Katame no kata (forms of control) is the judo kata of groundwork: 15 techniques in 3 sets of 5, covering pins, strangles and joint locks. It is the ground counterpart of nage no kata. Most federations ask for it at some dan gradings, and it remains the best school of precision for ne-waza (groundwork).
A kata performed on your knees
No other kata looks like this one. Almost everything happens on the mat or in a kneeling position. Tori and uke approach each other in kyoshi (one knee down, the other raised), shuffle forward on their knees and reset between techniques. The body has to stay upright and stable through all of it. That is much harder than it looks, especially after forty.
Together with nage no kata, it forms the randori no kata: the two forms that explain the principles of free practice. The first shows how to throw. The second shows how to control once the fight reaches the ground. For their place among the other Kodokan forms, see our overview of judo kata.
Set 1: osaekomi-waza (pins)
| Order | Technique | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kesa-gatame (kuzure form) | Scarf hold |
| 2 | Kata-gatame | Shoulder hold |
| 3 | Kami-shiho-gatame | Upper four-corner hold |
| 4 | Yoko-shiho-gatame | Side four-corner hold |
| 5 | Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame | Broken upper four-corner hold |
In this set, uke tries hard to escape. He pushes, bridges and turns, then taps when nothing works. Tori has to show that the hold adapts to each attempt without losing position. This is where examiners see the gap between a candidate who recites and one who actually controls.
Candidates often neglect the transitions. Between two pins, tori does not just stand up any old way. He returns to kyoshi, adjusts his jacket if needed and moves back toward uke at the same pace. Those moments are graded as much as the hold itself.
Two of these pins have their own pages: kesa-gatame and kami-shiho-gatame. For the logic of groundwork as a whole, read our guide to katame-waza.
Set 2: shime-waza (strangles)
| Order | Technique | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kata-juji-jime | Half cross strangle |
| 2 | Hadaka-jime | Naked strangle |
| 3 | Okuri-eri-jime | Sliding collar strangle |
| 4 | Kata-ha-jime | Single wing strangle |
| 5 | Gyaku-juji-jime | Reverse cross strangle |
Strangles in the kata are applied with full control. Pressure builds gradually and stops the moment uke signals. It is a good opportunity to repeat a safety rule every group needs to hear. At the first tap, you let go. Not half a second later. Strangles are reserved for judoka who meet the age rules of their federation, always under a qualified instructor.
Set 3: kansetsu-waza (joint locks)
| Order | Technique | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ude-garami | Entangled arm lock |
| 2 | Juji-gatame | Cross arm lock |
| 3 | Ude-gatame | Straight arm lock |
| 4 | Hiza-gatame | Knee arm lock |
| 5 | Ashi-garami | Leg entanglement |
Names vary slightly between sources. Some use the long Kodokan forms, such as ude-hishigi-juji-gatame or ude-hishigi-hiza-gatame. The last technique, ashi-garami, is banned in competition. It survives in the kata, like several other techniques that sport judo set aside.
Our page on juji-gatame covers the arm lock you will use most in randori. BJJ players will recognize it as their armbar.
Uke has the harder job
In nage no kata, uke attacks and falls. In katame no kata, uke stays in contact for the whole technique. The job involves:
- making believable escape attempts during the pins, without turning them into a fight;
- signalling submission clearly, by tapping twice on tori's body or on the mat;
- returning to the exact spot between techniques.
That last point sounds minor. It is not. If uke resets in the wrong place, tori has to correct the distance and the next technique starts off balance.
A passive uke makes the kata hollow. An overactive one turns it into randori. The balance comes from repetition with the same partner, again and again.
Common mistakes at the grading
Knees come first. Kneeling movement tires the joints quickly, and pain can ruin a whole demonstration. If your knees hurt, see a doctor before starting an intensive preparation.
Order is the second trap. The kata leaves no room for improvisation, and a missing or swapped technique is obvious even to a lenient panel. The entries look alike, so candidates often mix up the second and third strangles. Third comes the jacket. A judogi that opens on the ground must be adjusted at the right moment, not halfway through a technique.
Our advice: learn the kata starting with the joint locks, the easiest set to memorize, then work back toward the pins. You will reach the most physical part last, once the kneeling movement has become automatic.