Do you find yourself tapping out to Kimura traps set by your opponents? If so, do not lose hope – there is a very neat little trick to help you defend their Kimura attacks with a Kimura of your own. Learn how to Kimura someone trying to Kimura you from the half guard and enjoy reaping taps!
The One-Hand Kimura Counter Grip
The way to use this Kimura counter is when a person has you in their half guard and is trying to get a Kimura lock from the bottom. The success of your counter(s) depends entirely on you establishing a powerful one-hand grip very early.
Strengthening the arm does not work because the angle favors the bottom person. Tigheteing the forearm to the chest is going to take that angle away, and as a bonus, provide additional pressure on the wrist of the person attacking the Kimura from the bottom.
The outcomes of this grip can go in three directions all favoring the top person.
How To Kimura Someone With Just One Arm
Once the one-arm grip is in place, with the forearm tight to the chest, you can immediately force the bottom person to tap out.
So the first thing to do is pull upwards with your entire body, not allowing your forearm to pull away from your chest. This will pull the opponent’s trapped arm upwards, allowing you to Kimura the person that in all likelihood is still going to think they have a shot at Kimura-ing you.
You could also go for a regular Kimura, adding your second arm into the mix and going for the figure-four if you can’t quite figure out how to Kimura them with just one arm.
In most cases though, experienced opponents will pull that arm away in a panic, once they realize they’re on the receiving end of sneaky Kimura.
An Even Sneakier Back Take
The third option you have is to go for the back, off of attempting your sneaky one-hand KImura counter. If the bottom person knows how to Kimura counter, they might be wary of the counter, so once you have your forearm to your chest, you can switch directions. \
Namely, just put pressure forward into the armpit by leaning, trapping their arm because of your one-hand grip and their Kimura grip.
Then you want to do the “unthinkable” – fall down pulling the opponent on top of you. Despite seeming like you’re gifting a sweep, you actually pull them towards you and into a very sneaky and effective back take.
The best part about this back take is that the bottom person can’t stop it, because they have to move in the direction you’re dragging them into as a result of the pressure on their shoulder from the initial one-hand Kiomura grip you established at the very beginning.
