MMA & The Kimura Part 2 (diary entry)

08.06.16   The eleventh lesson in my client’s second course on Mixed Martial Arts for Martial Arts Cross-Training continued to look at the Kimura. See my report on the previous lesson for more details on this hold and videos on the two techniques outlined later.   We warmed up with simple linear punching and Western Boxing footwork. We switched between stances, cut off the ring and, in honour the recent late great Muhammad Ali, dropped our guard to draw an opponent in on an anchor punch. Upper body movement included bobbing, weaving and slipping. The slip brought us onto crossing over arms and we moved onto the Thai focus mitts. Here we worked a simple set-up with a chopping elbow and a counter punch to a straight knee. The former begins with some feeling jabs, referencing the target with it as if to clinch before throwing a powerful elbow over the top of an opponent’s guard. The latter involved taking advantage of the posture a boxer assumes when driving forward with a straight knee, blasting through his reach for clinch and following the trajectory of his head with an overhand right. We also drilled simple punch/kick combinations and clinching with elbows and knees.   Moving to the clinch range we drilled taking the back using an under hook. From here we took the perspective of the person defending the position and returned to our subject in focus: The Kimura. By executing the Kimura grip and blocking one of your opponent’s legs you can prevent an attempted takedown or suplex. From here you turn into the Kimura. The purpose of teaching this was to get across the strength of the Kimura grip, which is efficient as a means for breaking a waist lock or safety belt lock. However, we followed it onto an actual Kimura submission from standing and into a sacrifice throw. The position of the floor left the opponent open for a good inverted triangle choke finish. Next we went to side control and looked gaining the Kimura grip from the nearside arm. This was set up by first attacking the arm on the opposite side with an Americana arm-lock. The opponent responded by turning away, onto his side, and gripping his trapped arm. The nearside arm, which was now on top, was immediately gripped using the Kimura position. From here the fighter manoeuvred into position to execute an arm-bar. The Kimura grip is used to break the hold rather than as a means to submit.