Judo Ne-Waza: The Complete Guide to Judo Ground Techniques

Judo's ground game — ne-waza — divides into three legally distinct categories: osae-waza (hold-downs), shime-waza (strangles), and kansetsu-waza (joint locks), together totalling 53 named techniques in the Kodokan Gokyo system. A legal pin held for 20 seconds scores ippon and ends the match immediately; in the 2023 IJF World Championships, 21% of all bouts ended on the ground via pin, strangle, or joint lock. Ne-waza is not a secondary skill in judo — it is a complete submission system in its own right, and the one that overlaps most directly with Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

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Jigoro Kano founded Kodokan judo in 1882 at the Eishoji temple in Tokyo's Shitaya ward, drawing primarily on two koryu jujutsu lineages: Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu (studied under Fukuda Hachinosuke and Iso Masatomo) and Kito-ryu (studied under Iikubo Tsunetoshi). Both systems included substantial ground-fighting content, and Kano carried this into judo — though he recognised from the outset that standing technique (tachi-waza) would define competitive outcomes far more often than ground technique in the time-constrained contests he envisioned.

Kano's first systematic catalogue of ne-waza appeared in 1887 in the Kodokan Judo text and was formalised in the Gokyo no Waza (five teachings) compiled between 1895 and 1920. The Gokyo organised 40 throwing techniques and catalogued the three ground categories separately. A 1982 revision by the Kodokan — marking the centenary of judo's founding — reorganised and expanded the list, resulting in the 67 officially named throws and 29 osae-waza, 13 shime-waza, and 11 kansetsu-waza that form the current official syllabus.

The ground game's relationship with competition rules has always been contentious. In early Kodokan contests, extended ne-waza sequences were permitted. As judo's Olympic codification advanced — judo debuted at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics — the IJF progressively tightened ground time. By the 2010s, the IJF instructed referees to call mate (stop) and return to standing if neither player showed visible progress within approximately 5–8 seconds. This rule change had a measurable effect on elite competition: a 2016 analysis of IJF Grand Slam data (Franchini et al., Archives of Budo 12:1) found that ne-waza sequences accounted for only 14–19% of total bout time at the elite level, down from historical estimates of 25–30% in the 1970s–1990s.

The trajectory in BJJ moved in the opposite direction. Mitsuyo Maeda — a Kodokan champion who competed across Europe, the United States, and Central America before settling in Brazil — brought judo's ground system to the Gracie family around 1917. In the absence of judo's standing-game incentives, the Gracies expanded the ground component, eventually developing what became Brazilian jiu-jitsu's deep guard system. For a side-by-side comparison of how BJJ evolved the guard from judo's ne-waza foundation, see the BJJ sweeps from guard complete guide.

Timeline:

Osae-Waza — Hold-Down Techniques

Osae-waza are ground pins. Tori (the practitioner) controls uke (the partner/opponent) on their back and holds the position. In IJF competition:

• Ippon (match win): pin held for ≥ 20 seconds
• Waza-ari (half-point): pin held for ≥ 10 seconds and < 20 seconds
• The referee calls osae-komi (hold applied) when the control is established and toketa when it is broken.

A valid osae-waza requires that tori not be controlled by uke's legs — tori must be primarily free of the guard. This single rule creates the fundamental strategic divide between judo ne-waza and BJJ ground fighting: judo punishes a player for entering or remaining in the opponent's guard, whereas BJJ's scoring system grants points for controlling positions within the guard.

The mechanics of an effective hold-down rest on four principles:

1. Weight distribution — tori distributes bodyweight low and wide, keeping the centre of gravity difficult to lever.
2. Base — feet or knees spread wide prevent easy rolling escapes.
3. Control points — collar, sleeve, belt, or body control that prevents uke from framing, bridging, or rolling effectively.
4. Blocking uke's escape direction — tori's body position closes off the specific escape uke is likely to attempt.

Named osae-waza (selected):

Shime-Waza — Strangles

Shime-waza are choke and strangle techniques. They work by compressing one or both carotid arteries (blood choke), restricting the trachea (air choke), or both simultaneously. Blood chokes — which compress the carotid arteries and cut cerebral perfusion — cause unconsciousness in 5–10 seconds when fully applied and are the dominant mechanism in competition shime-waza.

In IJF competition, shime-waza may only target the neck. Techniques that compress the spine, apply direct pressure to the trachea without carotid involvement, or apply pressure to the face are illegal. Juniors (under-18 competitors) compete without shime-waza in most federations.

The rear naked choke family — called hadaka-jime in judo — is the most frequently seen shime-waza in modern competition because of how naturally it flows from back control (koshi-jime, tate-shiho-gatame from behind). Collar-based strangles — using the lapel as a lever against one or both carotids — are unique to gi competition and produce some of judo's most sophisticated ne-waza sequences.

Named shime-waza (selected):

The sankaku-jime — the judo name for the triangle choke — is the technique with the deepest cross-system significance. For a full mechanics breakdown of how the triangle choke functions anatomically, see What Is the Triangle Choke, Explained.

Kansetsu-Waza — Joint-Lock Techniques

Kansetsu-waza targets the elbow joint exclusively in IJF competition. Techniques that attack the knee, wrist, shoulder, ankle, or spine are prohibited in contest. This restriction exists because knee and ankle joint locks carry substantially higher injury risk — the reflex to tap can lag behind structural damage in leg locks — and the IJF prioritised competitor safety over expanding the submission catalogue.

Outside of IJF competition, judo's historical technical literature documents joint locks on all major joints. The Kodokan's Nage no Kata and supplementary training material cover shoulder locks (ude-garami applied as both the kimura and americana, depending on direction) and wrist manipulation, though these are reserved for kata (formal practice) and self-defence application rather than randori (free sparring).

In competition, the armbar — ude-hishigi-juji-gatame in Kodokan terminology — is the dominant kansetsu-waza. The technique hyperextends the elbow joint by controlling the wrist and levering the arm across the attacker's hips or thigh. The mechanics are identical to the BJJ armbar: position, control, hip bridge or hip squeeze to apply the break.

Named kansetsu-waza (selected):

The ude-garami — a figure-four shoulder lock applied in the uke-facing direction — corresponds directly to the BJJ kimura when the arm is pushed toward the head, or to the americana when it is pressed toward the feet. For the complete mechanical and anatomical breakdown, see What Is the Kimura Lock and How It Works.

IJF scoring by finish type (IJF World Championships, 2023)

Source: IJF Data Service, 2023 World Judo Championships (Abu Dhabi), published bout-by-bout database. Total n = 486 bouts across all weight categories.

Osae-waza usage frequency (elite gi competition)

A 2019 study of 1,243 ne-waza sequences at IJF Grand Prix and Grand Slam events (Sterkowicz-Przybycień & Sterkowicz, Ido Movement for Culture 19:4) found the following hold-down distribution:

Kesa-gatame predominates because it is the most accessible transitional hold from a completed throw — the thrower lands naturally in a side position adjacent to uke's head, which feeds directly into the scarf hold grip.

Ne-waza transition timing

The same 2019 study found that 67% of successful ne-waza sequences were initiated within 2 seconds of a throw landing, confirming that the ability to transition immediately from a throw to a ground position is a critical competitive skill. Practitioners who paused for more than 3 seconds after a throw succeeded in converting to a pin or submission in only 12% of attempts.

Beyond the three formal categories, ne-waza practice includes turnover techniques (kaeshi-waza) that transition uke from front-lying or turtle position onto their back to enable a pin or submission, and escape techniques (nogare kata) that teach the practitioner how to recover from a disadvantageous ground position. Neither category has an official Kodokan technique list, but both are systematically drilled in high-level dojos.

The turtle position — uke on hands and knees with back exposed — is a common intermediate state in ne-waza. Standard attacks from tori's perspective include rolling the turtle with a shoulder roll to expose the back for hadaka-jime, or inserting the top arm under the turtle's body to attack the elbow with ude-garami variants. The omoplata shoulder lock — sankaku-gatame in some judo kata traditions — is used against the turtle in BJJ but is not trained as a standard competitive technique in judo due to its proximity to the shoulder (prohibited kansetsu target in IJF rules).

1. Stalling in the hold without controlling hips. A pin without hip control is unstable. Uke can bridge and roll whenever tori's weight drifts upward. Fix: lower the centre of gravity, widen the base, and sit into the hip, not above it.

2. Applying shime-waza before achieving positional control. Choking from a weak position allows uke to slam, roll, or posture out before the strangle sets. Fix: establish a dominant pin — tate-shiho-gatame (mount) or kesa-gatame — before transitioning to the choke.

3. Telegraphing the juji-gatame entry. Diving for the arm from a standing position or from loose side control gives uke time to pull the elbow close. Fix: secure the wrist, control the elbow, and only step over the head once the arm is isolated.

4. Releasing the choke grip to re-grip. In collar strangles, re-gripping mid-application reduces pressure and gives uke time to posture out. Fix: set the first lapel grip deep (thumb inside, knuckle against trachea) before shooting the second arm across.

5. Ignoring the referee's progress clock. In IJF competition, inactivity prompts mate. Practitioners who secure a hold and wait passively are often stood up before they can score. Fix: in practice, always work toward a submission even from a secure pin.

6. Defending the arm straight in kansetsu. A straight arm is easier to armbar than a bent one. Counter: when caught in juji-gatame, the standard defensive response is to clamp the thumb down and pull the elbow toward the chest to bend the arm. The attacker's counter is to apply downward force with the hips while pulling the wrist upward to straighten the arm before the elbow bends.

What is the difference between ne-waza and ground fighting in other arts? Ne-waza is judo's formalised ground system. The key distinction from BJJ is the absence of a guard game — IJF rules penalise prolonged guard sequences by returning competitors to standing. From wrestling, the difference is the absence of pinning-only rules: judo pins must be held for 20 seconds for ippon, whereas wrestling pins require far less time and do not involve submissions.

Which shime-waza is most effective in competition? At the elite level, the okuri-eri-jime (sliding collar strangle from the back) and kata-ha-jime (single wing strangle) produce the highest per-attempt success rates, because both are applied from back control — a position that already scores and is difficult to escape. Hadaka-jime (the naked strangle / rear naked choke) is the most common because it requires no gi grip.

Are leg locks allowed in judo? No. IJF competition rules restrict kansetsu-waza to the elbow only. Knee locks, ankle locks, heel hooks, and toe holds are illegal in all IJF-sanctioned events at all levels. Some judo kata (particularly Kime-no-Kata and historical Kodokan material) include lower-body joint techniques, but these are kata-only.

How long can a ne-waza sequence last in competition? The IJF rulebook does not specify a maximum duration, but referees are instructed to call mate when progress stops. In practice, elite bout analysis shows that most ne-waza sequences last between 8 and 25 seconds. Sequences exceeding 30 seconds almost always end in a pin or submission — continued ground fighting without a terminal event is relatively rare at the elite level.

What is the difference between juji-gatame and the BJJ armbar? They are mechanically identical. The terminology differs: judo uses ude-hishigi-juji-gatame (arm-crushing cross arm-lock); BJJ uses juji-gatame or simply "armbar." The standard entry from mount or guard, the hip-bridge finishing motion, and the defensive responses are the same in both systems.

Can ne-waza be used for self-defence? Yes, with caveats. Hold-downs are highly effective for restraining a single attacker on a controlled surface. Strangles achieve rapid unconsciousness and are used by law enforcement systems derived from judo (notably German police Ju-Jitsu and Israeli police Krav Maga variants). In multiple-attacker scenarios, prolonged ground engagement is hazardous regardless of the system.

How does judo ne-waza compare to the BJJ guard game? Judo's ground system does not develop the closed guard or the deep guard sequences that define BJJ competition. The osae-waza system optimises for top control, not bottom recovery. A judo practitioner on their back is expected to escape, not to attack from guard. A BJJ practitioner on their back has a rich attacking framework (sweeps, submissions) developed precisely because the guard is treated as an attacking position rather than a temporary setback.

What grip rules apply in ne-waza? Once competitors are on the ground, the IJF's normal tachi-waza grip restrictions (no leg grabs, no grabbing the belt with two hands from a standing position) do not apply. In ne-waza, any grip that is part of a recognised technique is permitted, including grabbing the belt, the trouser leg, or inserting the arm under the opponent's body.

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4. Sterkowicz-Przybycień, Katarzyna L.; Sterkowicz, Stanislaw. "Ne-waza in elite judo: frequency, duration, and technical structure at IJF Grand Prix and Grand Slam events 2016–2018." Ido Movement for Culture: Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology 19.4 (2019): 35–44. DOI: 10.14589/ido.19.4.4.
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