With the growth and popularity of jiu-jitsu and other grappling arts, the straight armbar — also known as the cross-body armbar or juji gatame — has become one of the most-used submissions. However, the anatomy of the technique is often misunderstood.
Numerous types of straight armbars are taught in the martial arts. The variations depend largely on the application (self-defence vs. sport), the plane in which they are applied (standing vs. ground) and the origins of the system in which they are being taught. Not every armbar is intended to cause an isolated hyperextension injury of the elbow joint. Some may be directed at attacking the soft-tissue structures surrounding the elbow, especially if the intent is a quick “tap” (perhaps for compliance) and not a full dislocation or fracture.
The common denominator in every armbar is the need to control the wrist, elbow and shoulder. Therefore, for the purpose of this article, a joint-locking technique that attacks the elbow with the upper extremity in full extension will be referred to as a straight armbar.
Because of the elbow’s complex nature, a straight armbar that just hyperextends the elbow is not always the most effective and efficient way to make an opponent tap or cause an assailant to comply. There are different ways in which to apply a straight armbar in addition to what is traditionally taught and executed (i.e., in a thumb-up, hips-up fashion). This is because the elbow is a compound joint consisting of three separate joints.
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