Learn kami-shiho-gatame in judo: head-end position, belt grips and the 20 seconds to ippon. With milestones, common mistakes and safety rules for beginners.
The honest answer: kami-shiho-gatame is a pin from the head end. You lie with your chest on your partner's upper body (uke), grip his belt on both sides and hold him to the mat with a wide base. The German Judo Federation (DJB) lists it among the four pins already required for 7th kyu (yellow belt) [1]. You need no throw for it, just patience and weight in the right place.
In competition the clock matters: after the command "Osaekomi!", 20 seconds of holding score an ippon, 10 to 19 seconds a waza-ari and 5 to 9 seconds a yuko [2]. Twenty seconds feel quite long on a person who is resisting. That is why base matters more than strength.
And why does it pay off? An analysis of 176 groundwork scores at the 2018 World Championships showed that 68.6 % of ground points came after a failed standing attack [3]. Someone who turns half a throw straight into a pin often collects the points others give away. How long it takes you to hold safely depends on your partner and your training. Expect a handful of sessions for the basic position (practical estimate, not a study).
Uke lies on his back. You kneel or squat behind his head and then lower your chest onto his upper body. Your head stays next to his head, not over his face. Milestone: uke breathes normally and you feel his chest under yours.
Both hands pass under uke's arms and grip his belt left and right. This stops him pushing his arms freely upward. Milestone: you hold both belt sides without your shoulders hunched up.
Spread your legs far back and set your toes on the mat. The hips stay low. Your weight lies on uke's chest, not on his face. Milestone: you can hold the position for ten seconds without uke lifting you.
When uke bridges sideways or turns, you follow: your body travels over him and the hips stay heavy. In the DJB programme you later learn the modified kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame as a follow-up in the extended programme [1]. Milestone: you stay on him even when he rolls slightly sideways.
A classmate counts aloud to 20. The aim is that the holding time comes independently of strength. Milestone: 20 seconds against an uke who moves but does not resist with full force.
Pins feel gentle but need rules. Agree beforehand: a tap means let go immediately. The rules count tapping twice with hand or foot, or calling "Maitta" ("I give up"), as submission [2]. Never stop at "my partner is only exaggerating".
With kami-shiho-gatame pay special attention to the airway: your chest belongs on uke's upper body, not on his face. In club practice you work without joint locks and without chokes; pins are the entry point. In the review of judo injuries it was not the ground but being thrown that was the most common injury mechanism [4]. That does not mean groundwork is risk-free: fingers, knees and shoulders suffer here too.
This guide explains and motivates; it does not replace supervised training.
Do not lie flat on uke; think of a bridge: hips low, shoulders light, weight on your toes. If you actively press your toes into the mat, you can push yourself after every movement uke makes. That saves more energy than any grip.
How to fit it into your week: practise twice a week for five minutes at the end of training, when you are warm. Hold three times 20 seconds with a partner who first resists only lightly, then more, and then swap roles. Note a single point to improve in the next session. This is practical experience, not a study.
After the command "Osaekomi!", 20 seconds of holding score an ippon, 10 to 19 seconds a waza-ari and 5 to 9 seconds a yuko [2]. These times apply to all pins. Your partner must have his back (at least the upper back) on the mat.
With kesa-gatame you lie at uke's side. With kami-shiho-gatame you sit at the head end and grip both belt sides. Both are in the DJB basic programme [1]. The rules require you to apply pressure on the upper body in a kesa, shiho or ura position [2].
Typical answers are bridging, hip movements to the side and turning onto the stomach. At 7th kyu the DJB has uke learn first simple defensive actions against pins [1]. You train exactly that in pairs so that as tori you learn to stay on.
Not when it is done cleanly, the airway stays free and the tap is respected [2]. The bad mistakes are weight on the face and holding on despite a tap. Practise only on the mat and under supervision.
Kuzure-kesa-gatame: How to Learn the Modified Scarf Hold in Judo