Figure-four (grappling hold)
Catch wrestling term
フィギュア4
- Type
- Holds and pins
- Martial arts
- Wrestling
A figure-four is a catch wrestling term for a joint-lock that resembles the number "4". A keylock or toe hold can be referred to as a figure-four hold, when it involves a figure-four formation with the legs or arms. If the figure-four involves grabbing the wrists with both hands, it is called a double wrist lock; known as kimura in MMA circles. A figure-four hold done with the legs around the neck and (usually) arm of an opponent is called figure-four (leg-)choke, better known as a triangle choke, and is a common submission in modern mixed martial arts, Submission wrestling and Brazilian jiu jitsu, and Catch wrestling. In addition to Lancashire, or catch-as-catch-can wrestling, the move was also found in jujutsu, and was thereafter incorporated into Judo. The leg figure-four choke is also part of Japanese martial arts, where it is known as Sankaku-Jime.
Other Wrestling holds and pins
Japanese terms for holds and pins
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 逆手 | sakate | underhand grip (e.g. in gymnastics, etc.) |
| 遁術 | tonjutsu | Ninja art of escape |
| 遁法 | tonpou | Ninja art of escape |
| 裸絞め | hadakajime | rear naked choke; sleeper hold |
| 左上手 | hidariuwate | left-handed outside grip (on one's opponent's belt) |
| 左四つ | hidariyotsu | hold in which both wrestlers obtain an underarm grip with the left hand and an over-arm grip with the right |
| 隠遁術 | intonjutsu | Ninja art of escape |
| 右上手 | migiuwate | right-handed outside grip (on one's opponent's belt) |
| 右四つ | migiyotsu | hold in which both wrestlers obtain an underarm grip with the right hand and an overarm grip with the left |
| 両差し | morozashi | deep double underarm grip which prevents the opponent from grabbing the belt |
| 四つ身 | yotsumi | cross-grips (situation in which each rikishi has an underarm grip on the other) |
| 腕を返す | kainaokaesu | to place one's arms under those of the opponent and lift them up, in order to prevent an overhand grip on one's mawashi |
23 terms in total on the holds and pins page.
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q117039132 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.