Juji gatame

Juji gatame is the judo name for the position in which the attacker’s body lies perpendicular to the opponent’s trapped arm — the configuration English-speaking grapplers call the armbar.

Etymology. Juji (十字) means “cross” or “the character ten” in Japanese, referring to the crossed-shape geometry of the bodies at the finish. Gatame (固め) means “hold” or “lock.” The term predates BJJ by several decades — it appears in Kodokan judo’s katame-waza (grappling techniques) catalogue under kansetsu-waza (joint locks) — and remains the primary search term among judo players. Brazilian jiu-jitsu inherited the technique through Maeda’s transmission to the Gracies and translated the name to “armbar” or “arm lock” for English-speaking audiences.

Mechanics. The juji gatame isolates the elbow joint from the opponent’s defensive system: the hips form the fulcrum, the legs control the secondary structures (head, far arm), and the extended target arm reaches structural failure when hyperextended against the natural range of the elbow. The configuration succeeds because the limb is separated from the body’s frame and loaded directly against its weakest axis.

Cross-reference. Wrestlers tend to use “armbar” or “straight armbar.” Catch wrestlers historically grouped this configuration with other elbow-axis attacks under the broader “arm bar” label. Full mechanical coverage on Armbar.