How finishes become systems
The six submission systems in no-gi grappling — kimura, triangle, armbar, leg locks, guillotine, and rear naked choke. Unifying mechanics, dilemmas, and technique networks.
Adapted from InGrappling, How finishes become systems. System Games did not invent this curriculum.
A submission system is not a single technique — it is a family of submissions that share a unifying mechanic and a network of entries, dilemmas, and connections. this framework identifies six such hubs: kimura, triangle, armbar, leg locks, guillotine, and RNC. Each is a system of finishes rather than a single finish.
A submission system exists because a single unifying mechanic can be expressed from many different positions. The armbar's hyperextension works from guard, mount, side, back, and standing. The triangle's figure-four leg geometry works from every position the legs can reach the opponent's upper body. The kimura's rotational shoulder lock applies across guard, side, north-south, and back. When a finish is position-agnostic, the finishes it enables become a system rather than a list.
Each system below is one of the six canonical hubs. The heel hook system is treated separately because of its safety profile, and the anaconda / d'arce pair is extracted from the guillotine family because those two finishes form a coherent sub-system. Every page lists the techniques in the system, the invariants it expresses, the dilemmas it creates with other systems, and a progression from foundational to competition-ready.
The rotational shoulder lock applied across guard, mount, side, north-south, and back. The grip as position, the grip as dilemma, the grip as sweep.
SUB-KIM-KIMURAlimb isolationjoint structural limitCONCEPT-SUB-KIMURA-SYSTEMArm-in-neck geometryThe Triangle System
The figure-four leg lock around the neck with one arm trapped inside. Applied from guard, mount, side, back, and turtle — one lock, many entries.
SUB-TRI-STDstrangle both sides simultaneouslyarm-out vs arm-in stranglesCONCEPT-SUB-TRIANGLE-SYSTEMStraight-arm hyperextensionThe Armbar System
Juji-gatame across positions — the elbow hyperextension as a unifying geometry that works from guard, mount, side, back, and standing.
SUB-ARM-STDjoint structural limitjoints against natural rangeCONCEPT-SUB-ARMBAR-SYSTEMLower-body entanglementThe Leg Lock System
Entanglement first, finish second — ashi garami, saddle, 50/50 and their finishing relationships. Heel hook, kneebar, ankle lock as the finish layer.
ashi garamiinside space controlfoot is the handle, knee is the targetCONCEPT-SUB-LEG-LOCK-SYSTEMLeg-lock subset — safety-criticalThe Heel Hook System
Inside and outside heel hooks — position determines exposure, position determines safety. Highest-risk submission family — trained position-first, partner-first.
SUB-LE-IHHSUB-LE-OHHfoot is the handle, knee is the targetCONCEPT-SUB-HEEL-HOOK-SYSTEMFront-headlock familyThe Guillotine System