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Armbar from guard: the steps and the common mistakes

The armbar from closed guard step by step: controlling the elbow, climbing the leg, the finish, the mistake almost every beginner makes, and how to train it safely.

jiujitsu.ge editors
14 October 2026 · 2 min
Beginner
A woman in a white gi finishing an armbar on a man in a black gi
Photo: Scott Feldstein, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

The armbar from closed guard is one of the first submissions most people learn, and one of the first that stops working against someone who knows it’s coming. The difference between an armbar that works and one that doesn’t is a few small details. In the video above, Alex Smith (BJJ Fanatics) shows them clearly.

Where it starts

You’re on your back with your opponent inside your closed guard, legs locked behind their back.

What you’re trying to do

Isolate one arm in the middle of your body, get your legs over their shoulder and head, and straighten the arm against your hips. The key word is middle. If the elbow slips to the side of your body, the armbar is gone.

The steps

  1. Take a cross grip on the arm you want, just above the elbow, and put your other hand in their collar. Pull them down so they can’t posture up.
  2. Lift your hips with the guard still closed and pull the arm across into the middle.
  3. Open your guard, put your foot on their hip on the same side as the arm, and pinch that knee in tight against their body.
  4. Push off that foot and climb your other leg as high as you can on their back, up to the shoulder.
  5. Bring that leg over their head, calf across the face, and squeeze your knees together.
  6. Grip their wrist with their thumb pointing up, then lift your hips slowly to finish.

The most common mistake

Throwing the leg over too early and too wildly. The big kick opens space, the elbow slides out, and the opponent stacks you. Climb step by step, keep the knees pinched, and only swing the leg once the shoulder is locked.

The one cue to remember

Elbow in the middle, knees together.

Safety

Finish slowly. The armbar can damage an elbow in a second, and your partner needs time to tap. If you’re caught, tap early rather than waiting for pain.

When not to force it

If they keep their elbows tight and posture well, don’t fight for the arm for minutes. That’s when a sweep or a different attack, such as the kimura or the triangle, is often there instead.