Kimura with monkey grip (no thumb) - but why?

It's not really a hard and fast rule, but there are several reasons to do the thumbless grip:

1. It protects your thumb from getting twisted when the guy tries to defend.

2. It gives your hand more mobility to make subtle adjustments for more leverage.

3. You can apply a bit more force in one direction with all of your fingers on the same side.

Number 2 is the main reason I use a thumbless grip whenever possible.
 
but i feel more powerful with the thumb. is there any "pros" on the thumb grip?
 
Yeah, I think there are some pros. Mainly that with the thumb you will make a tighter grip that is harder to pull out of.

I think for actually finishing the kimura, it's better to switch to the thumbless grip. For just establishing the position, I will use the thumb sometimes to get a little more control so they can't just pull their arm away as easily.
 
one of the reasons it's because in a long "wrist battle" using the grip without thumb will save some energy from your wrists

do yourself the test

get someone's wrist with all your strenght using your thumb and them without it, and see the diference

but as balto stated, and i agree with him, there are pros and cons

in the standing kimura for example, the thumb is recomended
 
Brazilian HKD said:
in the standing kimura for example, the thumb is recomended
Click to expand...

This point is crucial, if you don't have the arm pressed against the ground or have em locked up in the guard so they can't pull away, then you need the thumb.

If you are on top and have their arm pinned against the ground, you don't need your sqeeze grip (with the thumb) you just use your weight against the wrist with the palm to keep it flat to the ground, you want to use all your strength to stop them straightening the arm, if your thumb is on the other side it doesn't help... if you have all five fingers working towards stopping them straightening the arm it's better.

Not having the thumb on the inside only gives the opponent one way to move their arm and that is to bend it more of an acute angle, which is exactly what you want to achieve the finish anyway
 
It's really just preference in my opinion.
 
I use the thumb, but I've been taught to use the monkey grip.....i think you get more range of motion/movement out of the kimura with it and it helps to finish it, but I feel like I'm in less control when i use it and I feel like I have less power...
 
I feel as if a sodacan grip is tigher and more natural so I use that instead of the monkey grip. But the monkey grip offers more leverage. I don't think difference matters when you are finishing a Kimura, my two arms positioned anyway is gonna be stronger than one of my oppoenets arms.
 
When I first grab the wrist I will typically grab with the thumb. I change to monkey grip when I attempt to finish. I feel like I get more leverage with a thumbless grip. I was always taught monkey grip, but it seems as though it comes down to personal preference.
 
An easy defense to the kimura is to rotate your wrist inside.

With a monkey grip it is very difficult for your opponent to rotate their wrist.

Their are a lot of little reasons why a monkey grip is good (a lot have been stated).

All those little things add up to make one huge difference at higher level comp.
 
codemonkey76 said:
This point is crucial, if you don't have the arm pressed against the ground or have em locked up in the guard so they can't pull away, then you need the thumb.
Click to expand...

I do disagree on this point. Thing is with the thumbless grip, you can rotate your grip deeper around his wrist. This is very important for good Kimura control.
If you use the thumb, he always can pull out in the direction of the gap between your fingers and thumb and you cannot rotate your wrist as much as when you have the monkey grip (try it out).

With the monkey grip you can rotate around and lock his hand completely in all plains EVEN when standing.

Hard to explain in words really...

B
 
Hate to bump an old thread but thanks guys for the answer
 
One of my instructors is a smaller female and she uses the thumb to start and control and then switches to thumbless to finish.

Another instructor of mine is always saying no thumbs just as much as he is saying no ballerina feet.
 
(even though this is old)

i find the angle changes when i use thumbs vs no thumbs. This seems to make all the difference in the world.
 
Note-taking time... mostly because I never saw the kimura with the monkey hand. But makes an awful lot of sense...

EDIT: Used it, it's good.
 
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