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Scarf hold (Kesa Gatame)
You sit beside them, hip to hip, arm around their head and their arm trapped under yours. A judo pin.
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Essentials
You sit beside them with your arm under their head and their near arm trapped, like a scarf. It’s a judo pin: heavy and good for submissions, but your back is exposed if you lose the head.
Your goals
- Arm under their head, near arm trapped
- Hips low, wide base
- Attack the trapped arm
What they want
- Bridge and roll you
- Free their head and take your back
Key principles
- Keep the head control
- Low hips
Common mistakes
- Sitting up too tall
- Losing the arm trap
Techniques to learn
Each one opens its own page and video.
Where it leads
- Other side
- Scarf hold (bottom)
- Moves from here
- Side control (Yoko Shiho Gatame)Mount (Tate Shiho Gatame)North-south (Kami Shiho Gatame)
- Escapes
- Escape the americana
- In courses
- Foundations V: Pins & mount
If this happens…
- they bridgeWiden your base and drop your hips
- they pull their head outSwitch to side control
Advanced detailsTransitions, threats, reactions, troubleshooting and a sparring drill
1. Overview
You sit beside them, hip to hip, arm around their head and their arm trapped under yours. A judo pin.
Key controls
- Hip low, legs wide
- Head wrapped under your arm
- Their arm trapped at your armpit
In this position
3 transitions · 0 sweeps · 2 submissions · 2 reactions · 2 troubleshooting fixes · 1 sparring exercise · 2 techniques
Read about itGrapplearts articlesBJJ Heroes
Finish this lesson
0% of this lesson0/5 videos completed · 0/2 techniques practiced
Test yourselfScarf hold (Kesa Gatame) lesson quiz5 questions · pass with 4