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    Te-gatame

    手固 · てがため · hand armlock · said TEH gah-TAH-meh

    The Kodokan calls this Ude-hishigi-te-gatame (腕挫手固).

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    Demonstrations

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    About this technique

    The armlock applied with the hand: uke's arm is fixed to the mat or to tori's body and pressure is put on the elbow with the palm and body weight rather than with the legs or hips. The simplest of the Ude-hishigi family to reach from a hold-down, and the one most often taken when an opponent reaches. Competition joint locks are restricted to the elbow and to senior age groups; learn and practise this only under instruction.

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    A technique to stretch and lock the opponent’s elbow joint by inserting the left arm from the right side of the opponent through his right armpit to grip his left front-lapel and grabbing his right wrist with the right hand or another technique to lock the opponent’ s elbow joint by grabbing his wrist with one of the hands or both and twisting his wrist behind his back.
    The Kodokan's definition

    Key points

    1. Fix the wrist first; an unfixed arm cannot be locked
    2. Press on the elbow itself, in line with the joint
    3. Lean your weight in slowly, never snatch

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    grappling techniques

    At a glance

    , classification, Gokyo set, Kodokan number, contest rules, grades that require it
    What it is
    Katame-waza (grappling techniques).
    Kodokan number
    808 (TGT).
    Contest rules
    No rule singles it out.
    Also written
    Ude-hishigi-te-gatame.
    Required for

    Step by step

    These steps describe the standard right-handed form without relying on the video.

    1. From beside your partner on the ground, take hold of their near wrist and pin it, palm upward, to the mat or against your own body.
    2. Place your other hand flat on their elbow, fingers wrapping the joint from above.
    3. Keep their wrist fixed and bring your shoulder over your pressing hand so your weight is above it.
    4. Lean in slowly, pressing the elbow against the hinge of the joint.
    5. You can also pass your left arm under their right armpit to grip their left front collar while your right hand holds their wrist, or take the wrist in one or both hands and twist the arm round behind their back.
    6. The pressure builds gradually and stops the instant they tap; release, do not hold on to make a point.

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    Receiving it

    Your wrist is pinned before the pressure comes, which is the moment to act: turn your thumb and bend the elbow while you still can. Once the arm is straight and their weight is over the joint there is no escape and very little warning, so tap early and clearly, with a hand or a foot, or say "matte" out loud.

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    VI judo notes

    Find the elbow by running your free hand down the arm from the wrist you have already pinned, so both hands work along the same limb and never lose it. Bring your shoulder over the pressing hand and lean in slowly: the pressure is easy to meter because it is your own weight. Release at the first tap, which may land on the mat rather than on you.

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    In competition

    , how often it scores at IJF level, and two contests where it worked

    Senior IJF competition, 2020 to 2026, from 73,099 contests. Counts scores, not attempts.

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    In combinations, counters and transitions

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    Reference pages elsewhere

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