BJJ Graph

Kesa Gatame Top

Dec 09, 202514 min read

Kesa Gatame Top, also known as scarf hold, is a traditional judo pinning position that has been adapted for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The top practitioner sits perpendicular to their supine opponent, controlling the head and near arm while using their bodyweight to pin the opponent’s torso. This position creates immense pressure and restricts the opponent’s breathing and movement, making it highly effective for maintaining control and setting up submissions.

While less commonly emphasized in modern sport BJJ compared to traditional side control, Kesa Gatame offers unique advantages including superior weight distribution, excellent control of the opponent’s upper body, and powerful submission opportunities. The position is particularly effective in no-gi and MMA contexts where the crossface and shoulder pressure can be devastating. Understanding Kesa Gatame enhances a practitioner’s overall top game by providing an alternative pinning structure with distinct mechanical advantages.

The position requires careful attention to weight distribution and hip positioning to prevent common escapes. When executed properly, Kesa Gatame can be one of the most oppressive positions in grappling, creating a sense of helplessness in the bottom player while offering the top player numerous attacking options.

Position Definition

  • Top player sits perpendicular to opponent’s body with hips low and weight distributed through the torso, creating downward pressure on opponent’s chest and diaphragm
  • Near arm of opponent is trapped and controlled under top player’s armpit, with top player’s arm wrapped around opponent’s head creating a tight scarf-like grip
  • Top player’s far leg is posted wide for base while near leg hooks or controls opponent’s far hip to prevent rotation and escape attempts
  • Opponent lies supine on their back with shoulders flat to the mat, head controlled and turned toward top player, with limited ability to create frames or generate hip movement
  • Top player’s chest and shoulder apply constant pressure to opponent’s face and chest, restricting breathing and creating discomfort that compounds over time

Prerequisites

  • Successful transition from side control, mount, or passing sequence
  • Opponent flat on their back with upper body accessible for control
  • Ability to secure head control and near arm trap
  • Understanding of weight distribution through hips and torso rather than hands
  • Sufficient base and balance to maintain perpendicular angle while under pressure

Key Offensive Principles

  • Maintain perpendicular body angle to opponent with hips low and heavy
  • Control opponent’s head and near arm as primary control points
  • Distribute weight through chest and hips onto opponent’s torso and face
  • Keep far leg posted wide for base while near leg controls opponent’s far hip
  • Apply constant shoulder pressure to opponent’s face to restrict breathing and movement
  • Sink hips low to prevent opponent from creating space underneath
  • Anticipate and counter hip escape attempts by adjusting weight distribution

Available Attacks

Americana from Side Control → Americana Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 45%
  • Intermediate: 60%
  • Advanced: 75%

Kimura from Side Control → Kimura Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Armbar from Side Control → Armbar Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

North-South Choke → North-South

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Transition to Mount → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 50%
  • Intermediate: 65%
  • Advanced: 80%

Transition to North-South → North-South

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 55%
  • Intermediate: 70%
  • Advanced: 85%

Arm Triangle → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 55%

Opponent Escapes

Escape Counters

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent attempts to turn into you and recover guard:

If opponent creates space and attempts to shrimp away toward their feet:

If opponent extends trapped arm attempting to push or frame:

If opponent remains flat and defensive without creating movement:

Common Offensive Mistakes

1. Sitting too high on opponent’s chest rather than keeping hips low

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent can easily bridge and create space underneath, leading to escape or reversal
  • ✅ Correction: Keep hips sunk low with weight distributed through torso and hips, not sitting upright on opponent

2. Releasing head control to attempt submissions prematurely

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent immediately escapes by turning into you or creating frames, losing dominant position
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain tight head and arm control until submission is fully secured, never sacrifice positional control for premature attack

3. Posting far leg too close to opponent’s body, reducing base

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent can bridge effectively or sweep you over the weak side, resulting in reversal
  • ✅ Correction: Post far leg wide at approximately 45-degree angle for maximum base and stability

4. Allowing opponent’s far arm to remain free and create frames

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent uses free arm to push against your face, create space, and initiate effective escapes
  • ✅ Correction: Control or pin opponent’s far arm with your near leg or monitor it constantly to prevent effective framing

5. Distributing weight through hands rather than hips and chest

  • ❌ Consequence: Reduces pressure on opponent, allows them to breathe and move more freely, and creates openings for escape
  • ✅ Correction: Keep hands free for submission attacks while distributing all weight through hips and chest onto opponent’s torso

6. Failing to adjust position when opponent begins escape sequence

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent completes escape and recovers guard or worse, achieves reversal to top position
  • ✅ Correction: Stay mobile and ready to transition to North-South, mount, or other positions as opponent creates movement

Training Drills for Attacks

Positional Maintenance Drill

Partner starts in Kesa Gatame Top and must maintain position for 2-minute rounds while bottom player attempts escapes at 50% intensity. Focus on weight distribution, base maintenance, and preventing hip escapes. Top player should not attempt submissions, only control.

Duration: 5 rounds of 2 minutes

Transition Flow Drill

From Kesa Gatame Top, practice flowing between variations: standard Kesa Gatame, Reverse Kesa Gatame, North-South, and back. Partner provides mild resistance but allows transitions. Focus on maintaining control throughout all transitions and never allowing opponent to create space.

Duration: 3 rounds of 3 minutes

Submission Chain Drill

Start in Kesa Gatame Top and flow through the submission chain: Americana attempt → opponent defends → switch to Kimura → opponent defends → transition to Armbar → opponent defends → secure North-South Choke. Partner provides realistic defensive reactions. Reset and repeat with different entry points.

Duration: 4 rounds of 3 minutes

Escape and Recapture Drill

Bottom player attempts one specific escape type (hip escape, bridge and roll, or turn-in) repeatedly. Top player must recognize the escape early and either prevent it through positional adjustment or flow to appropriate counter position (Mount, North-South, etc.). Switch escape types every 2 minutes.

Duration: 6 rounds of 2 minutes

Optimal Submission Paths

Shortest High-Percentage Path

Scarf Hold Position → Americana from Side Control → Won by Submission

Control-First Path

Scarf Hold Position → Transition to North-South → North-South Choke → Won by Submission

Arm Attack Sequence

Scarf Hold Position → Kimura from Side Control → Armbar from Side Control → Won by Submission

Mount Transition Path

Scarf Hold Position → Transition to Mount → Americana from Mount → Won by Submission

Pressure Choke Path

Scarf Hold Position → Arm Triangle → Won by Submission

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner55%40%30%
Intermediate70%55%45%
Advanced85%70%60%

Average Time in Position: 1-3 minutes

Expert Analysis

John Danaher

Kesa Gatame represents one of judo’s most effective pins precisely because it creates a biomechanical nightmare for the bottom player. The perpendicular angle of your body relative to your opponent’s spine means that any attempt they make to bridge or turn is working against unfavorable leverage. The key is understanding that this position is fundamentally about chest pressure rather than arm control—your scarf grip around the head is merely a steering mechanism. The real control comes from sinking your chest weight into their diaphragm, making every breath a struggle. When executing Kesa Gatame, you must think of your body as a giant blanket smothering your opponent. Your far leg posts wide not just for base, but to allow you to distribute maximum weight through your torso. The near leg hooks their far hip to prevent them from creating the rotational movement necessary for escape. This is a thinking person’s pin—you must constantly adjust your weight distribution in response to their escape attempts, flowing like water to maintain pressure from all angles.

Gordon Ryan

In competition, I use Kesa Gatame strategically when I want to completely break my opponent’s will while conserving energy. The beauty of this position is that it requires minimal muscular effort from me while forcing my opponent to work extremely hard just to breathe. I’ve had opponents tap purely from the pressure without any submission applied. The key competitive application is recognizing when to enter Kesa versus standard side control—I typically use it against opponents who are good at recovering guard from traditional side control because the perpendicular angle makes their hip escape much less effective. From here, my highest percentage finish is transitioning to mount when they try to turn into me, or flowing to North-South when they create space toward their feet. The Americana is available but I view it as a setup—when they defend by pulling their arm in tight, they’re giving me the mount transition. In no-gi especially, this position is devastating because the crossface pressure is so direct against their jaw and neck. I can hold this position indefinitely in competition while my opponent exhausts themselves.

Eddie Bravo

Kesa Gatame is old-school judo that most BJJ guys sleep on, but it’s got serious potential for both gi and no-gi if you approach it with the 10th Planet mindset of constant innovation. The traditional application is solid for control, but where it gets interesting is using it as a transitional hub rather than a parking spot. When I coach this position, I emphasize the importance of staying mobile—you’re not trying to pin them for a judo ippon, you’re hunting for the next attack. The moment they commit to an escape direction, you should already be flowing to your next position. I particularly like the North-South transition because it’s unexpected and most guys aren’t prepared for that level of pressure adjustment. For submissions, forget the standard Americana that everyone sees coming. Instead, look for the arm triangle when they turn their head away from the pressure, or if you’re feeling creative, there’s a nasty paper cutter choke variation from here that catches people by surprise. The real innovation is combining Kesa Gatame with leg attacks—if they bridge hard, you can sometimes catch a straight ankle lock on their far leg. It’s unorthodox but that’s how evolution happens in this game.