Kata Guruma
Takedown · Standing
A fireman's carry from a collar tie that ends in side control. Use it when they reach for you with a straight arm: that arm is your handle. Control it at the elbow or sleeve, drop deep with bent knees and a straight back, and put your head outside their body under that arm: ear against their ribs, neck tight in their armpit, your shoulder locked to theirs. The other arm reaches between their legs and wraps the same-side thigh from the inside. Pull the arm over your shoulders so they lie balanced across your back, lift with the legs, then roll them off to the arm side and follow down. Lose the arm and they slide off. If they sprawl the hips back, switch to a single; if they pull the arm out, shoot a double. Roll them off, never drop them.
How to do it
- Control their arm at the elbow or sleeve with one hand and keep that control all the way down.
- Drop your level deep by bending the knees, back straight and head up, your head outside their body, under the controlled arm. Your ear goes against their ribs and your neck tight into their armpit, so your shoulder locks to theirs.
- Reach your other arm between their legs and wrap, from the inside, the thigh on the same side as the controlled arm.
- Pull the arm over your shoulders so they lie across your back, balanced with your shoulders under their center. Lift by raising the hips with the legs, drawing your back foot up to the front foot.
- Stand or kneel and roll them off to the side of the arm, pulling the arm down toward your foot and going down with them into side control.
Key details
- Your shoulders under their center; they must be balanced on you, or they slide off before the roll.
- Keep the arm control all the way down: the arm steers them over you and stops a sprawl.
- Lift with the legs, back straight and head up: raise the hips, never lean forward.
- Your ear goes against their ribs and your neck tight into their armpit, so your shoulder locks to theirs.
- Draw your back foot up to the front foot as you lift, then pull down towards your foot.
- If he sprawls on you, keep your back straight and shoulders locked to his and roll sideways under him until your chest faces the ceiling, then let go and come up on top of his legs.
Common mistakes
- Going under without arm control. — They sprawl and land on your back. — Pull the arm first; it guides them over you.
- Lifting with a round back. — Heavy, slow and risky for your spine. — Stay upright and drive with the legs, or use the knee-drop version.
- Dropping them from the top. — They land on the head or shoulder. — Roll them off your shoulders and go down with them.
- Diving straight in against a stiff arm. — His straight arm stops you and you just fall to your knees in front of him. — Change levels first, then go in: the lower angle takes the power out of his arm and opens the space for your head.
How to drill it
Knee-drop version on a crash mat, 5 each side; the standing version only once the partner can fall safely.
Safety
Carries the risk of landing on the head: roll the partner off, never drop them. Some kids’ and beginner rules restrict it.
What comes next
Where it comes from