Catch this Shoulder Lock from ANYWHERE
0
Shoulder Lock·Bradley Hill
#BHTuition 🎉 OMOPLATA’S OUT OF NOWHERE 🥳 Learn from me with my newest FREE instructional - Omoplata Man Returns... Th…
Shoulder Lock
Family肩関節技(Kata Kansetsu-waza)
TraditionalTranslation: shoulder joint technique
Overview
Shoulder locks are submissions that attack the glenohumeral joint (shoulder socket) by forcing the arm into extreme internal rotation, external rotation, or abduction. [1],[2] The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which makes it vulnerable to rotational attacks from multiple angles. Primary shoulder locks include the kimura (ude-garami with inward rotation), the Americana (ude-garami with outward rotation), the omoplata (using the legs to rotate the shoulder), and various hammerlock and chicken wing variations. [1] Shoulder locks are effective from virtually every grappling position — mount, guard, side control, back control, half guard, and standing. [3],[4] They also serve as powerful positional tools: a threatened kimura grip can be used to sweep, take the back, or transition to other submissions even when the lock itself doesn't finish.
History & Origin
Ude-garami (腕絡み, arm entanglement) is classified in Kodokan Judo's kansetsu-waza division. [2] The technique became famous as 'kimura' after Masahiko Kimura defeated Helio Gracie in 1951 using gyaku-ude-garami (reverse arm entanglement) to break Gracie's arm. [1] The Americana — named for its association with American catch wrestling techniques introduced to Brazil — uses the opposite rotational direction (outward rotation). The omoplata, which uses the legs to apply shoulder rotation while controlling the opponent's posture, was developed primarily in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, with Nino Schembri being one of its most famous innovators. [3],[4]
Effectiveness
Shoulder locks attack the glenohumeral joint, which has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body but is correspondingly vulnerable when forced beyond its natural limits. [1] The Kimura, Americana, and omoplata are the primary shoulder lock variations, targeting internal rotation, external rotation, and extension respectively. [1],[2]
Lineage
Shoulder locks are part of Kodokan Judo's kansetsu-waza (though judo competition now only permits elbow locks), sambo's leg and arm lock curriculum, and catch wrestling. [1],[2] The Gracie family integrated all three major shoulder lock variations into the BJJ guard and top-position attack systems. [3]
Competition Record
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Forced rotation of the glenohumeral joint beyond its natural range of motion
Joints Involved — Shoulder (internal or external rotation), elbow (bent at 90° to create lever arm)
Force Vector — Rotational torque applied through the bent elbow — figure-four grip amplifies rotational force
Leverage Principle — The forearm acts as a lever arm — bending the elbow at 90° maximises rotational torque on the shoulder
Position & Entry
From closed guard — Sit up, control opponent's wrist with both hands, fall to the side and apply figure-four grip, rotate the shoulder
From side control (top) — Isolate the near arm, secure the figure-four grip (wrist and forearm), peel the arm off the mat and rotate
From north-south — Control the near arm, thread the figure-four, walk hips back to increase rotational pressure
Videos
1 video
Learn This Technique
No instructional courses yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest a course.
Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
Shoulder locks attack the rotator cuff complex; kimura and americana are the primary variants
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
— kansetsu-waza
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— 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
✓Shoulder locks attack the glenohumeral joint through rotation, abduction, or extension beyond the shoulder's natural range — forcing submission through pain or the threat of dislocation (Danaher, New Wave Jiu Jitsu, 2020)
✓The shoulder has the greatest range of motion of any joint — but this mobility comes at the cost of stability, making it vulnerable to locks from many angles
✓The major shoulder locks: kimura (double wrist lock, gyaku ude-garami), Americana (V-arm lock, ude-garami), and omoplata — each attacks the shoulder from a different rotational angle
✓The figure-four grip (used in kimura and Americana) is the universal control mechanism: one hand grips the opponent's wrist while the other threads under their arm and grabs your own wrist
✓Shoulder locks work by fixing the elbow position and rotating the hand/forearm — the rotation transfers through the elbow to the shoulder joint
✓The kimura (internal rotation) and Americana (external rotation) are complementary: defence against one often opens the other
✓Shoulder lock systems connect to sweeps, back takes, and transitions — the submission threat creates movement that the attacker exploits positionally
Common Mistakes
!Not fixing the elbow to the body — the elbow must be controlled close to the torso; a free elbow allows the opponent to straighten the arm and escape
!Rotating without controlling the shoulder — pin the opponent's shoulder to the ground or mat; a free shoulder absorbs the rotation
!Using arm strength to torque the shoulder — body weight and positional leverage create the rotation; arms alone are insufficient
!Applying both kimura and Americana the same way — kimura rotates internally (hand toward the back), Americana rotates externally (hand toward the head); each requires different body positioning
!Not using the figure-four grip properly — both grips must be tight; a loose figure-four allows the opponent to straighten the arm
!Ignoring the sweep opportunities — shoulder lock grips create powerful sweeps; if the submission fails, use the grip to sweep instead
!Cranking the shoulder without control — controlled, steady rotation allows the partner to tap; explosive cranking causes injury
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Control Position — maintain dominant position with weight on the opponent
2Isolate the Arm — secure the wrist and thread the arm through for the figure-four
3Lock the Figure-Four — grip own wrist behind the opponent's arm for leverage
4Apply Rotation — rotate the arm to attack the shoulder joint
Sources & References
Primary Source
Kodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification
1BookKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification
Traditional Judo ground technique terminology (Kodokan Institute)
Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
4CitationKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification
Traditional Judo ground technique terminology (Kodokan Institute)
Community
Athletics
Requires
grip strength, rotational power, shoulder/core stability
Favours
strong forearms and thick wrists
Key muscles
forearm flexors, rotator cuff, core rotators, deltoids
Sub-techniques
Kimura Lock
SubFamilyThe Kimura lock (gyaku-ude-garami / double wristlock) is a shoulder lock where the attacker grips the opponent's wrist with one hand, threads the other arm under the opponent's elbow, and clasps a figure-four grip to rotate the shoulder joint behind the opponent's back. [1,2] The figure-four configuration provides enormous leverage against the shoulder's rotational limits. [1] The Kimura is applicable from guard, mount, side control, north-south, and half guard, and serves both as a submission and as a powerful positional control tool for sweeps and transitions. [1,3]
Explore
Monoplata Lock
SubFamilyThe Monoplata is a shoulder lock submission similar to the omoplata but using only one leg to control the opponent's arm — applied from mount, side control, or back control rather than from guard. [1] While less common than the omoplata, the monoplata provides a shoulder lock option from top positions where the omoplata's guard-based entry is not available. [1,2]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Omoplata Lock
SubFamilyThe Omoplata (Portuguese for 'shoulder blade') is a shoulder lock submission applied from the guard where the attacker uses their legs to isolate the opponent's arm and rotate the shoulder beyond its normal range — one of the three fundamental guard submissions alongside the armbar and triangle choke. [1] The technique works by trapping the opponent's arm between the attacker's legs in a figure-four configuration, then sitting up and leaning forward to create a rotational force on the opponent's shoulder (internal rotation), similar to a kimura but executed with the legs instead of the arms. [1,2] The omoplata was popularised in BJJ competition by Nino Schembri (whose creative omoplata attacks from various positions earned him the nickname 'Elvis') and has since become a fundamental technique taught at every BJJ academy. [2,3] Beyond its submission value, the omoplata is one of the most versatile positions in BJJ — it serves as a sweep, a back take setup, and a controlling position even when the submission itself is defended. [3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
The Kimura (ude-garami) and Americana (gyaku-ude-garami) are the two primary shoulder lock directions — internal rotation (Kimura) and external rotation (Americana). (Gracie & Danaher, Mastering Jujitsu)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up a shoulder lock from different positions?
Bradley Hill teaches that you can hunt the shoulder lock from various positions by using hip escapes—both short and long versions—to close distance and create the shoulder hole. Once the shoulder hole is created, you can either post and roll forward or continue to reposition yourself to catch underneath the shoulder in a traditional shoulder lock.
What's the key body position when executing a shoulder lock?
Bradley Hill emphasizes backing step positioning—almost like wanting to sit on your opponent's head—which immediately creates the shoulder hole needed for the submission. From this position, you can then post and roll forward or continue maneuvering to secure the lock underneath the shoulder.
How does the Shoulder Lock work?
Shoulder locks are submissions that attack the glenohumeral joint (shoulder socket) by forcing the arm into extreme internal rotation, external rotation, or abduction. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which makes it vulnerable to rotational attacks from multiple angles.
Where does the Shoulder Lock come from?
Ude-garami (腕絡み, arm entanglement) is classified in Kodokan Judo's kansetsu-waza division. The technique became famous as 'kimura' after Masahiko Kimura defeated Helio Gracie in 1951 using gyaku-ude-garami (reverse arm entanglement) to break Gracie's arm.
Is the Shoulder Lock legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels; IJF: banned — Only elbow joint locks (kansetsu-waza) permitted in judo — all other joint lo…; 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 Shoulder Lock?
Danger rating 7/10. Shoulder locks attack the rotator cuff complex; kimura and americana are the primary variants
How do I set up the Shoulder Lock?
The standard setup chain: Control Position → Isolate the Arm → Lock the Figure-Four → Apply Rotation.
How do I defend against the Shoulder Lock?
Standard counters include: Straighten the Arm — extend the arm to break the figure-four grip angle / Roll Toward — roll in the direction of the lock to relieve rotational pressure / Grip the Belt/Shorts — anchor the hand to prevent the arm from being isolated.
What are the variants of the Shoulder Lock?
Common variants: Standard kimura (figure-four grip rotating the shoulder from guard, side c…); Kimura trap (using the kimura grip as a controlling position to chain …); Standing kimura (applied during a clinch or takedown exchange); Reverse kimura (attacking from the opposite rotation angle (Americana dir…).
How effective is the Shoulder Lock in competition?
Shoulder locks (kimura, Americana, omoplata) are among the most commonly attempted submissions in BJJ and MMA competition. The kimura is one of the top 10 most common UFC submissions.
What are common mistakes when doing the Shoulder Lock?
Top errors to watch for: Not fixing the elbow to the body — the elbow must be controlled close to the torso; a free elbow allows the opponent … / Rotating without controlling the shoulder — pin the opponent's shoulder to the ground or mat; a free shoulder absorbs… / Using arm strength to torque the shoulder — body weight and positional leverage create the rotation; arms alone are i… / Applying both kimura and Americana the same way — kimura rotates internally (hand toward the back), Americana rotates….
What are other names for the Shoulder Lock?
The Shoulder Lock is also known as Kata Kansetsu-waza, Kata-waza, Shoulder Joint Lock, Shoulder Submission.