{"slug":"side-control","name":"Side Control","aliases":["side mount","cross side","yoko shiho gatame"],"category":"position","format":"both","level":"fundamental","summary":"A top pin across the opponent's torso that controls the shoulders and hips while opening routes to mount, back control, and submissions.","overview":["Side control is a family of pins in which the top player lies across or beside the defender instead of between their legs. Crossface-and-underhook, reverse side control, scarf hold, north-south, and modified judo pins all solve different control problems.","The position works by separating the defender's elbows from their knees and turning the head, shoulders, or hips away from the direction of escape. Good control is mobile: the top player changes pinning configuration as frames appear."],"keyPrinciples":["Separate the near elbow from the near knee.","Control both shoulder rotation and hip movement.","Distribute weight through contact points rather than resting on the mat.","Move to another pin before a frame becomes structurally strong."],"entries":[{"label":"Guard pass","description":"Clear the legs and establish upper-body control before chasing submissions."},{"label":"Takedown","description":"Follow the opponent to the mat while preventing a guard recovery."},{"label":"Scramble","description":"Settle chest-to-chest once the hips are no longer facing you."}],"continuations":[{"label":"Mount","description":"Control the far elbow and advance the knee across the torso."},{"label":"Kimura","description":"Isolate a bent arm as the defender frames or turns."},{"label":"Arm triangle","description":"Move an arm across the neck and follow toward mount or the far side."}],"defenses":[{"label":"Frames","description":"Build skeletal structure at the neck and hip before pushing."},{"label":"Hip escape","description":"Turn onto a side and create the space needed to insert a knee."},{"label":"Underhook recovery","description":"Win inside arm position to turn toward the knees or a wrestle-up."}],"relatedTechniqueSlugs":["mount","kimura","arm-triangle","knee-cut-pass"],"athleteSlugs":["roger-gracie","jt-torres","kaynan-duarte","ffion-davies"],"rulesetNote":"Scoring and permitted grips vary by promotion and division. Check the current organizer rules before competing.","sources":[{"label":"IBJJF rule book and rules resources","url":"https://ibjjf.com/books-videos","type":"rules"},{"label":"International Judo Federation technique catalogue","url":"https://judo.ijf.org/","type":"reference"}],"lastUpdated":"2026-07-25","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/side-control","markdownUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/side-control.md","jsonUrl":"https://www.ossmeta.com/api/public/techniques/side-control","relatedTechniques":[{"slug":"mount","name":"Mount","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/mount"},{"slug":"kimura","name":"Kimura","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/kimura"},{"slug":"arm-triangle","name":"Arm-Triangle Choke","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/arm-triangle"},{"slug":"knee-cut-pass","name":"Knee-Cut Pass","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/techniques/knee-cut-pass"}],"associatedAthletes":[{"slug":"roger-gracie","name":"Roger Gracie","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/roger-gracie"},{"slug":"jt-torres","name":"JT Torres","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/jt-torres"},{"slug":"kaynan-duarte","name":"Kaynan Duarte","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/kaynan-duarte"},{"slug":"ffion-davies","name":"Ffion Davies","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com/athletes/ffion-davies"}],"sourceSite":{"name":"Ossmeta","url":"https://www.ossmeta.com"}}