Armbar
Last updated
The armbar is a joint lock that straightens and hyperextends the opponent's elbow by trapping the arm between your legs and lifting your hips. It is the most universal submission in BJJ, available from almost every position.
Control before the finish
A clean armbar is about controlling the arm and the head before you ever extend. Pinching your knees, keeping the thumb pointed up, and stopping the opponent from stacking or hitchhiking the elbow out is what separates a finish from a scramble.
Armbars everywhere
From closed guard, mount, and the back the armbar shares its setups with the triangle and the omoplata, so defending one usually opens another. That makes it a natural node in a submission chain rather than a single attack.
Community flows for Armbar
- Armbar Study Guide: Escapes, Grips, and Juji Gatame Control — Armbar flow chart: escapes and combos, grips and grip breaks, armbar types ranked by control up to S-mount, and entries from closed guard and north-south…
- Half Guard Kimura And Leglock Dilemma System — A half guard system that chains leg attacks, kimura, and armbar while addressing kimura prevention and top half guard passing options.
- Marcelo Garcia Complete Butterfly Guard Vol 2: No Underhook — Marcelo Garcia's butterfly answers with no underhook: collar-tie and triceps sweeps, straight armbar, snap-and-pull guillotine, and double-overhook clamp…
- Marcelo Garcia Complete Butterfly Guard Vol 1: Classic Sweep — Marcelo Garcia's butterfly cover rules and classic sweep: underhook to the bicep, push the elbow in, scoop and rotate, plus the reshoot and two-on-one. The…
- Kaynan Duarte Modern Back Attack, Vol 4: Finishes & SLX — Kaynan Duarte's back finishes by trapped arm: rear naked choke off the over-arm, triangles or armbar off the underhook, and his SLX-to-back chain. Off the…
- Ryan Hall Modern Triangle, Vol 5: Intra-Triangle Submissions — Ryan Hall's seven finishes from a locked triangle: triangle armlock, wrist lock, key lock, kimura on either arm, inverted armlock, and step-over armlock. Which…
- Roger Gracie Mastering the Mount: Full System Map — How Roger Gracie's Mastering the Mount chapters connect: high mount links transitions, control, and submissions, and Vol 4 feeds the Vol 3 finishes. The Vol 4…
- Roger Gracie Mastering the Mount, Vol 4: New York Seminar — Roger Gracie's seminar run of his mount system: low-mount lockdown, the half-choke, the cross-arm gap, and the body lock to high-mount armlock chain. The low…
- Roger Gracie Mastering the Mount, Vol 1: Concepts & Control — Roger Gracie on holding mount: two escapes that matter, the soles-glued rule, the cross-feet rest, and the foot-push climb to high mount for the finish. The…
- K-Guard from Closed Guard: Entries and Upper Body Submissions — A system for entering K-Guard from closed guard, establishing control, and transitioning to triangles, armbars, and leg entries based on opponent reactions.
- S-Mount Control and Submission Finishing — A system for establishing S-mount control and applying submission pressure through vibration and positional adjustments.
- Single Leg X Escape to Arm Bar — A systematic escape from single leg X guard that transitions into an arm bar attack.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my opponent keep escaping the armbar?
Most escapes come from a loose grip on the arm or a gap that lets them stack you or rip the elbow free. Keep your knees pinched, control the wrist with the thumb up, and clear their defensive grip before you bridge into the finish.
What positions can you armbar from?
Almost all of them: closed and open guard, mount, side control, and the back. Its setups overlap with the triangle and omoplata, so they chain together.
Is the armbar safe to drill?
Yes, when finished slowly. Extend gradually and give your partner time to tap, since the elbow has little margin once the arm is straight.
Map your own Armbar game
Turn your notes, videos, and rolls into a visual flowchart of techniques, transitions, and reactions you can study and share. Free to start, no account needed.
Build a flowchart Or start from a free printable BJJ flowchart