This Kimura is WEIRD from Top Half Guard With Tom DeBlass

Posted by Fanatics Authors on January 07, 2019

Weird Kimura From Top Half by Tom DeBlass

In the world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the kimura lock is considered one of the worst positions to end up in. If you are not familiar with the kimura lock it is when you use a figure 4 grip to lock your opponent’s arm at a 90 degree angle. When done correctly the kimura lock creates immense pressure on your training partner’s shoulder, causing them to submit. If it were a real life street fight scenario the kimura would cause your opponent’s elbow or shoulder to be seriously injured. It is a lethal move and when you get caught in one you usually have to stop everything you are doing and focus entirely on trying to free your arm, as the tap can happen very quick. The great thing about the kimura is that it can be hit from so many different positions. Today Tom DeBlass is going to demonstrate a weird kimura from top half guard. Tom DeBlass is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Ricardo Almeida. DeBlass has had a very impressive career in both mixed martial arts (MMA) and jiu jitsu grappling tournaments. Tom DeBlass has also produced very high level athlets including ADCC veteran Garry Tonon and World Masters champion Jen Allen Russell.

Tom Deblass is a wizard at half guard, his approach is simple, makes sense, and makes his a threat on top or bottom half guard.

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Watch the video below of Tom DeBlass demonstrating a weird kimura from top half guard and then we will break down the technique. Check it out now!

Tom DeBlass starts out by explaining that as soon as your opponent goes for the under hook from bottom half guard they expose themselves to a kimura. The moment the guy on bottom goes for an under hook all you have to do is collapse it by pressuring down on their arm. From here Tom brings his other arm and hand over. Notice that the kimura is instantly available to you in this position. What you want to think about doing is sliding your free knee underneath your partner’s hips and switching your hips. Now you will step up with your leg as you reach back and grab for the wrist. You can also grab the forearm if your partner’s arms are too long or you can’t grab his wrist. Once you grab either the wrist or the forearm, come underneath and lock up your kimura grip. Tom finishes the kimura a little differently than what you would expect. He pulls the wrist to the mat and walks the elbow all the way towards the head as far as it can go. Once it does not move any more Tom presses the wrist onto the mat while pulling the shoulder up and the kimura submission is right there.

It is important to remember to train precision when working a technique like the kimura. Remember, in jiu jitsu and inch is a mile. It is crucial to get your timing and angle correct in order to successfully hit this kimura submission. It is also important to take note of Tom DeBlass’ foot position while doing this technique. Every part is important to understand thoroughly. As you would expect, this is called a “weird kimura” for a reason. It is not a common technique for someone to do, meaning your opponent will likely not see this coming when it happens, nor will they know how to counter it effectively. So if you are struggling on top half guard when your training partner sets his under hook, this “weird kimura” may just be the answer for you. Give this one a shot the next time you are training in a live roll or a competition. I hope you found this helpful. Thank you Tom DeBlass for demonstrating this technique for us today!