Under kesa gatame
Position · Side Control
He sits beside your head, hips on the mat by your shoulder, legs spread wide; one arm wraps around your head and your near arm is trapped under his armpit. Turn toward him, free the trapped elbow inward to his hip and frame on his hip or under his chin, so his weight does not crush your chest. If he sits high by your head, bridge into him and pull him over, or turn into him and take his back — the Kesa Gatame Escape. His goals are to keep you flat, catch your trapped arm in an armlock and choke with the head wrap. The detail beginners miss is turning your hips toward him instead of away.
How to do it
- Turn onto your side towards them, chest to their side. Flat on your back, their weight settles across your chest; on your side you can move your hips.
- Free the trapped elbow first: bend the arm and pull the elbow back towards your ribs, out from under their arm. While the arm is trapped they control your upper body and can attack the arm.
- Put your free hand on their hip, arm bent, to keep their hips from settling against you.
- Walk your hips away to make space, or bridge into them over your shoulder rather than straight up.
- Roll them over the top of the bridge, or bring a knee into the space you made and recover guard.
Key details
- Free the elbow before anything else: with the arm trapped, every bridge and shrimp is weak.
- Turn in, never lie flat: flat on your back is where kesa gatame is strongest.
- Bridge over your shoulder, not straight up: kesa has a wide base to the sides, and a straight bridge lifts them without moving them off.
Common mistakes
- Pushing their face. — It wastes energy and opens your arm for them. — Work on freeing the elbow and frame on the hip.
- Staying flat on the back. — Their weight settles on your chest. — Stay on your side, facing them.
- Bridging straight up. — They stay on top with a wide base. — Bridge towards them over the shoulder.
If they defend
- They attack the trapped arm. → Grab your own collar and turn in.
- They switch to side control. → Frame and shrimp.
How to drill it
Partner holds kesa gatame, 3 × 1 minute: free the elbow and escape.
What comes next