Learn tate-shiho-gatame in judo: astride your partner, keeping the legs free, 20 seconds to ippon. With milestones, common mistakes and safety rules.
The honest answer: tate-shiho-gatame is the mounted pin. You sit or lie astride your partner (uke), control his head and one arm and hold him on his back to the mat with your weight. It is one of the four pins that the German Judo Federation (DJB) already requires for 7th kyu: kesa-gatame, tate-shiho-gatame, yoko-shiho-gatame and kami-shiho-gatame [1]. Because the DJB teaches it in the entry programme, we classify it as beginner.
Why is it still tricky? Because it has the largest contact area, so uke has the most leverage to wriggle out. The rules set a clear condition: your body and legs must not be controlled by uke's legs, otherwise there is no pin [2]. If uke closes his legs around you, that is not a scored hold.
The times: 20 seconds score ippon, 10 to 19 seconds waza-ari, 5 to 9 seconds yuko [2]. In the World Championship analysis of 176 groundwork scores, 68.6 % of points came after a failed standing attack [3]. If you land in the mounted pin after half a throw, you can score straight away. Expect several sessions until you hold it against real resistance (practical estimate, not a study).
Uke lies on his back. You sit astride his upper body, knees tight against his ribs. Do not sit with full weight on the stomach but spread it over chest and hips. Milestone: uke breathes normally and you sit calmly.
Grip one of uke's arms and fix it tight to your body. With the other arm you hold uke's head and shoulder close, without pulling on the neck. Milestone: uke's arm cannot be pulled free.
Your knees stay close to uke's hips. Do not "shut in" uke's legs; bring your legs in front of his hips so that he cannot wrap them around you. That is the condition of the rules [2]. Milestone: uke cannot get his legs around your hips.
Lean forward, chest on uke's chest, hips low. The weight lies forward. Milestone: you stay seated even when he pushes sideways.
If uke rolls, you go with him. If he loses his back from the mat, you switch to yoko-shiho or kami-shiho-gatame. Milestone: you hold 20 seconds against an uke who moves.
A mounted pin puts a lot of weight on a person, so airway free and a tap means let go at once apply. The rules recognise tapping twice with hand or foot, or calling "Maitta" [2]. Never sit with full weight on uke's stomach or face. In training the mounted pin stays free of chokes and joint locks.
The rules also require that you do not hold around the head alone without controlling at least one arm [2]. That protects uke, and you comply. In the judo injury review most injuries occurred when being thrown, with knee, shoulder and fingers the most frequent sites [4]. In groundwork that does not mean "risk-free": look after your uke.
This guide explains and motivates; it does not replace supervised training.
Imagine that you sit in a deep saddle, not on a bar stool. Sitting low means: heavy hips, knees at the horse, chest forward. Low is stable, high is wobbly. This image helps you find your centre of gravity without having to think about strength.
How to fit it into your week: practise twice a week for five minutes at the end of training. Hold three times 20 seconds against a partner who first works lightly, then harder. Swap roles. Note one point for the next session. This is practical experience, not a study.
"Tate" means "vertical", "shiho" "four directions", "gatame" "pin". In practice it is the mounted pin in which you sit astride uke. The DJB lists it among the four pins of 7th kyu [1].
20 seconds for ippon, 10 to 19 seconds for waza-ari, 5 to 9 seconds for yuko, counted from "Osaekomi!" [2]. Uke must have his back on the mat and must not control your body with his legs [2].
Because the rules require that your body and legs are not controlled by uke's legs [2]. Then you do not have a pin; uke is controlling you. Keep your knees close to the hips.
Yes, the DJB teaches it at 7th kyu [1]. Start with an agreement, on the mat and under supervision. If pressure on the neck or a tap occurs, you let go at once.
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