Judo Level 5: Kata Guruma — Read the shoulders together with the hands

肩車, kata-guruma, combines shoulder and wheel and belongs to hand techniques.

Hands guide imbalance and control the body in relation to the shoulders. Lifting without direction shows effort rather than the principle.

Kata-guruma supports uke across the shoulders and rear-neck line in Kodokan's definition, not on the top of the head. Read tori's lowering together with uke's torso position and the imbalance preceding support.

Koshi Guruma uses a hip axis; Kata Guruma draws attention to the shoulders. Shared guruma wording does not indicate the same category.

Mukai's nage-no-kata notes describe uke's role when carried across the shoulders. They show that receiving is active cooperation, not an arbitrary limp posture, while the kata sequence should not be imposed as the only starting pattern for every dojo clip.

Do not lift beyond your capacity or drop a partner from shoulder height. Follow the instructor’s progression and stop when load or direction cannot be controlled.

The Level here refers to the IMAC Dojo curriculum. Use the article and clips to prepare questions and review them with your instructor. Practical training needs a suitable partner, space and controlled conditions.

Examine distance and guidance before uke reaches the shoulders. Lifting higher does not repair unstable positioning. Review it with the instructor's preparation for receiving and supporting the landing.