Juji Gatame from Where?

Juji Gatame - the straight arm lock (also called arm bar in some circles) is the most widely used arm lock in the martial arts. One of the reasons that juji gatame is the most widely used arm lock is that it can be applied from virtually every position.

While I personally do not advocate taking a juji gatame from a pin such as Mount or Side, it can be done. The reason I do not recommend it is simple: I teach with an emphasis on self defense. From Mount or Side, one can strike and use ude garami ("Americana" arm lock) without as much risk of losing the position.

North/south (we call it the Wedge) and scarf hold positions also have several setups for juji gatame. Positional holds such as modified mount, guard, and back mount also lend themselves well for transition into juji gatame.

Juji gatame can be secured when your opponent turtles up, or when you sprawl to prevent a take down. It can be used when your opponent is face down, even when he is completely flattened out. It can be used against a standing opponent.

Generally speaking, there are three parts to a juji gatame: 1) secure the arm, 2) move into a spider-web position, and 3) peel the arm out for the submission.

Of course, we have multiple options for each step.


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