Demonstrated by 3rd degree BJJ black belt and Snake Pit founder Joel Bane.
- Includes direct and alternative finishes, traps, counters, mat returns, breakdowns, and pins.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 10 out of 10.
GET DVD HERE: I’VE GOT YOUR SHOULDER by JOEL BANE
Where Do Catch Wrestling Submissions Fit in BJJ?
Catch wrestling is a grappling sport that does not get the recognition it deserves, It was one of the things that Maeada infused heavily into his blend of Judo that later became BJJ. Due to a host of different reasons, the sport never caught on at the level of Judo, BJJ, or Wrestling.
That, however, does not mean that we have nothing to learn from it. On the contrary, if wrestling has been fueling BJJ for the past 5-6 years, then imagine what the submission-heavy version of wrestling has to offer. So, jumping on the catch wrestling bandwagon early is a great way of ensuring you are among the first to reap the rewards.
Jsut to be completely clear I am not advocating for switching out most of BJJ for catch wrestling and hoping it will all work under BJJ rules. Instead, look for inspiration, or better yet, practical modifications to fine-tune and amp up your submissions so that tapping out higher belts is no longer something that happens once a year.
A great example is the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD. It reflects on the early use of a move dubbed “the double wrist lock” in catch wrestling, which happens to be almost the same as the Kimura in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Definitely worth exploring.
Snake Pit Instructor and BJJ Black Belt Joel Bane
The Snake Pit USA. Mixed Martial Arts Academy is one of the most popular combat sports hubs in the world, with a system built on the foundation of catch wrestling. In a quest to produce the best grappling for practical uses, Snake Pit also heavily includes BJJ in their system, under the tutelage of Rigan Machado.
Joel Bane is the man who made it all happen – he is the Snake Pit founder and head instructor. He got his black belt from Rigan Machado and currently holds the rank of 3rd Degree. He also has a black belt in Luta Livre under the legendary Hugo Duarte.
Bane has spent a lifetime in grappling martial arts, training diligently in everything from Judo and BJJ to Catch Wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. He has 27 years’ worth of grappling experience to pick from when he is teaching, which is clearly visible in the structure and style he brings to his Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD.
Full Review: Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD
The Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD is a long grappling instructional, consisting of 8 parts. Each part has a different duration, but the total length of the material comes up to just under 6 hours, which is a lot in terms of grappling information.
Part 1 – The True Double Wrist Lock
Joel does a great job when starting this instructional in delivering a clear and concise definition of what the double wristlock is in wrestling, its origins, and how it compares to the Kimura we use in BJJ. Simply put, he shows how the double wristlock led to the development of the Kimura over the years.
He also shares some crucial differences between the catch wrestling version of the shoulder lock and the BJJ iteration. To begin with, he does an overview of how you can make takedowns stronger by threatening with the double writs lock, using it to pivot kick over, and even counter common takedowns.
Part 2 – Reverse Double Wrist Lock
In the second part of the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD, the action still remains standing for the most part. However, the version of the shoulder lock changes into something we need to use more in BJJ – the reverse double wristlock.
In this 27-minute long volume, Joel addresses some pretty acrobatic moves on the feet involving reverse double wrist lock counter takedowns. The one I have to single out is the cement mixer, something that has worked for me in the past. Bane’s fireman carry counter is also worth exploring further.
Part 3 – Side Control Set Ups
The third volume of this Joel Bane BJJ is when the action hits the ground, with top side control getting all the attention. Joel p[perfectly blends BJJ and Catch Wrestling to simplify the methodology behind the best grips and angles for finishing Kimuras.
He also goes over several alternative finishes while holding on to the double writs lock, such as the scissor choke, neck cranks, and key locks. I loved the fact that he turns the tables at the end, showing how to counter and escape the double wrist lock from bottom side control.
Part 4 – The Cobra Clutch
This portion of the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD shows a version of the double wristlock that is pure catch wrestling. The Cobra Clutch is essentially a choke done from a modified Gift Wrap position, which works way better than anything BJJ has to offer.
In addition to the Cobra Clutch, this volume has only one other chapter which explains how to take the scissor choke to new torturous heights by including a nasty neck crank and evil toe hold into the mix.
Part 5 – Double Wrist Lock Vs Turtle
As we pass the halfway point of this very informative KLimura-focused instructional, we start getting to some aspects that are absolutely crucial in breaking down the modern BJJ turtle. Since the latest developments in turtle defense are wrestling-inspired, it makes sense to attack with catch wrestling moves.
To that extent, Joel explains how you can set up the double wristlock from chicken wing control and use it to ride your opponent, destroying their turtle completely. As you probably expected, there are a lot of rolling attacks in this part, but all of them are simple and highly effective, as opposed to complicated BJJ maneuvers.
Part 6 – Hammerlocks
A staple of wrestling and catch wrestling, hammerlocks do not get much love in modern grappling. While they are never going to rise to the efficiency of heel hooks they do come in useful, and Bane does them justice.
An entire 40-minute long part of the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD is dedicated to the intricate interplay between the double wrist lock and hammerlocks, and how they make each other better. Bane includes both top and bottom combinations featuring hammerlock and Kimuras.
Part 7 – Double Wrist Lock From Bottom Turtle
The penultimate volume of the double wristlock Joel Bane DVD focuses on what I think is the most useful aspect of this system for BJJ grapplers – bottom turtle attacks. You can use Joel’s sneaky counters to set it up from a position most perceive as defensive, catching everyone by surprise.
Bane begins by teaching how to properly execute the sit-out and the angles you need to chase to make the double wristlock available. Once locked he takes us through a series of mat returns, flips, and trips that land you on top and allow you to apply all offensive aspects of the position that were already covered.
Part 8 – Mount Attacks
The final part of the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD offers a real treat to grapplers who would like to diversify their arm-locking attacks from the mount. In this volume, Bane goes over what we know in BJJ as the Monoplata, but injects Vitor Bellfort-levels of TRT into it.
There are several direct Kimura-like finishes offered by Joel, along with a few very unexpected bonus submissions and pins. just like with side control, Bane also offers a way out when you’re on the receiving end of the double wristlock, but I wouldn’t bet on it much.
Building A Kimura-Based Game
The Kimura trap is the perfect example of how you can base your entire game on one position that acts as a pin, a posture break, and a submission at the same time. Versatile moves such as this are not too common in BJJ and when you get the chance to expand upon the possibilities offered by one of them it is smart to consider it.
When I teach the Kimura in my gym, finishing the Kimura comes last. Instead, I have people explore what they can do without letting go of the grip. If you just enter a figure four (a.k.a. Kimura) grip from a set position, such as topside control, and decide to just go for a round of rolling without letting it go you’ll discover the potential it has.
You can easily apply the same approach to other positions such as guards, passing, standing, and even escaping. Grab onto a Kimura and see where it leads you. This entire system has been inspired by wrestling and the heavy use of the double wristlock to get anything but a submission, given the rules.
You can get everything you will ever need to know about the catch wrestling double wristlock in the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD. Do not hesitate to grab this one!
DVD DOWNLOAD: JOEL BANE – I’VE GOT YOUR SHOULDER
The Real Deal Double Wrist Lock
With all said and done, the Oops, I’ve Got Your Shoulder Joel Bane DVD is a throwback instructional covering how to blend catch wrestling and BJJ uses the popular Kimura to become a nuisance in every aspect of grappling. This Joel Bane DVD is one of those I’d include in a “must-have” BJJ DVD bundle as a source of basic information everyone needs to know.
