Side Control Kimura

Student Objectives:

1. The student will apply the Kimura submission from Side Control with a complaint partner using sound technique.  
2. The student will develop smooth and technical movements to transition between Side Control, Reverse Kesa Gatame and Kesa Gatame by practicing the Kimura from Side Control.

Teaching Cues:

• Watching TV
• Grab the knot
• Grab their wrist Grab your wrist
• Belly Down
• Step over the head
• Lift
• Push
• Lift
• Push

Lesson: Side Control Kimura

The assisting student will lay on their back with their legs bent and their feet flat on the floor. Their hands should start in the Home Alone position.  The practicing student will sit in the Watching TV position with their chest facing the legs of the assisting student and their posted arm placed over the body of the assisting student. The assisting student will then take their far side arm and place their hand on their own belt knot.  Once the hand is in place the practicing student should adjust the base of their Watching TV position by placing the elbow of the posted hand on the floor.  This will allow contact of their ribs onto the chest/ribs of the assisting student.  

To apply the Kimura grip from this position, the practicing student will use the non-posted arm to grasp the wrist of the assisting student.  Once the wrist is controlled, the practicing student uses the hand of the posted arm and slides it across the floor, under the elbow, and grasps their own wrist.  The spacing in this situation may be crowded, and it is ok for the practicing student to adjust their base perpendicularly with the assisting student to make the grip.  It is important that the forearm of their posted arm be under the elbow of the assisting student after making the grip.    

Once the practicing student has a strong grip they should lift the Kimura Grip off of the assisting student’s belt knot and place it firm on the floor.  This should apply a wide base with both forearms of the practicing student completely flat on the floor.  The elbow of the forearm that is grabbing the assisting student's wrist should frame at the assisting student’s hip to prevent a regripping of the belt.  This will also provide the foundation for the hip transitions that follow.  

Once the grip is secure and based correctly on the floor, the practicing student will adjust the base of their legs by straightening their legs and turning their belly towards the floor.  Great care should be given to the spacing of the body so that it does not compromise the posture of the wrists or arms that are maintaining the Kimura Grip.  The majority of the weight should be kept on the practicing student’s forearms as they transition.  

After moving into the belly down position, the practicing student should start looking towards the head of the assisting student.  The next transition involves stepping over the head of the assisting student but will require some rotation of the hips and legs.  The problem with this transition is during the rotation of the hips, it often applies pressure to the Kimura Grip and pulls the student’s head up.  The assisting student lifting their head can relieve pressure on the Kimura Grip, and if they sit up too far, it makes stepping over the head impossible.  This means that the practicing student will have to drill this transition to make sure that they don’t physically pull their partners up while shifting their hips to step over the head.    

Once the practicing student has stepped over the head, they will continue to rotate the core and trunk of their body while rolling their back slightly towards the legs of the assisting student.  This will purposefully pull the head and upper body of the assisting student off of the floor.  When done correctly, the assisting student's head should be trapped by the thigh and knee pit of the practicing student, preventing them from sitting all the way up.  

Now, the practicing student should apply pressure to the wrist of the assisting student.  Make sure that the pressure on the wrist is applied towards the assisting student’s spine with good posture of the wrists. Once the hand has been pushed as far as space allows, the practicing student will slowly pull with their forearm that is grasping their own wrist.  This pull should be done by continued rotation of their back towards the legs of the assisting student.    

Against flexible people, the pushing of the wrist and the rotation of the core may take multiple applications.  This will have a ratcheting effect, but great care should be given when doing this movement that the practicing student does not rotate their core so far that they lose the top position by pulling the assisting student on top of them.    

Possible Extensions:

• The Reverse Kesa Gatame position can be easily achieved any time the student gets to the North/South position.  To trap the arm, have the student start in the North/South position and slide a flat hand under the shoulder of the assisting student, then walk their legs away from that grip to the far side of the assisting student’s body.  Once on the far side, simply post the foot that is nearest the hip of the assisting student, and slide the knee of the non-posted leg across the floor until it hits the belt of the assisting student.  This should leave the practicing student in the starting position of the above lesson plan.
• The lesson plan that immediately follows this involves the Head Sit position.  This lesson can be used as a great entry into that position.  Once the practicing student has stepped over the head, they can drop the knee of the leg over the head and transition to North/South with the Kimura Grip.  It will be important to use the Kimura Grip to pull the assisting student up onto their side, so that they are straddling the head, however, if the assisting student is trying to sit up to relieve the pressure on the Kimura Grip, they may be doing that anyway.  Once in the Head Sit position follow the lesson outlined in the Head Sit Kimura accordingly.
• The great thing about the Kimura Grip is that it can be obtained from a variety of places.  Any time that the practicing student gets the grip, they can transition to Side Control to apply this movement.  While the above statement outlines a way to get from Side Control to the Head Sit position, it is ok to go from the Head Sit position to Side control.    
• It is a common tactic for an opponent or training partner that is caught in the Head Sit position to try and slide their back flat to the floor.  When they do this, the practicing student can place the Kimura Grip on the floor and then lay their body on the chest of the assisting student.  When doing this make sure to leave the leg over the head of the assisting student, as they will often try to sit up to relieve the pressure of the Kimura.  This will take some practice as the spacing is slightly different when coming from North/South to Side Control because of the trailing leg that stays over the head.

Possible Refinements:

• Make sure the transitions are all done extremely slowly.  While children are generally flexible, there is a lot of isolation of the joint and different students will tap at different times.  All of these should be applied in a controlled manner that allows the practicing student the ability to let go quickly if the practicing student taps.
• It is common for practicing students to allow their wrists to relax while making these transitions.  It is extremely important to maintain good wrist posture while moving their body because it may be difficult to flex the wrists when there's pressure on their arms.
• Stepping over the head in the initial body of the lesson is difficult because it happens during a transition.  Make sure the practicing student does not kick their partner in the face as they are stepping over the head.

Reference materials:

Teaching Reflections:

• How did I do teaching?
• What could I do better next time?
• Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?

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