Purpose

This drill isolates the single hardest part of learning the kimura for a new practitioner: closing the figure-four loop correctly. Students who skip this step tend to grab the wrist with both hands rather than threading the second arm through — they produce a double-wrist grip instead of a true figure-four. That failure means the elbow is not controlled, the loop cannot transmit torque to the shoulder, and no submission or back-take becomes available from the position.

The drill uses a fully cooperative partner so the student can slow down and verify their hand position before moving.

Setup

Top player starts in side control, chest-to-chest, with their near-side arm already threading under the partner’s near arm — the first arm of the figure-four is in place. Bottom player lies passive with their near arm extended slightly away from their body, palm facing down. No frames, no weight shift, no grip defence.

Coach cue before starting: “Your second hand goes to your own wrist — not to theirs.”

Execution

From the starting position, thread the attacking arm under the partner’s near forearm and reach for your own wrist. The grip closes on your own wrist, not the partner’s wrist. The partner’s forearm sits inside the loop between your two forearms and your chest.
Once the loop is closed, verify three checkpoints before applying any pressure:
- Your elbow is driving down toward the mat (not floating wide)
- The partner’s wrist is above their elbow (the bent-arm geometry)
- The loop is tight — there is no gap between the partner’s forearm and your chest
Release the grip fully and repeat the entry from scratch. Each rep resets to the initial threading position.
After ten reps, switch sides.

Constraint: The partner feeds the arm only — no defence of any kind. If the partner’s arm drifts flat or their wrist drops below their elbow, reset. The correct starting geometry is a prerequisite.

Coaching Notes

The most common error at this stage is gripping the partner’s wrist rather than your own. When a student does this, ask them to show you where their second hand is — they will realise immediately. The second-arm grip on their own wrist is what converts two separate holds into a closed mechanical loop.

A secondary error is failing to drive the elbow down. Students let the first arm angle upward, which opens space in the loop. The fix is to cue the elbow actively: “elbow toward the mat, not toward the ceiling.”

Watch for students who are not actually inside the partner’s arm — they have their thread outside rather than between the arm and the body. The thread must pass between the partner’s arm and their own torso for the figure-four to trap the elbow correctly.

Common Errors

Double wrist grip: Both hands on the partner’s wrist. The loop is not closed. Re-cue: second hand to your own wrist, not theirs.

Loop on the upper arm rather than the forearm: The figure-four has migrated above the elbow. The elbow is now outside the loop and cannot be driven. Reset and re-thread lower.

Thread is behind the elbow: The inside forearm has gone behind the elbow rather than under the forearm. The wrist is not trapped inside the loop. Reset position.

Partner’s wrist below the elbow: The starting geometry has been allowed to flatten. The arm cannot rotate against a straight configuration — drill from the correct bent-arm starting position only.