Instructor demonstrating Kesa Gatame side control pin at Next Generation Martial Arts in Thibodaux, Louisiana
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Week 3 of 96

Side Control — Kesa Gatame

NearSide Armbar · FarSide Armbar · Kimura

What To Think About This Week

The Lesson

Kesa Gatame is one of the oldest and most effective pins in grappling. This week do not rush to the submission. Let the pin do its work first. Feel your partner tire under the chest pressure. Feel their breathing change. Feel when they begin to push rather than frame intelligently.

That moment of panic is when the submissions become available. The position creates the opening — your awareness finds it.

Class Warm-Up

The Drills

Line Drills
  • Hip Escape
  • Hip Escape to Sprawl
  • Forward Rolls
  • Shoulder Roll Break Fall
  • Granby Roll
Guard Movement Drill

Robson Moura Guard Drills

▸ Video · The Drill
Robson Moura Guard Drills
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Escape Drill

Turn-In to Guard Recovery

▸ Video · The Drill
Strike Defense

From the Turtle Position

▸ Video · The Drill
This Week's Techniques

The Material

Submission Sequence

Kesa Gatame Attacks

▸ Video · The Technique
Kesa Gatame Attacks
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Class Rolling & Takedown Rules

How We Roll

White vs White
Flow training by default unless the instructor specifies otherwise.
Upper vs Lower
Lower ranking student picks their top position. Blue through black vs white, or blue vs black — the lower rank decides where to start.
Purple / Brown / Black
Neutral start or request a specific position you want to work on.
Takedown Rounds
Same rules apply across all ranks.
Keep Going
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