Katame-waza are the grappling techniques of judo, the pins, chokes and joint locks used on the ground, and the Kodokan names 32 in three groups.
- Japanese name: katame-waza, "grappling techniques". Judoinfo.com lists katame no kata as the forms of grappling.
- Kodokan groups: osaekomi-waza, pinning techniques (10); shime-waza, choking techniques (12); kansetsu-waza, joint locking techniques (10).
- In BJJ: the same 32 techniques exist under other names, and BJJ Heroes traces many of them to the Kodokan lists, including the armbar as ude hishigi juji gatame and the Ezekiel choke as sode guruma jime.
What are the three groups of grappling techniques?
Osaekomi-waza, pins: Kesa-gatame, Kuzure-kesa-gatame, Ushiro-kesa-gatame, Kata-gatame, Kami-shiho-gatame, Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame, Yoko-shiho-gatame, Tate-shiho-gatame, Uki-gatame, Ura-gatame.
Shime-waza, chokes: Nami-juji-jime, Gyaku-juji-jime, Kata-juji-jime, Hadaka-jime, Okuri-eri-jime, Kataha-jime, Katate-jime, Ryote-jime, Sode-guruma-jime, Tsukkomi-jime, Sankaku-jime, Do-jime.
Kansetsu-waza, joint locks: Ude-garami, Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame, Ude-hishigi-ude-gatame, Ude-hishigi-hiza-gatame, Ude-hishigi-waki-gatame, Ude-hishigi-hara-gatame, Ude-hishigi-ashi-gatame, Ude-hishigi-te-gatame, Ude-hishigi-sankaku-gatame, Ashi-garami.
Every kansetsu-waza on the list attacks the elbow, with one exception: ashi-garami, which the Kodokan defines as a technique to stretch and lock the opponent's knee joint.
How do you study the grappling techniques?
- Learn the pins first, in the order of the list. Each one teaches a different way to control the hips and shoulders.
- Learn the escapes from each pin alongside the pin itself. Judoinfo.com lists fusegi, escapes, as their own category of practice.
- Add the chokes from the pins you can hold, starting with the collar chokes from above.
- Add juji-gatame and ude-garami, the two joint locks that appear in every grappling art.
- Apply every choke and lock slowly in practice, and tap early when you are on the receiving end.
The most common mistake is treating the ground as an afterthought because the pin clock is short. Judo matches end on the ground every day, and a judoka who can finish there gets more from every throw that lands short.
Ground work needs a rash guard under the gi and tape for the fingers. Our judo training gear collection covers both.
Video: KODOKAN official channel
What are the IJF rules for grappling techniques?
The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules translate katame-waza as "grappling techniques". A pin scores yuko at 5 seconds, waza-ari at 10 and ippon at 20; a tap to a choke or joint lock scores ippon; and joint locks are allowed on the elbow only.
Sources
- Judoinfo.com lists katame no kata, JudoInfo
- Armbar as ude hishigi juji gatame, BJJ Heroes
- Ezekiel choke as sode guruma jime, BJJ Heroes
- Kodokan defines as, Kodokan Judo Institute
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
Related terms
Ground work (ne-waza), Pins (osaekomi-waza), Chokes (shime-waza), Joint locks (kansetsu-waza), Throwing techniques (nage-waza).