Arm Bar from the Guard

The straight arm bar from the guard, (juji gatame) is one of my favourite submissions. It is probably one of the first submissions taught from the guard, and although it is one of the most expected techniques from this position, it still does not fail to pop up in many Jiu Jitsu, Judo or other grappling tournaments throughout the world.

So what are the main points I believe must be stressed when attempting this technique. Well first of all, check out this videos demonstrating it.

The following has always worked for me. Weather the same tips work for you is another matter however.

• Maintain a good solid grip of the arm you intend to attack. It’s best to use both your arms to hold your opponents forearm and wrist, however, if strikes are allowed, be cautious of them and guard yourself if necessary, holding on the best way possible.
• When your pivot your body to the side, make sure that you are side on to your opponent as much as possible. This will allow for a more advantageous positioning for your legs.
• The leg that swings over your opponents head should be swung fast and curled over your opponent’s upper neck if possible.
• Always try and keep the attacking arm/elbow close to your body if possible, whilst pivoting your body and positioning your legs. This will allow you to gain the best possible leverage when applying the lock.
• Rather than crossing your legs, keep them curled over your opponents neck and chest when arching your hips
• To hyperextend the arm, arch your hips upwards while pulling the arm. Weather your opponent falls to the floor or not does not matter as long as his arm is hyper extended. Some people try and push there opponents with there legs to bring them down to the floor ending up in a classic arm bar position. This can be hard to pull off, and can sometimes create to much space between you or your opponent making the technique less effective. Also it delays the submission giving your opponent more time to defend.

Like I said, these points have always worked for me, but everybody has different weight, size, and flexibility so if you find these points don’t work for you, don’t force them, but adjust as necessary.

Marks

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Tags: arm bar, judo, grappling, jiu jitsu

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