Armbar Switches

Complexity Rating ★★★

Cardiovascular Rating ★★★

Purpose

Develop a smooth and effective side to side transition from the Armbar position.

Description

Training Partner Starting Position. The assisting student will lie on their back with their legs bent and their feet flat on the floor.  The arms should be crossed with the hands touching their elbows.

Practicing Student. The practicing student will start in the Armbar position by aligning themselves perpendicular to the assisting student and sitting their buttocks on the ground.  The practicing student will then place one leg over the assisting student’s chest and one leg over the assisting student's head.  Next the practicing student will thread the arm closest to the assisting student’s head through the crook of the elbow and rest their hand on their own thigh. The practicing student will take the non threaded hand and cup the assisting student’s far elbow.  The elbow should then be pulled in tightly, pinning the near side elbow against the practicing students chest.  Once secured, the practicing student may remove their threaded arm and place it on the floor as a base.  The practicing student will use the hand on the floor and the leg over the assisting student’s body to elevate (as performed during the Technical Stand Up).  Once elevated, the practicing student will rotate their buttocks over the assisting student’s chest, making a large pivot until the leg that was over the head is resting on the assisting student’s chest.  This rotation should leave the practicing student balancing on the outside of their thigh on the assisting students upper chest. As the practicing student makes the rotation, the posting knee of the posted leg will rotate and pin the far side tricep replacing the pressure of the hand that is pulling on the far elbow.  As the hips rotate and lock the arm in place the hand will slide into the crook of the elbow and the posted leg will swing over the head.  This should leave the practicing student in the starting position, but on the other side.  Another repetition should immediately be performed.

Common Mistakes

  • When crossing the arms make sure the arms are crossed in fashion that defends the armbar by making sure the near side arm (the arm being arm-barred) is on bottom, and covered by the outside arm.
  • When making the pivot to the far side, make sure the knee does not post on the assisting student’s face, or knee them in the face.  It will be pinching in with the hips on the back of the tricep, while some contact may happen with the face it is important to have control of your body.
  • The arm must be threaded through the elbow, or controlled at the wrist, before the leg is thrown over and the buttocks hits the floor.  
  • This movement uses the S-Mount armbar position and if the practicing student understands that position it will be a much easier drill for them to perform.

Testing Threshold

Time 45 Seconds

Requirement 20 Repetitions

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