IMAC Dojo Judo Curriculum · Level 1–2

Judo Level 1–2: Yoko Shiho Gatame — Connect shoulder and hip control from the side

Name: Yoko Shiho Gatame — Video lesson 2
Uploaded: 2020-05-13T04:00:14-07:00
Description: An IMAC Dojo clip accompanying Yoko Shiho Gatame. Use the observations and distinctions in this article to guide your viewing.

Yoko Shiho Gatame is a side hold linking shoulder-region and lower-body control with chest and abdomen. Maintaining that connection as the partner moves matters more than memorizing a still shape.

Compiled by Phoenix — Co-founder of IMAC Dojo

Thaninpong Supapitakpong (Phoenix)Co-founder of IMAC Dojo

Updated 29 Sept 2026

Author: Thaninpong Supapitakpong (Phoenix)
Published: 29 Sept 2026
Last updated: 29 Sept 2026
Sources: 2
Reading time: 3 min

Short Answer

Yoko Shiho Gatame is a side hold linking shoulder-region and lower-body control with chest and abdomen. Maintaining that connection as the partner moves matters more than memorizing a still shape.

Key Takeaways

Trace the lower-body arm to its actual grip.
Follow the other arm and shoulder line without guessing a grip hidden by the camera.
Compare base and gaps during movement in the different Level clips.

The clip collection includes this name in Levels 1 and 2, so both sets of clips appear here. Start with the hand farther from the camera; it may explain the control that is easiest to miss.

In this article

What the name tells us

横四方固, yoko-shiho-gatame, is a side holding technique. Yoko means side, distinguishing its approach from the head-side entry of Kami Shiho Gatame.

How the technique works

Kodokan describes one arm passing between the legs to grip belt or trousers, the other passing beneath the neck to the far collar, with chest and abdomen controlling the upper body. Follow each arm’s function rather than only the completed pose.

The side-on position looks simple, but a closer reading follows the two arms separately. Kodokan routes one through the leg area to the belt or trousers and the other beneath the neck to the collar, with chest and abdomen controlling the upper body. It connects different control points rather than merely lying across uke.

What to watch in the clips

Trace the lower-body arm to its actual grip.
Follow the other arm and shoulder line without guessing a grip hidden by the camera.
Compare base and gaps during movement in the different Level clips.

A distinction worth noticing

Not every side hold has the same name. Losing lower-body control and pressing harder only on the upper body can leave a similar silhouette with a different connection. Check both areas.

Ask your instructor about spaces that let uke turn in or move the hips away. Uke's movement can change the appearance while the principle remains. A right angle between the bodies in a still image cannot by itself establish a correct hold.

Taking the lesson back to practice

Begin with cooperative positioning, then add small movements chosen by your instructor. If the partner turns inward easily, review gaps and lower-body control rather than press on the neck.

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.

Nippon Budokan pairs shrimp movement with learning yoko-shiho-gatame. Watch both roles: how uke creates distance and how tori maintains connection. The same article appears in Levels 1–2 for continued review, not as a claim that progression requires greater pressing force.