The Armbar (Straight Armlock)
The armbar is the oldest submission in the book — and it has never gone out of style. It attacks from everywhere (guard, mount, back, side control), it works in the gi and no-gi, and it is the great equalizer against bigger, stronger opponents. Here is how to finish it, why you keep getting stacked, and how to defend it.
By the numbers: In our study of 3,209 finishes by 97 elite grapplers, the armbar was the No. 2 submission overall and the single most-used joint lock. See the full ranking in the most common submissions in jiu-jitsu.
What is the armbar?
The armbar (juji-gatame) is a straight armlock that hyperextends the elbow joint. You isolate one of your opponent's arms, trap it against your body with the thumb pointing up, clamp your knees together over their shoulder, and raise your hips into the elbow to force the tap. Because it can be reached from nearly every position, the armbar is the most versatile finish in jiu-jitsu — and a cornerstone of the Rickson-lineage top game.
▶ “NEVER Get Stacked In Arm Bar From Closed Guard” — Henry Akins (Rickson Gracie black belt) on Bernardo Faria's BJJ Fanatics channel.
The details that make it finish
- Control the arm to your chest, thumb up, so the elbow points the wrong way over your hips.
- Pinch your knees together and keep the trapped shoulder glued — no space to spin or pull the arm free.
- Get your hips high and into the shoulder, not just up. Elevation plus angle is what breaks the joint.
- Kill the posture. Most escapes start with the opponent stacking or standing — control the head and near arm to keep them from posturing up.
- Extend slowly. The tap comes from a smooth hip rise, not a violent yank.
▶ “The TIGHTEST Armlock Possible (Easy Setup From The Mount)” — Henry Akins' Hidden Jiu-Jitsu.
Common mistakes
- Loose knees that let the opponent slip the elbow out or spin.
- Hips too low — you are pulling on the arm instead of levering the elbow.
- Letting them stack or posture before you have the finish.
- Ripping the arm and losing control instead of extending under control.
How to defend and escape the armbar
Defense starts before the legs clamp down: keep your elbows tight and your hands connected, hide the isolated arm, and if it is locked, work to stack (drive your weight over them) or spin toward the trapped thumb to free the elbow. As with every submission, the best escape is not being late.
Frequently asked questions
What is an armbar in BJJ?
A straight armlock that hyperextends the elbow. You trap the arm, pinch your knees over the shoulder, and lift your hips to force the tap. It can be attacked from guard, mount, side control, and the back.
Why do I keep getting stacked in the armbar?
Because you have lost control of the opponent's posture and your hips are too low. Control the head and near arm, keep your hips high and angled into the shoulder, and finish before they can drive their weight over you.
How do you finish a tight armbar?
Thumb up, knees pinched, shoulder trapped, hips high and into the elbow, and a slow, controlled extension — leverage over strength.
See it on The BJJ Project
Our primary video source for the encyclopedia is The BJJ Project — the channel of Rickson-lineage black belt Chris “Bones” Burns, a friend of the show. Here he breaks down the armbar and the control that makes it finish:
▶ “Routes to the Armbar from Closed Guard” — Chris “Bones” Burns · The BJJ Project.
▶ “The One Concept That Unlocks Thousands of Moves” — Chris “Bones” Burns · The BJJ Project.
Learn from the source: the Rickson lineage
These details come from the Rickson-Gracie school of “invisible jiu-jitsu” — connection and leverage over force. Go even deeper with Chris “Bones” Burns' The BJJ Project and Henry Akins' Hidden Jiu-Jitsu, and hear the philosophy on our podcast with Rickson-lineage black belts Scott Burr and James Driskill.
Part of the BJJ Encyclopedia. Videos are the property of their creators and are embedded from YouTube with credit — please support these instructors. Catch the podcast on YouTube and Spotify.