Kamishihogatame: A Slight Modification

If your opponent is bigger than you, it may be difficult for you to continue holding him down with kamishihogatame as it is described above. In this case a technique like the one shown in Figure 109 may be more effective for you. You turn your opponent on his back. Holding his right upper arm between your right upper arm and forearm, you grasp your own right lapel with your right hand, as illustrated in Figure 109a and, with your chest, press his upper arm against your forearm on the mat. Then thrust your left arm under his left upper arm, over it, and grasp the back of his collar, as illus¬trated in Figure 109b. Execute the holddown by applying pressure with your chest against his, at the same time stabilizing your body balance by keeping your trunk parallel with his.

DYNAMIC EXPLANATION : This technique takes even more advantage of friction and moment than does the kami-shiho-gatame illustrated in Figure 108. The arm L is longer in Figure 109 than it is Figure 108. Suppose your opponent tries to make you turn over to the left by using his left shoulder O as a fulcrum. The moment he tries this, press his right upper arm down with your chest. A strong moment of force about the fulcrum O will be produced. Since he cannot overcome this moment of force, he cannot succeed in rolling you over.

If he tries to pull out his locked arm while your chest presses it down against your wrist on the mat, friction will be produced to prevent him from escaping. Thus he cannot escape by rolling to the right. KEY POINTS : a. Keep your trunk always parallel with your opponent's, keeping his head on the left side of your abdomen. b. The big toes of your feet stand on end for power and balance. c. His upper arm must be pressed against the radius; that is, the thumb side of the forearm.

6. Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame (modified four-quarter hold)

The technique of kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame is one of the transformations of the kami-shiho-gatame illustrated in Figure 108. This holddown uses the moment more than it does momentum, as does the technique illustrated in Figure 109. It may be adequate to say that it is a transformation of kesa-gatame that allows you to make use chiefly of the moment of force by locking your opponent's arm under your armpit and thereby executing the holddown. Look at Figure 110. Sliding your right arm under your opponent's right upper arm and over it, you grasp the back part of his collar and hold his right arm tightly under your right armpit.

DYNAMIC EXPLANATION : There are two forces that hold your oppo¬nent down. The first is the force P, with which you hold him by the right arm under your right armpit. As for his defensive power, wheth¬er he can make all the parts of his body cooperate depends entirely on his right arm. Therefore he must first pull his right arm from under your armpit to regain its use.

The second force that acts upon him is GL, the moment of the gravity G that acts on you. With his right arm he tries to make you turn over to the left, using his left shoulder 0 as a fulcrum. His right arm must conquer the resistance of your weight. Thus the distance between his left shoulder and the point that your weight rests on serves as the arm L of the moment.

Since he cannot overcome this moment, he cannot make you turn over to the left and allow him to escape.

KEY POINTS : a. Your opponent's right arm must be held firmly with your right hand and arm, which is placed on your right thigh, and pinned tightly under your right armpit. b. Never place the center of your gravity on his chest, even if you
push down his chest with yours.