Kimura From Closed Guard For White Belts (Small Details To Improve Success)
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Striking to Kimura·Chewjitsu
www.Chewjitsu.net In this video I show a kimura from closed guard. The kimura from closed guard is one of the essenti…
Striking to Kimura
SubFamilyStriking・To・キムラ(Striking to Kimura)
Translation: striking to kimura
Overview
Striking to Kimura uses ground strikes to create the opening for a kimura grip, capitalising on the opponent's defensive arm movements to isolate the arm. [1]
GNP to KimuraStrike Setup Kimura
History & Origin
MMA-adapted submission. [1]
Effectiveness
Proven at highest levels of MMA competition. [1]
Lineage
MMA submission methodology. [1]
Competition Record
Used in UFC and professional MMA competition
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Submission mechanics for Striking to Kimura
Position & Entry
From MMA position — Set up and execute striking to kimura
Variants
Standard Striking to Kimura
Videos
Finish the Kimura Every Time! Jiu Jitsu Tutorial
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Striking to Kimura·Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu
Join My Online Academy to Improve Your Jiu Jitsu FAST!!! https://academy.mattarroyo.com/ Struggling to finish the kimu…
Kimura from Guard Technique #1
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Striking to Kimura·Performance MMA
How to finish a Kimura from the guard position with Relson Gracie Black Belt Steve Hordinski. Steve is the owner of Rels…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
Striking to Kimura is a guard-based arm-lock submission that transitions from striking or striking-like actions into a controlled joint-lock finish. The technique involves forcing the opponent's hands to the mat as a prerequisite—a critical detail emphasized across all three instructors. Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu describes using the "torpedo method," actively following the opponent's hands with leg pressure and blocking until palms contact the mat, while Chewjitsu advocates arching the back to create a "slope" that makes hand placement on the mat difficult for the opponent. Once hands are grounded and the attacker achieves chest-to-chest contact, the setup mirrors the classical Kimura grip: both arms controlling one opponent arm in a figure-four configuration. Key distinctions emerge in grip preferences—Arroyo favors thumb-down positioning on the wrist, while Chewjitsu recommends switching to a thumbless grip to avoid thumb injury and improve grip security. Performance MMA emphasizes creating offensive pressure from the guard rather than waiting for the opponent's mistake, using collar control to force engagement. All three instructors stress hip-drive finishing mechanics and elbow positioning: keeping elbows tight to the body dramatically increases pressure and prevents escape. The technique succeeds through leveraging two arms against one, with body positioning and hip pressure ultimately overpowering arm strength.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu — Finish the Kimura Every Time! Jiu Jitsu Tutorial: Detailed the torpedo method for forcing hands to mat using leg pressure and blocking; emphasized shoulder/armpit hook before wrist grip to prevent arm escape; described elbow-hip motion to dislodge weight and achieve proper finishing position; advocated thumb-down wrist grip; explained perpendicular body positioning and pushing mechanics over pulling during finish.
- Chewjitsu — Kimura From Closed Guard For White Belts (Small Details To Improve Success): Explained back-arch technique to create slope and prevent opponent hand digging; emphasized wrist-specific grip (forearm-hand junction) over forearm meat; detailed locking the arm straight initially to prevent opponent from rolling wrist back; recommended hip escape and sitting to elbow rather than upright; advocated thumbless grip for figure-four and elbows-tight positioning for grip strength.
- Performance MMA — Kimura from Guard Technique #1: Introduced offensive setup using deep collar control and pulling opponent down rather than waiting for defensive mistakes; addressed the wrapped-leg defense by repositioning leg pressure to the opponent's thigh to separate limbs; emphasized full-body pressure and hip/leg mechanics over arm strength; noted the technique works in both gi and no-gi contexts.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
8
Very High8/10
Submission with fight-ending potential
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— kansetsu-waza
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— ADCC — Legal — all submissions legal in ADCC
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal submission technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Practise the striking-to-submission transition (Penn et al., 2007)
Common Mistakes
!Abandoning position for the submission
!Poor grip
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Position → Strikes → Striking to Kimura
Sources & References
Primary Source
Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge (Penn, Cordoza & Krauss, 2007)
1Book[1] Penn, B.J., Cordoza, G. and Krauss, E. (2007). Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge. Victory Belt Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9777315-6-5.
description, historyOrigin: sourced from Penn, B
2Citation[1] Penn, B.J., Cordoza, G. and Krauss, E. (2007). Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge. Victory Belt Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9777315-6-5.
description, historyOrigin: sourced from Penn, B
Community
Athletics
Good grip strength
Submission finishing ability
Notes
Striking to Kimura is an MMA-specific combination — using ground-and-pound strikes from top position to force the opponent to extend their arms defensively, then catching the exposed arm for a Kimura. Combines striking and grappling into a unified attack. (MMA training manuals; competition records)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I miss the Kimura finish when rolling with better opponents?
According to Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu, you're likely missing small but critical details in the setup and finish. The most common mistake is grabbing the wrist too early, which alerts your opponent and lets them rip their arm free. Instead, get your opponent's hands flat on the mat first, then hook high at the shoulder and armpit—not the forearm—to trap the arm before they can escape.
What's the correct grip and arm position for the Kimura?
Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu recommends using a thumbless grip with your bicep positioned perpendicular (behind) your opponent's arm, not pulled in front like a pull-up. Once locked in, glue their elbow to your chest and push their wrist toward their back rather than pulling, which is much stronger. Keep your elbows pinched tight together throughout—the further your elbows are apart, the weaker the finish.
How do I finish the Kimura when my opponent drops their weight on their hand?
Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu explains that if your opponent's hand is glued to the mat, use an elbow-to-hip motion repeatedly, bulldozing their hand off the mat with your hip. Keep your top leg positioned high and across their back to prevent them from forward rolling out. Once their hand lifts, you can finish the submission.
What should I do differently when setting up the Kimura from closed guard?
Chewjitsu emphasizes that you must break posture first, then grab the wrist and lock your own arm out straight. If your arm is bent, your opponent can easily roll your wrist back in. When you open your guard, do a small hip escape and shift to your side, then sit up to your elbow (not your butt) to maintain control and lean forward with pressure.
Why is keeping my elbows tight so important in the Kimura finish?
Both Matt Arroyo Jiu Jitsu and Chewjitsu stress that the further your elbows are apart, the weaker your leverage becomes. Pinching your elbows in tight creates maximum mechanical advantage, especially when you transition to the thumbless grip. This is critical whether you're finishing from the top or when you're already on your side.
How does the Striking to Kimura work?
Striking to Kimura uses ground strikes to create the opening for a kimura grip, capitalising on the opponent's defensive arm movements to isolate the arm.
Where does the Striking to Kimura come from?
MMA-adapted submission.
Is the Striking to Kimura legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels; IJF: legal — Legal — elbow joint lock (kansetsu-waza), one of the permitted submission cat…; ADCC: legal — Legal — all submissions legal in ADCC; Unified MMA: legal — Legal submission technique; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Striking to Kimura?
Danger rating 8/10. Submission with fight-ending potential
How do I set up the Striking to Kimura?
The standard setup chain: Position → Strikes → Striking to Kimura.
How do I defend against the Striking to Kimura?
Standard counters include: Posture / Stack / Guard pass.
What are the variants of the Striking to Kimura?
Common variants: Standard Striking to Kimura.
How effective is the Striking to Kimura in competition?
Used in UFC and professional MMA competition
What are common mistakes when doing the Striking to Kimura?
Top errors to watch for: Abandoning position for the submission / Poor grip.
What are other names for the Striking to Kimura?
The Striking to Kimura is also known as Striking to Kimura, GNP to Kimura, Strike Setup Kimura.