judo inside leg trip

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All Judo Foot Techniques (Ashi-Waza)

Asi-waza (foot/leg techniques) belong to the Throwing techniques (Nage-waza) group. There are different types of leg throwing techniques (Ashi Waza), these include those sweeping, reaping and hooking. The ashi-waza techniques are not easy to master but when performed right these are some of the most magnificent throws in the whole of Judo.

Here is the list of all Foot Techniques (Ashi-Waza):

• Hiza Guruma (Knee Wheel)
• Kosoto Gake (Small Outside Hook)
• Kosoto Gari (Small Outside Hook)
• Kouchi Gari (Minor Inner Reaping)
• O Guruma (Large Wheel)
• Okuriashi Harai (Following Foot Sweep)
• Ouchi Gari (Major Inner Reaping)
• Ouchi Gaeshi (Major Inner Reversal)
• Osoto Gari (Major Outer Reaping)
• Osoto Gaeshi (Osotogari Counter)
• Osoto Guruma (Larger Outer Wheel)
• Osoto Otoshi (Larger Outer Drop)
• Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi (Lifting Pulling Ankle Prop)
• Tsubame Gaeshi (Flight Reversal)
• Uchimata (Inner Thigh Throw)
• Ashi Guruma (Leg Wheel)
• Deashi Harai (Forward Foot Sweep)
• Hane Goshi Gaeshi ( Hip Spring Counter)
• Harai Goshi Gaeshi (Hip Sweep Counter)
• Harai Tsurikomi Ashi (Lifting Pulling Foot Sweep)

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• Glossary of Judo terms

Glossary of Judo waza (techniques) terms

Ouchi-gari (large inner reap).

This is a representative Judo Waza in which the attacker moves straight into the opponent's chest.

Features of this Waza

The Ouchi-gari (Large inner reap) consists of moving straight into the opponent's chest, and then executing a leg reap from the inner side to throw the opponent onto his back.

Waza details

From the natural posture, Tori (Player executing technique) takes a step forward while pulling Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) toward him, then moves his Support leg forward behind his advanced leg. Although Tori (Player executing technique) leg is at right angles to Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) at this point, Tori (Player executing technique) makes sure that his chest is squarely facing Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) chest. Tori (Player executing technique) pulls Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) body snugly against his own, then, while destabilizing Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) balance with his Tsurite (Lifting hand), Tori (Player executing technique) places his reaping foot at the inner side of Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) leg in preparation for the reap. The foot reap can be performed in two different ways when executing the Ouchi-gari (Large inner reap). One way is swing the reaping foot in a half circle in order to spread Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) legs and destabilize his balance. The other way is to engage Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) leg with the reaping foot, and reap Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) foot while hopping several times on one leg in the backward direction The Tsurite (Lifting hand) can also be used in different ways. Tori (Player executing technique) can use his Tsurite (Lifting hand) to pull the collar of Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) uniform downward to destabilize his balance, or he can destabilize Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) by pushing Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) shoulder. The "pulling the collar downward" method is advantageous for a small-statured combatant when facing a larger opponent. Because the Ouchi-gari (Large inner reap) is used to destabilize the opponent in the backward direction, Tori (Player executing technique) can feign a forward-throw Waza, and when Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) moves backward to protect himself, Tori (Player executing technique) can execute this Ouchi-gari (Large inner reap). This Waza can also be applied as a transition to another Waza.

Waza usage tip

• Although a foot reap is usually applied to the opponents lower leg (below the calf), the opponent will be able to free his leg if the foot reap position is too low.
• When destabilizing Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) by pulling downward with the Tsurite (Lifting hand), Tori (Player executing technique) must pull Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) collar strongly as if to pull off his uniform. This ensures that the arms of both opponents are directly opposed to each other, making it more difficult for Uke (Player receiving opponent's attack) to escape. Tori (Player executing technique) then pulls downward with his Hiki-te (Pulling hand).
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3 Fundamental No-Gi BJJ Takedowns

When it comes to takedowns, much like submissions, you want to create chains; therefore if one doesn’t work out, there is another one you can try from a failed outcome. The biggest crossover sport when it comes to No-Gi jiu jitsu is wrestling. Wrestling and grappling are very similar and can often overlap in parts that you can use to your advantage.

If you are a guard puller, that is fine, but if you train martial arts for self-defense (should that situation ever arise) you are going to need to know how to take someone to the ground in order for you to start working your submissions. Every grappler should be able to play the stand up game, and therefore have a few throws and takedowns secured under their belt and if you don’t, then you need to start learning.

The simplest takedowns are the single leg and the double leg takedowns when it comes to No-Gi. Sticking to the simple takedowns that are also highly efficient are your best bet when you aren’t that confident when it comes to the stand up game. You don’t need to know one hundred different throws and takedowns, just two or three that work well for you.

1. Single Leg

The single leg is a core part of the BJJ takedown game, and there are a few different variations too. You can also enter single leg X from the single leg takedown entry if you can’t quite get your partner down. You can also switch to a double leg. Single legs turn into double legs, and double legs can turn into single legs depending on your opponent’s reaction. They are often chained together.

Note that for BJJ and Submission Wrestling you have to be careful about putting your head to the outside of your opponent’s body because it is illegal at IBJJF competition for white belts, and it exposes you to the guillotine choke. That being said, there is no 100% safe technique, and the head-outside position can offer some very strong takedown finishes if you move quickly and pass the guard.

There are some variations that you can make on this move if your opponent is defending it well or you are finding it difficult to finish it in the traditional way. You can lift their leg high in the air until they have to hop and then sweep their other leg with one of your own legs, or go for the single leg X and start working your way to back attacks or leg attacks.

Below is a well explained tutorial of single leg options from Lyubo Kumbarov, former 4 x Bulgarian National Champion and Wrestling coach at Roger Gracie Academy HQ in London:

2. Double Leg

The double leg takedown is one of the most common takedowns across grappling, wrestling and MMA. It is probably the first takedown most of us learnt. There are lots of different variations for the double leg, and more often than not, the biggest differences between these variations include head position (is the head to the side or in the middle of the chest) and whether you drop down to your lead knee as you shoot (the penetration step).

From a basic standpoint, the double leg requires you to create an entry with your opponents arms up, you then change levels, shoot in, and clasp behind both of their legs and take them to one side. However, there is a powerful way to defend the double-leg takedown and it’s with a sprawl. If you shoot too far away or with bad timing, your opponent will most likely sprawl and will begin snapping you down or trying to go for your back.

Once you are comfortable with the takedown, try to make sure you aren’t landing inside of your opponent’s closed guard. To avoid this try jumping off to the side as you land, and you should end up in side control. If you end up in half-guard, clasp their knees together with your arms, sprawl and do a leg hug pass.

Known as one of the top Aussie competitors of his generation, Australian grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under John Simon, Lachlan Giles explains how he does a double leg:

3. Arm Drag to Inside Trip

The arm drag gives you many options in BJJ, you can: take the back, hit submissions, and get takedowns and throws of it too. One of the most effective takedowns from the arm drag is the inside trip. Arm drags are effective because of the angles they create. BJJ Fanatics state:

“Whether it be Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling or Judo, the arm drag opens up a lot of opportunities for those that use it. Why it works in the stand up phase of grappling, is because it allows for its user to create effective angles. Those angles that open up allow for takedowns to be done easier. The take downs are easier off of the arm drag due to the fact that your opponent cannot defend as easily, since they are being attacked from an angle.”

An arm drag gives you the connection you need to begin an effective takedown and gives you the correct angle to finish that takedown. It works with both judo and wrestling style takedowns, and enhances their success rate.

The inside leg trip is a great Judo style takedown that can be achieved from the arm drag. Once you have secured the arm drag you hook the back of their leg with your inside leg whilst putting your weight forward (/onto) your opponent. You can do the trip while standing up like a sweeping reap, or you can do the trip with your inside knee touching the ground.

After your opponent is taken down, you are able to use a knee slice pass and get right to side control or if you have managed to keep your weight centered you could land in mount.

Below Judo black belt, 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Fernando “Tererê” Augusto and X6 ADCC world champion André Galvão demonstrates how he executes the arm drag :

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BJJ Purple Belt living in, London, England. I began training BJJ back in 2017, when I was at university, and have trained ever since. #OSS Instagram: @journowynne

Lucy Wynne has 196 posts and counting. See all posts by Lucy Wynne

11 Best Judo Techniques To Use for MMA

Last Updated: Sep 30, 2022 | Martial Arts

Judo is a martial art focused on grappling and is commonly practiced today. On the other hand, mixed martial arts (MMA) is a relatively modern form of unarmed combat. This begs the question: What techniques (if any) can a judo practitioner bring with them into an MMA contest?

Judo has plenty of techniques and moves often used in MMA competitions. Inside trips, foot sweeps, and Ura Nage are all used in high-level MMA bouts. Fighters use judo techniques to control fights and put their opponent on the ground from a standing or clinched position.

This piece will look at the most effective judo moves in MMA contests. We’ll explore the techniques mentioned and explain why they’re effective in MMA, a combat sport with vastly different rules and regulations from judo. But first, we’ll briefly explain what sets these two fight disciplines apart.

Table of Contents

The Differences Between Judo and MMA

The most significant difference between judo and MMA is striking . Punches, kicks, knees, and elbows are a substantial part of MMA but will generally get you disqualified if used in competitive judo. Judo, on the other hand, focuses on controlling an opponent with grappling techniques on the feet and the ground.

Grappling is also a significant element of MMA. However, as strikes are also allowed, fighters must use specific grappling techniques to avoid sustaining damage.

Judo techniques are excellent for this as they mainly consist of throwing an opponent to the floor while the fighter and their opposition are in close contact.

Students of judo can go on to have excellent MMA careers as long as they receive training in other aspects of the sport like striking. A prime example of a judoka (judo expert) that has also conquered MMA is UFC legend, Ronda Rousey.

Ronda Rousey won bronze in judo at the Olympics at 21 years old before switching to MMA. Where she went on to become the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, her judo skills led to some impressive victories while defending her championship.

Best Judo Techniques for MMA

Now that you know the differences between judo and MMA (specifically, the techniques and rules that set the two apart), it’ll be easier to explain which judo techniques transfer best to MMA bouts. Without further ado, let’s go into 11 judo techniques that MMA fighters can also use.

1. Body Lock Trip

Body lock trips are standard practice in MMA, especially by judo experts and wrestlers. To fully understand this technique, you must first understand the body lock position.

A body lock is when you and your opponent are on your feet, and your arms are wrapped around their body while keeping your body close to theirs. This position is excellent for gaining control of your opponent. However, that while you’re in the body lock position, you’ll need to make another move to gain power.

This is where the trip comes in. While you’re latched on to your opponent’s body, you use your leg to hook your opponent’s leg. Next, you push all your weight onto your opponent while they are off balance. This causes them to fall back, giving you complete control over the ground.

UFC hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov often used this technique to dominate his opposition.

2. Inside Leg Sweep

The inside leg sweep is another judo maneuver MMA fighters love to use. This technique involves sweeping the leg underneath your opponent, causing them to fall to the ground quickly.

Inside leg sweeps typically come from the clinch or by a fighter who is attempting a takedown but has failed to do so. Inside leg sweeps happen when a fighter quickly moves a leg out from underneath their opponent by placing one of their legs between their opponent’s legs and moving it to one side or the other.

Fighters can use the inside leg sweep to put their opponent on their back while remaining on their feet. Alternatively, the fighter can go to the ground with their opponent to gain a dominant position or pull off a submission.

3. Harai Goshi

Harai Goshi is a hip toss maneuver that has its roots in judo. This technique is deployed by a fighter while in an upright clinched position. When pulled off correctly, this move will leave the opponent on the floor and offer the fighter an excellent opportunity to attempt a submission.

An effective Harai Goshi consists of throwing an opponent across your body, using your hips to put them off balance, while relying on your body weight to do the heavy lifting. However, before a fighter can start the throw, they must first gain an overarm position , where their arm is on top while gripping their opponent with their hand.

The overarm position allows the fighter to easily transition to a headlock when the two fighters hit the floor. While street fighters and high school bullies often use headlocks to little effect, a headlock performed by a judoka is a devastating move that could end a fight.

4. Osato Gori

Osato Gori is one of the original judo throws and a crucial skill for any judo practitioner seeking to transition to MMA. Osato Gori is a technique that involves tripping your opponent while using a collar hold and hip toss.

Osato Gori starts with one fighter standing directly opposed to another. One fighter will place their arms across onto their opponents’ shoulders in a collar grab or clinch. From this position, the fighter will step to the side and put their outside leg around their opponents.

The fighter must transfer their body weight across their keg, throwing the opponent off balance. The move finishes with the fighter in a dominant position on the ground. This move is an effective takedown in MMA, especially against clinch fighters.

Check out this short YouTube clip of an Osato Gori:

5. Uchi Mata Defense

The Uchi Mata is likely one of the most common judo moves practiced throughout MMA. However, there are two versions of the Uchi Mata on display. The first variety of Uchi Mata that we will examine is the defensive Uchi Mata. 

A defensive Uchi Mata is a counter-attacking move that counters your opponent’s offense and turns offense on your opponent. This defensive maneuver is typically used to defend against single-leg takedowns — often with dramatic and effective results.

The Uchi Mata defensive moves come after your opponent attempts to take you down. Now they have their arms in a lock around your waist, attempting to bring you to the ground once more.

To use an Uchi Mata defense, you must move to the side, so you and your opponent are side-to-side. Next, swing your bodyweight forward while swinging your leg back into your opponent’s leg. This will leave them with one leg in the air and off balance.

Now all you need to do is push your bodyweight sharply to the side or bring your keg back down as you move your opponent over. This skill is excellent for shifting momentum in an MMA fight.

6. Uchi Mata Offense

Now that you know about the defensive Uchi Mata , it’s time to take a look at this move in the offense. The Uchi Mata offense is a devastating technique that can put an opponent on their back with lightning speed.

To attempt an offensive Uchi Mata, a fighter must approach their opponent and engage in a clinch. Next, you need to hook your leg around your opponent’s leg, and you’ll go backward. This will put your opponent off balance. Finally, you throw your body weight in one direction, tipping your opponent over.

This technique can be launched from a unique position or when you and your opponent are engaged in a clinch. It’s highly effective for controlling fights and gaining the opportunity to attack using submissions.

7. De Ashi Harai

The De Ashi Harai is often referred to as a forward foot sweep and is a traditional move in judo. While this is technically a sweep, it’s also a throw than can quickly put an opponent on the floor. This move would be helpful for an MMA fighter chasing a submission as it places your opponent in a vulnerable position.

To pull off this skill, the fighter must wait for their opponent to move either forwards or backward. As their opponent moves, the fighter swipes the foot of their opponent just as it touches or lifts from the ground during a stride.

Simultaneously, the fighter must throw their body weight forward into their opposition. The result of this technique should leave their opponent in a heap on the floor and unsure about what just happened to them.

8. Inside Trip

The inside leg trip is another judo technique that’s pretty similar to the body lock trip, except for one significant difference: You don’t need to have a body lock to use this technique. Instead, the inside trip can be deployed from an upright clinch position or as part of a combination that starts with striking the opponent.

Inside trips work when a fighter can hook their opponent’s leg with their leg while simultaneously transferring their weight forwards with force. This pushes their opponent off balance until they hit the floor on their back.

The fighter who performed the trip will land on the ground with their opponent. However, they will be on top and in a great position to capitalize. This technique is popular with many grapplers in MMA, as this technique is also found in wrestling and BJJ, among other martial arts.

9. Ushiro Goshi

Ushiro Goshi is also known as the back hip throw. This technique turns defense into offense when your opponent is attempting to throw you to the ground. As a result, it’s an excellent skill for technical grapplers seeking to swing the tide of the contest to take control of the situation.

An Ushiro Goshi happens when the opponent attempts to throw the fighter while standing in front of them. As the opponent pulls the fighter forward for the throw, the fighter will plant their feet in a firm stance and pull their bodyweight backward away from their opponent.

The fighter uses this shift in momentum along with their firm stance to throw their opponent over their legs and onto the ground beside them. This offers the opportunity to gain control on attempt submissions or land strikes over an opponent.

10. Ura Nage

Ura Nage is a judo move that’s also found in other martial arts like wrestling. However, in wrestling, this move is called a suplex . To pull off an Ura Nage, you need to get behind your opponent, with your arms wrapped around their waist, in a hunched-over posture.

The next step is to stand up while lifting the opponent directly into the air. Once the opponent is off, the fighter will fall backward to slam both their bodyweight and their opponent’s bodyweight onto the back of the head and neck of the opponent.

The force and weight of both fighters landing on the back of one fighter’s head and neck can render them unconscious or cause severe neck injuries. As a result, this technique is banned in some MMA promotions like One FC but is permitted in the UFC.

11. Ippon Seoi Nage

Ippon Seoi Nage is an ancient judo technique that’s classified as a hand throw. This move produces a dramatic spectacle that takes a fighter from a dominant standing position to an incredibly vulnerable ground position, which is likely why it’s so prevalent in MMA.

To complete an Ippon Seoi Nage successfully, a fighter must pull their opponent over their shoulders, up into the air, and hard back down onto the floor using their arm and the fighter’s body weight as leverage.

The end result of this skill is one fighter standing up, holding the arm of a downed opponent. This allows the fighter on their feet to launch an aggressive attack or to mount an armbar, an effective submission technique in MMA.

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3 Takedowns Every BJJ Practitioner Should Know

It’s an open secret that many pure BJJ stylists neglect their standup grappling and takedown game. 

While most of BJJ focuses on the ground fighting component of the grappling match, every match and of course, every fight, starts standing.

If you have neglected your standup and takedowns for BJJ, fear not!

In the “ Denilson’s Favorite Takedowns ” instructional, BJJ Black Belt Denilson Pimenta teaches you his top takedowns inspired by Judo, Wrestling, and Self Defense.

The full list of takedowns covered in the course is as follows:

• Guard pull to sweep
• Kata garuma
• Lapel Grip Ankle Pick
• Guard Jump Fake Out to Single Leg
• HeadLock to Hip Toss
• Bear Hug to Side Control

This article gives you a sneak peek into this amazing course on takedowns for BJJ.

We break down two of these incredibly effective takedowns delivered in the first part of the lesson, which includes all 7 different lessons each covering a specific takedown.

Guard Pull to Sweep

Guard pull to sweep is the first takedown covered by Denilson. This technique does not require a strong wrestling background or fancy setups.

Instead, it is a basic guard pull with a pre-established grip that allows you to seamlessly sweep your opponent directly off of the guard pull.

When executed correctly, you will end up immediately mounting your opponent, giving you points for the takedown as well as for establishing the mounted position.

To perform the guard pull to sweep:

• Begin standing in front of your opponent in a staggered grappling stance. Mirror your opponent’s stance, in this case the opponent has their right leg forward, so you will have your left leg forward.
• With your left hand, grab a sleeve grip on the top of your opponent’s right sleeve.
• With your right hand, take a grip on your opponent’s left lapel.
• Lift your right leg and swing your foot forward and place it on your opponent’s left hip in the crease at the top of their left thigh. At this point, you should be seated with your left foot flat on the floor and your right foot up on your opponent’s hips with the established grips. This should force your opponent to lean forward.
• Lasso your left leg around your opponent’s right arm, pull their wrist tight and establish a firm shin-on-bicep connection.
• Roll backwards to load your opponent onto your left shin and right foot until they are suspended above you.
• Continue rolling backward over your right shoulder to throw your opponent all the way over you onto their back.
• Continue your roll until you come to the top full mount position and establish control.

Although this is technically a guard pull, if you nail the initial off-basing of your opponent, the guard pull will fluidly transition into in impressive sweep and the entire sequence resembles a throw as much as a guard pull.

Kata Garuma

The Kata Garuma is essentially a fireman’s carry takedown executed in the Gi. This throw depends on a solid lapel grip and a pivot and level change to dump your opponent over the top for a highlight-reel status takedown.

To execute Kata Garuma

• Stand in front of your opponent with a mirrored stance. In this case, your opponent’s right leg is forward and your left leg is forward.
• Take a grip on your opponent’s right wrist with your left hand to dominate the top of the hand and prevent your opponent from defending your next grip.
• With your right hand, reach up and grab your opponent’s left lapel near the neck. Be sure to get a strong grip is you will use this to pull your opponent on top of you.
• Step back with your right leg and pivot 90 degrees as you drop your right knee to the mat. As you do this, pull your right hand back with your elbow flared high while maintaining your lapel grip.
• As your opponent falls forward on top of you, bail on the sleeve and reach your right hand between their legs and grab the Gi pants on the side of their left knee.
• Do a slight upward bump to roll your opponent all the way across your back until they slam down to the mat on their back.
• Maintain the lapel grip the whole time and keep your Gi pants grip as well. Use these grips to control your opponent after they land and transition to a knee-on-belly position.

Ouchi Gari is an inside leg trip from Judo that makes for a slick and effective takedown in BJJ. As with all Gi takedowns, establishing a firm connection with the lapel grip is crucial for successfully completing the takedown.

To execute Ouchi Gari:

• Begin in a staggered grappling stance matching your opponent’s foot position. In this case, both of you have your right leg forward.
• Establish a grip on their right sleeve with your left hand.
• Grip their left side collar with your right hand near your opponent’s neck.
• Step your left leg to the outside of your opponent’s forward right leg and pivot 90 degrees to your right as you pull your opponent’s lapel with your right hand. This should force your opponent to step their left leg to the side to base.
• As your opponent’s left foot plants back to the floor, hook your right calf around your opponent’s left leg from the inside. Your shin and lower leg should be very low and roughly parallel to the floor.
• With your hook in place, drive forward to knock your opponent back, tripping them with your right calf and lower leg.
• Stand up and establish your top passing position.

The key is getting your opponent to step with their left leg (using the respective positioning in this example) to set up the trip.

Anyone will see the inside trip from a mile away if you do not force them to step first.

Forcing their step boils down to having a strong, well-positioned lapel grip when you take initial outward step to start the technique.

Want to learn more? Check out Denilson’s Favorite Takedowns

After all, there is no point in being a master of ground fighting if you have zero reliable methods to actually bring the fight to the ground against a resisting and disagreeable opponent.

With the Jiujitsu.com Denison’s Favorite Takedowns instructional , you will learn some simple and effective takedowns that will boost your standup game regardless of your current takedown skills.

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The inside trip takedown for brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Takedowns are a painful subject for many folks in BJJ. It is not that we can’t learn them, or the old excuse that there are entire martial arts that revolve around takedowns and we can’t find a way to fit them all in our “busy” Jiu-Jitsu schedules. The truth is, we’re just lazy. Being lazy has its perks in Jiu-Jitsu, but not in the realm of takedowns. We can, however, be smart about them and figure out stuff that fits into BJJ standing exchanges rather than trying to learn high-percentage takedowns that work better in other grappling martial art. The inside trip takedown is the perfect example of a move tailor-made for BJJ.

The takedown game is usually perceived as a game of surprise, explosion, and speed. Instead, it is much simpler than that – it is a game of angles. You could certainly employ all of the above qualities in your game, but given that they’re more or less based on athleticism, they are not sustainable over a lifetime of training. Looking to exploit weaknesses by creating favorable angles and off-balancing people is a much better strategy over the long haul. The inside trip takedown will work for you in both cases, but it is much easier to set up and execute if you master the “lazier” aspects of it. It is the BJJ way after all, isn’t it?

The Inside Trip Takedown – Mechanics

Apart from the fact that it doesn’t require you to explode into penetration steps or crazy exchanges, the inside trip takedown has another specific quality that makes it perfect for BJJ and MMA. It works from the clinch , which is pretty much where we find ourselves in both Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. Unlike wrestling, the danger of strikes in MMA and the presence of the Gi in BJJ guarantee people engage in a clinch-like fashion. Setting up double legs from the position, or even certain Judo throws oftentimes proves to be extremely hard. The easy way out, or rather down, is via the inside trip takedown.

Let’s start by looking at the mechanics of the inside trip takedown by dividing it into upper and lower body mechanics. While I did mention a clinch it doesn’t necessarily have to be any specific clinch position. As long as people are connected at the upper body level, you can look for the inside trip takedown . A usual set up involves an over-under , which allows you to push/pull an opponent into any desired direction. It is the rotational control that allows you to pivot an opponent straight into the inside trip. On that note, the underhook side is the one that matters most.

Finishing mechanics is easy. You have great balance because you’re in a bladed stance, while your opponent is more square. Entangling your front leg with the leg they step forward (at knee level, heel to the outside) is all you need to undermine their balance. And upper body push is all it takes to tumble anyone over to the floor.

Entry Options

The most important aspect of the inside trip takedown is not the mechanics. You can master those in a week, and keep them crisp with constant drills. It is the entry that will take more training than anything . That is where those angles I talked about earlier really come into play.

First and foremost, you have motion. Getting to the clinch in a way that allows you to be safe and set up the inside trip takedown involves is what determines its success most of the time. Two things make or break the motion when looking for an inside trip – a bladed stance , and the proper grip structure to give you the advantage. The over/under described above was just an example. In reality, you like to crate dominant angles by body locking, or going for an arm drag to set the inside trip takedown up.

What Comes Next?

The inside trip takedown is an easy one to implement in your game. It works in Gi, in No-Gi, it is very useful in MMA and any other grappling situation you might find yourself in. Khabib Nurmagomedov , Alexander Volkanovski , Yoel Romero are just some of the fighters that have had immense success with it . Try and introduce it to your takedown game and use angles and tactics over speed and power to get people down to the mat.

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How to use the Judo Kuchiki Taoshi throw

The kuchiki taoshi is a Judo throw that literally translates to English as ‘One hand drop’. This is because it relies on using your hand to drop the opponent backward by holding behind their knee. The kuchiki taoshi has many similarities to the ankle pick takedown that is popularly used in wrestling. However, there are several key differences as the kuchiki taoshi is a gi technique and actually doesn’t pick the ankle. Further, the kuchiki taoshi can be finished by using your inside leg to also trip the opponent’s other leg. Like many Judo techniques, it uses momentum and direction to trap the opponent into giving you dominant grips. From there, you can successfully set up the throw and start attacking.

It should be noted that as this throw grabs the leg, it is technically illegal in Judo. This was due to the IJF making all leg grips illegal. Sadly, the kuchiki taoshi was included in this even though it is perfectly safe. Because of this, it is ideal for randori, other martial arts, and self-defense. However, it cannot be used in a Judo competition.

Table of Contents

Setting up the kuchiki taoshi

Starting with your typical Judo grips and stance, you should begin by moving the opponent back and forward. In general, this is a good practice to get into as it is an aggressive philosophy and can later be used to set up attacks. In the case of the kuchiki taoshi, having the opponent move back and forward is particularly important later on.

To start the throw, you should begin by pushing the uke backward – this is done by charging forward with a grip on the collar and another grip on their elbow. Next, you should walk back and allow the opponent to come forward. Naturally, most people will react to being pushed back by coming forward. This is because if you keep pushing them back, eventually they will lose balance and fall, especially if their upper body weight leans back over their heels. This is important to know and understand with the kuchiki taoshi as when they push back, you then let go of the elbow grip. With this grip, you then duck and grab the back of the opponent’s leg, behind their knee.

Specifically speaking, when pushing forward, your leg on the side of the elbow grip should step forward. This may sound obvious, but in doing this, you will project the opponent backward. With this leg, you should then step back as they respond by coming toward you. This will create space and allow you to level change. Although level changing is mostly a wrestling idea, it is used with the kuchiki taoshi as it is similar to the ankle pick after all. A lot of newer Judoka will focus on the upper body push and pull mechanics, but your leg and footwork are equally as important during the kuchiki taoshi.

Finishing the kuchiki taoshi

By drawing the opponent into you, you are effectively setting a trap. With their lead leg too far forward, you can then let go of your elbow grip and grab behind the back of the knee. Remember, if the opponent doesn’t react in the right way, then this throw cannot be used. Basically, you’re relying on them to over-commit to stepping forward. If their lead leg is too far back, then it isn’t worth bothering using the kuchiki taoshi. Like all moves in Judo, it is situational and can’t be forced.

Once you have the grip behind the knee, you then twist your body slightly which will in turn twist the body of the opponent. To do this, you should punch with your collar grip. This punch shouldn’t just be going forward, it should also be going to the side, in the direction of the leg that you’re grabbing. The idea of this is to force the opponent’s upper body beyond their heel. As mentioned earlier, this is an important concept as if their weight doesn’t lean back enough, they simply won’t fall backward. Similarly, if you pushed someone from behind, you would need their weight to go beyond their toes, otherwise they wouldn’t fall.

With your other hand, you should be doing a similar movement. This involves not only pulling the leg toward you but also twisting it to your collar grip. Basically, you aren’t just pulling and pushing, but you’re also directing their body like a steering wheel motion. This motion is commonly used in Judo and for good reason. By steering the opponent, it twists their body awkwardly and helps aid the throw. You may be able to throw an inexperienced opponent with sloppy technique, but against someone with good defense and base it may not be as easy.

Once the opponent has hit the floor, you can keep hold of the leg and punch your arm into the ground whilst holding the collar. This will hopefully pin the opponent’s back to the floor with you on top of them. In Judo, it is possible to get an Ippon from this. Similarly, in BJJ, you will score a takedown and be in a good position to start passing.

Finishing the kuchiki taoshi with a tripping variation

As ever in Judo, there is more than one way to use certain moves. In the case of the kuchiki taoshi, sometimes your opponent will defend the original attack so you will need to improvise. For instance, if you are holding the leg and pushing back yet they still won’t fall, then you will need to change your attack.

To do this, you can then use your leg on the side of the collar grip. This can be used to trip the standing leg of the opponent, either by a foot sweep or an inside trip. Regardless of your choice, the idea of the move is to remove the free leg from the floor. With this done, you will have removed both feet from the floor and should be able to finish the throw. Using this variation is especially useful against strong, tricky opponents.

However, using this method in BJJ is not as advisable. A typical counter to this variation would be to jump guard. The issue with this is that you wouldn’t score takedown points. Similarly, jumping guard can be seen as dangerous due to the chance of injury. This is because you’re effectively carrying the weight of the opponent’s entire body by your legs. Whilst guard jumping is legal, it still has a reputation. The main issue with getting jumped on with the kuchiki taoshi is that typically you will be at an angle to hit the throw. Due to being at an angle, you will even more exposed as the opponent’s weight is targeted towards only one side of your body. This is less than wise as you ideally want the opponent to jump on all of your lower body to spread weight distribution.

Thoughts on the kuchiki taoshi

Other than the prospect of guard jumping, the kuchiki taoshi is a safe throw to attempt. Both in terms of injury and also in terms of strategy, it has very few problems. Typically, most people may attempt to defend the kuchiki taoshi without countering it. Because of this, it is an ideal throw to learn. Further, if you do train wrestling, even without the gi – the kuchiki taoshi also has a good cross over. This is because mechanically, it is similar to the ankle pick. Although the entry is different without the gi and you hold the ankle instead of behind the knee, it is physically very similar. As a result, learning the kuchiki taoshi will also improve your wrestling abilities .

In conclusion, the kuchiki taoshi is a solid throw to learn with no downsides. Unlike other Judo moves, it isn’t overly elaborate, nor is it particularly a high-energy move. Lastly, the kuchiki taoshi works in part due to its simplicity. It can work by tempting overly-aggressive opponents into lunging toward you and alternatively it can also be used against passive opponents who react in the correct way. Due to this, it can also be considered as a throw for all occasions.

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Category: Judo

5 ways to counter the inside leg trip.

• Post author By Fighterside
• Post date February 9, 2021

The inside leg trip is a technique favored by many fighters of all shapes, sizes and stances, largely due to its huge effectiveness in taking down an opponent. Learning to counter this should be a key weapon in the arsenal of any fighter – knowing how to avoid this deadly attack can offer a real advantage, and help you to gain the upper hand in any fight.

The top 5 techniques we will use to counter the inside leg trip are:

• Ouchi Gaeshi
• Kosoto Gari
• Uchi Mata Sukashi
• Keep A Low Stance

We will now review these top 5 techniques to counter the inside leg, allowing you to be ready and prepared for any fight.

The ouchi gaeshi is a movee which originated from the sport of judo, and which has found its way into the world of MMA, becoming something of a niche option for those with the ability. It is a counter throw, designed to combat an ouchi gari, and can be a great way to throw your opponent off balance both physically and psychologically, allowing you to gain the upper hand before they have any idea what is coming.

This move is best applied as your opponent comes in for the inside leg trip; one of the key aspects is to be able to retain your balance here, allowing you to react instantly, and use the other fighters momentum against them. As the opponent approaches, pull your left hand in as you turn the torso, using the momentum to unbalance your opponent. At the same time, you can use your other foot to sweep away the heel of the other fighter, ensuring that they land in the place they intended to throw you. The main goal is to control the weight of the other person, redirecting the intended attack, and ensuring that any momentum misses you and is transferred to them, increasing the strength of the move. This can be a tricky move, and so it is important to practice and ensure that you are totally confident before trying it out in the ring.

Kosoto gari is another option for countering an inside leg trip and again, this is a move which gains its origins from judo. This is a technique which is a really all about timing, and which can counter an attempt to trip you with minimal effort on your part. You can strike as the opponent steps forward and is about to plant their foot to trip you, or, alternatively, as they begin a withdrawal with the forward foot, as though in retreat – the motion helps increase the vulnerability of the other individual, allowing their balance to be more easily manipulated.

In short, the kosoto gari works by removing the food the opponent is depending on to regain balance after stepping. As they move, you can sweep the foot away, aiming towards the direction of the toes, causing the foot to slip forward, removing balance, and taking the opponent down. Weight is important here; you will need to ensure that all of your weight goes into the move, helping to speed up the fall, and reducing the chance of escape. You will also need to be quick and agile, as well as remaining close to your opponent – this increases your chances of pulling off the move before your enemy works out what is happening, allowing you to get them on the mat before a defense can be prepared.

Ura nage is often referred to as a ‘sacrifice throw’ – it requires you to throw yourself into the air along with your opponent in order to successfully complete the move. In the simplest terms, this is a back throw which consists of getting your opponent from behind in a ‘hug’ before throwing him backwards behind your body and onto the mat. It can be used as an opponent comes in to try and hook one of your legs, aiming to go for the inside trip. Grab the back of the body in a ‘hug’ movement, bending your knees to prevent the legs from being hooked.

Strength is the key here – you will need to shift your centre of gravity backwards, allowing you to pull the other fighter up towards your stomach, then use the knees to twist and throw the opponent behind you. Alternatively, the move can be carried out from the front – this requires you to bend your knees, getting your body low, and then driving yourself forward and into the chest of the opponent, allowing you to gain the ‘hugging’ position. It should be noted that this move requires a great deal of strength to execute correctly, as well as a solid understanding of technique, to avoid risk of damage to your back and knees. If this is something you plan to try, practice with an experienced fighter before heading out into the ring.

Uchi mata sukashi is another secret weapon which can be brought out if the moment presents itself. The concept is fairly simple; you simply wait for your opponent to approach, sidestep at the right moment, and then use their momentum to throw them, allowing you to gain the advantage.

As your opponent’s attack leg comes up, their upper body will naturally go down. Your job is to dodge this attack leg – usually by pivoting out of the way by turning your body, or by lifting your own leg out of reach – throwing the opponent off balance as they continue to move forward. Allow their weight to move to the supporting leg before grabbing the arm or wrist of your opponent and pulling it forward, down and then back. The momentum of their missed trip attempt will result in them continuing to move forward into empty space, resulting in them throwing themselves into an almost totally clean circle – all with minimal effort on your part! This is a move which relies on speed, agility and the ability to spot an opportunity, and can be a great addition to your toolkit.

It may seem deceptively simple, but a powerful low stance can be one of the greatest tools to combat an inside leg swing – if carried out correctly. This gives you a solid basis and grounding, and forms the foundation of many of the moves you carry out from a standing position – getting a handle on them lower down only improves your skills.

The feet are the first consideration here, and the most popular options for fighters tends to be a square stance – feet on the same horizontal plane – or split stance – one leg in one of the other. There is a time and a place for both, and you will soon get used to picking the optimum option. Next, reduce height by bending at the knees and waist – this also helps to increase the power you have available, as well as make it harder for opponents to grab a leg, or get in for a trip. Consider the position of your arms and hands – elbows should be tight, hands out in front ready to defend, and your head should be up. It may feel unnatural at first, but you will soon start to feel more comfortable in a low stance, and this can be an amazing defense trick when you are faced with an opponent who likes to trip.

Things To Remember

Combating an inside leg trip can be a challenge – these tend to be fast, effective and lethal. With just a few adjustments to your training, however, you can really help yourself to gain the advantage and combat the move, placing the fight back in your favour.

For many of the moves we have explored here, timing is everything; you need to be able to pinpoint the exact moment of movement with total accuracy, allowing your strike to be effective. Make sure you learn to read your opponent as quickly as possible; this is a good habit to get into in any fight – and try to determine their ‘tell’ before they launch into a trip or low move – this gives you time to mount your defense.

As with any throws, good strength is crucial for allowing you to maintain a grip, and have the power to launch your opponent. Remember, this is not only upper body strength; a huge amount of power comes from the legs, so focus closely on quads, glutes, abductors and hamstrings to ensure you have the power you need for an explosive throw.

• Up close and personal

Unlike many jabs and punches, throws require you to be right up in the space of your opponent, so it is important to get comfortable with this. Also consider the nature of your enemy; it is far easier to fight close and use throws if you are shorter, but not so much if you are a taller fighter tackling someone compact and agile. Get comfortable fighting at close range, and throws could become your new best friend.

How Effective Is Judo In MMA

• Post date November 18, 2020

The question of whether Judo makes you a good MMA fighter or now has been a hot topic of debate for decades. Judokas assert that the aggressiveness of the sport makes them better fighters than many other disciplines. The quick throws and efficient takedowns make the sport much superior in many aspects. But how effective is Judo really in MMA?

To say that it is quite effective is an understatement. The explosiveness of the sport makes it a great foundation for any aspiring MMA fighter. This doesn’t mean that Judo doesn’t have flaws. But if you know what you can take and what to leave out, you will be setting yourself up for greatness in MMA.

So what do you need to leave out of Judo? And what do you need to focus on? Let’s examine this discipline closely and see how it can help you become the fighter you want to be.

Judo as a Good Foundation for MMA

Few MMA disciplines prepare you as good as Judo. With grappling at the core of the sport, you know that you’re getting a great foundation laid out when you start practicing. For one thing, the techniques of Judo are as old as time itself. They are aggressive and shall we say immortal? Even before Judo became the discipline we know it today, people have been grappling, sparring, and fighting. What Judo did was group those techniques under different categories.

And then there’s the clinch. Ask any Judoka worth their salt about the best thing they got out of Judo and they’d tell you it’s the clinch. This clinch is the basis for many techniques in MMA. This makes it easy for you to move from Judo to other MMA disciplines without issues. Furthermore, you will go into any discipline with a strong background that makes you shine in a short time.

And let’s not forget about the underhooks and overhooks. Long before Judo was a thing, people have been using these techniques. When Judo established the need for a Gi for its members, grappling became more disciplined and rules were set to make it more efficient. So if you’re worried about the Gi and no-Gi issue, don’t let that deter you. You can put your Gi aside and go at your opponent in whatever discipline you choose and still come up on top.

Even the Gi was not originally part of Judo either. In the very early days of the discipline, the Judokas used to wear kimonos. That’s the traditional Japanese garb that all respectable people wore at the time. What that tells you is that the Gi is not an essential aspect of the sport. It won’t impact your skills as an MMA fighter whether you wear a Gi or not. 

Improvements to Judo

But that doesn’t mean that Judo is a perfect sport. Far from it. The discipline is still weighed down with some techniques and rules that prevent it from becoming a more popular choice for MMA fighters. One of those things is obviously the Gi. It’s such an integral part of the techniques and grappling in Judo that many Judokas can’t imagine fighting someone not wearing a Gi.

It’s undoubtedly the biggest hurdle that you need to get over when you finally make the move from Judo to other MMA sports. Your first thought would be how can I grapple with someone wearing a rashguard? Where’s the lapel to grip and shake them by the root? But, hey, you’re a Judoka, you have plenty of other techniques in your proverbial sleeve that you can use. You have the clinch, the underhook, and the overhook. If you’re good at all of these, that’s all you need to take down your opponent no matter what they are wearing. 

The other issue is of course the distance. In Judo the distance between you and your opponent is not the same as in other MMA sports. Now you need to realign yourself and start to think about this new space that separates you from your rival. Your opponent might not weigh as much as you, nor do they have the same skills, but they are faster. They are nimble on their feet and can cover any space in a fraction of a second. 

There’s no doubt that Judo is different. Its pace is slower and it is more intellectual than other sports. By that I mean, you spend more time sizing up your opponent and looking for vulnerabilities than other sports like wrestling. In wrestling, you’re always on the move and either parrying or launching an offensive. So that’s something else that you need to adjust to.

Does Judo Help?

Absolutely. All the techniques we have covered so far give you a great advantage over other MMA fighters who have zero background in Judo. But you still have your work cut out for you. Let’s delve deeper and in more detail about what you need to do to get the most out of your Judo training and implement it in the new MMA sport.

With no Gi to grip, you need to rely on other ways to spar with your opponent with the need to grip something. As we mentioned you can use underhooks, overhooks, and clinching. You also need to put aside everything you have learned about the starting positions and initial moves. These will not help you much since you’re dealing with a totally different sport with new rules and score system. 

You always started your Judo sparring using your hands to grapple. Now you need to unlearn that and learn other techniques. It might be difficult since you’re used to feeling that rough texture in your hands and to some degree, it became associated with your mental game as well. So put aside your Gi and start sparring without it. See how far you can go using those other techniques before you subconsciously start looking for a non-existent Gi to grab.

Bad Positions

The throws of Judo are legendary. You know how to grip your opponent, heave, and throw them down. And of course, the opponent will do the same to you. Your shoulder probably still aches whenever you remember that forceful throw you received a few years back. And that’s the whole point here. It’s those bad throws and how when they fail, can leave you vulnerable.

Failed throws often backfire spectacularly. While in Judo you might have time to recover and get yourself up and ready again. But in other MMA sports that fraction of a second where you are vulnerable is all the opponent needs to take you down and finish the match. Think about your exposed back when you attempt a head and arm throw that doesn’t go the way you had planned it. 

That’s another situation where the underhook might come in handy and help you when the throw fails. If you have noticed we have mentioned the underhook along with other Judo techniques a lot. That’s because they are powerful weapons in your arsenal that you need to take full advantage of. Apart from the Gi part, almost everything else you learn as a Judoka will help you become a better MMA fighter. 

Grappling and shaking your opponents by the roots is one thing, but the ability to deliver powerful strikes that take them down and give you a great advantage is a whole different ball game. While Judo will make you a master of the first, it hardly prepares you for the second part. And you need both. You need the sparring with the throws and the strikes. 

Of course your opponent will not let you get near them so easily. Once you come within arm’s reach that’s when the kicking and hitting start. You’ll be punished heavily before you lay your hands on your rival. So if you plan to take them down Judo style, you’d better be ready to pay a heavy price for it.

Or you could just learn how to strike and give your opponent as much as you get. This not only will help you get close to the opponent but the strikes will actually create an opening for you to get a clinch and build on your advantage. 

To say that Judo builds your defense techniques alone sells the sport short. As a Judoka you have an ability to size up your opponent from a standing position and throw them off balance by attacking their centerline. Few other disciplines are just as powerful as Judo in this respect. 

The bottom line is, if you have a strong background in Judo, then you are more than qualified to start down another MMA sport and use all the techniques that you have learned from Judo to become a successful MMA fighter. 

Benefits of Cross-Training Judo & BJJ

• Post date August 19, 2020

Both Judo and BJJ are similar in some ways but different in many others. While they share the same branch of the MMA family tree, Judo is more focused on self-defense and how you can take down and control an opponent much larger than you. BJJ on the other hand is all about grappling and being more on the offensive.

As a BJJ player, taking a few Judo classes can make a great difference to your game. For one thing, Judo supplements your BJJ practice and improves your ground skills. It also takes your tactics, grappling, attacks, and grips to a whole new level. 

It’s interesting to note that most practitioners who do the cross-training are BJJ crossing over to Judo not the other way round. That’s because the rules of Judo are both ancient and inflexible, unlike BJJ. So Judo players hesitate to dabble in BJJ for fear of messing with their training and techniques. The same doesn’t apply to BJJ players who gain a lot from cross-training. So what exactly would you expect to gain from Judo training?

Tactical Advantage

Say what you like about the techniques that fill up the BJJ classes, books, and videos. When it comes to having a tactical advantage, you need to look elsewhere. Why? It’s not because BJJ as a discipline is not enough. But since everyone is exposed to the same methodology, only those who expand their horizons and skills with an extra helping of something extracurricular would stand out and have an advantage.

And that’s exactly what you’d be looking for when you do Judo cross-training. BJJ gives you ample practice in the top game. But what about the ground game? Let’s conjure up a scenario. You’re on the mat and opposite you is a rival that you know is an excellent top game player. He or she grapples like the best of them and has a death-like grip that will squeeze the life out of you. So what do you do?

Why, you take the game to the ground as fast as you can of course. And you better hope that player doesn’t dominate on the ground game as much as they do in the top game. Which brings us to the point I have been trying to make. When you train in Judo, your ground game becomes something totally different than you’d expect from someone who’s been confining their training to BJJ. 

So if we reversed the scenario and you were the one dominating the ground game, your opponent will try to keep you off the ground as long as they can. But that’s not easy, and you soon will have the opportunity to demonstrate all your tactics that you have honed with Judo training. In tightly contested competitions when you and your opponent are on the same level, a small advantage can be all you need to dominate and get your submission.

Plug your BJJ Flaws

OK, so nobody is perfect. No matter how hard you practice and how many classes you attend a week, your game will always have holes in it. Even BJJ brow belts are surprised to find that they still hold on to misconceptions that they learned back in the old days of white belt classes. One of the main reasons why those flaws stick with you for so many years is because you never took the time to examine them with a critical eye.

For one thing, you’re always learning new techniques and honing your skills under the same discipline. So if you have to pick up a bad technique you’ll not know that it’s bad. You’re always adding new techniques and variations on old techniques. You don’t have the time to go through the old list and weed out the obsolete stylings that are acting as a hindrance. Until you attend a few classes in a different discipline like Judo. Then it comes as a revelation to you. You’ve been doing it wrong all these years.

Because Judo does things differently, it acts as a magnifying glass that exposes those flaws and makes them visible and clear. So what kind of game changes can you expect when you cross-train in Judo? Well, for starters, you’ll improve your attacks. Judokas are known for their fierce if also calculated attacks. Just mix it up with a Judoka and see how easily they can make you regret even agreeing to face them on the mat. 

You also get to improve yourself in a general way. By that I mean you become a well-rounded player. You don’t just know a few techniques and can execute them flawlessly. You can handle yourself well and get yourself out of any situation that seems impossible to escape from. As I said, Judo makes you take a good look at your practice in BJJ and evaluate your whole approach to the discipline.

It’s All in the Grip

Of all the things that Judokas are famous for, their grip is one that has gone down the ages and become part of the folklore. You might find it hard to imagine that in Judo they don’t teach them a way to make their hands stronger beyond our human understanding. But it’s just the discipline that makes those fierce grips so pincer-like.

In Judo, a grip is half the game. The stronger grip usually prevails. If you have a strong grip you can take the game any direction you like. So what does that have to do with your BJJ game? Well, as it turns out, almost everything. An iron grip allows you to take the game to the ground any time you want where you can dominate your opponent with your Judo techniques.

Grips and throws go hand in hand. And they both build you from the ground up. You become a strong player both physically and mentally. Your mental game goes up a few notches when you hold your opponent, stare them in the eye, and know that you have a full repertoire of moves that will get them to the ground. When you do that, you become a mentally tough player, hard to shake, and harder to beat.

Be on the Offensive

As we all know, BJJ is a self-defense sport. It teaches you to counter any attack from any thug in the street even if they outweigh you. While that is a good thing, it doesn’t make you the kind of aggressive player that you want to be. It makes you a superb counter player. You wait for the other person to make the first move then you neutralize it, control their movement and render them harmless. But what if you want to launch the attack?

On the matt, in a competition, or while passing through a tough neighborhood, you don’t want to wait for an attack. For all you know the mugger could have a knife or a gun. You need to act first and take them down before they have a chance to use their weapon. That’s what Judo instills in you. That fighting spirit that goes on the attack without waiting for the rival to take the initiative.

In Judo you can’t be passive. It’s a flaw in the Judoka technique if they wait for the other player to take the initiative. So a few classes of Judo will take away that passiveness from you and make you look for an opportunity to seize the day as they say. You won’t waste time waiting. You get right to it and set the course for your offensive action.

And you know what that means to your BJJ game. You force the opponent to play your game. Most often they get in a defensive mode and wait for you to steer the game anywhere you like. That’s not a bad thing. A passive player is easy to submit.

Better Newaza

And last but not least, your Judo training makes you better at Newaza. It’s all about the transitions. You’re not getting to the ground then wondering what to do next. You already got the whole thing planned out while you were still on your feet. Judo is fast-paced as a game teaches you to think fast and think ahead. 

This gives you an advantage over your opponent. While they’re still figuring out a defense to your current move, you’re already three or four moves ahead. Think of the tactical advantages you gain from that. That’s what Judo cross-training can give you and much more.

Is Judo Newaza The Same As BJJ?

• Post date July 19, 2020

When it comes to Judo and BJJ, the jury is out. People of either camp tend to stick to their guns and adhere to the most contradictory notions. The Judo team consider themselves the real thing while BJJ practitioners flaunt the changes they introduced to the older system.

Newaza is one of those contentious topics where the two sports claim to have a more superior version. Admittedly, BJJ borrowed many of its principles and techniques from Judo, but when it comes to ground techniques, Newaza in BJJ is by far much more effective and powerful than its counterpart in Judo. It is often maintained that a few months’ worth of training in BJJ will get you just as good in ground techniques and grappling as a Judoka with 3 years of training under their belt.

To be fair, each sport has something to be proud of as much as Newaza and grappling, in particular, are concerned. This is why many practitioners cross-train sometimes to become well-rounded players. So what’s the deal with Newaza and why is it such an important aspect of both of those disciplines? 

What is Newaza?

The word Newaza is Japanese and is in fact two words. Ne which means ground, and waza which means technique. So Newaza means the type of techniques that you practice on the ground. No surprise there since ground work is what BJJ and Judo for that matter are all about. 

Newaza is an essential part of grappling (Katame waza) which is the defining aspect of both Judo and BJJ. With that in mind, it’s really interesting to see people arguing about which version of Newaza is better in which sport. Suffice it to say that Newaza is the cornerstone of the two disciplines and without it there would simply be no Judo or BJJ at least in the forms we know today.

The whole point of Newaza is to pin down the opponent and control their movement. To achieve that subcategories such as hold-down techniques (Osae komi waza) and joint locks (Kansetsu waza) fall under this umbrella that we know as Newaza.

In the same vein, many techniques that also aim to control the opponent such as the scarf hold (Kesa gatame) are considered part of Newaza. The four corner hold (Shiho gatame) is yet another example of a waza that was developed later but was incorporated into the more general concept of Newaza. 

Yet another technique that belongs to Newaza is the joint lock (Kansetsu waza). However, since this technique is dangerous and might result in serious injuries, it’s only allowed for adults. Younger players are banned from learning or practicing these techniques which could cause elbow injury.

The History of Newaza

Since Newaza means ground technique, the concept of going to the ground quickly to try to defeat an opponent became a widely accepted and popular one. This is especially true of players who had mastered their ground work and had a good edge in that field. 

For many people, Newaza is a recent development of MMA in general and Judo and BJJ in particular. That’s not exactly true. The fact that MMA fighters started using this technique as recently as toward the end of the 20th century doesn’t mean that Newaza doesn’t have deep roots that go all the way back to the early beginnings of Judo.

The first known master who popularized Newaza is Mataemon Tanabe, the famous Jiu Jitsu teacher. While he didn’t explicitly include it in his classes as a distinct technique, he famously used it to defeat many of his opponents.

Another master, Yataro Handa, from Osaka dedicated many classes and both his time and expertise to developing and promoting Newaza as an effective technique to holding down opponents and forcing a submission. Unfortunately, back then there was no TV and no tournaments watched by millions around the globe.

So, while many see Newaza as a rather new invention that started with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), the truth is, Newaza probably predates Judo and was a great technique that the masters of old relied on and taught in their classes on a daily basis.

Be that as it may, there is still no denying the fact that Newaza has gained prominence over other techniques both in Judo and BJJ thanks in part to the UFC fighters who wasted no time to take the fight to the ground and show off their great skills.

Technical Aspects of Newaza

Whether you’re learning about grappling or throwing, they’re both two sides of the same coin. I’m paraphrasing here the famous words of the late great Kazuzo Kudo, one of the most prolific writers in the art and techniques of Newaza.

Sometimes one can’t avoid stating the obvious. And the obvious here is that grappling is by far the cornerstone of BJJ and Judo. So why would we need to stress that fact? It’s because not all BJJ or Judo academies believe in that most important of tenets. Some teachers treat grappling as if it was the black sheep in the waza families. That is unfortunate and might explain why some players aren’t that good on the ground.

Newaza is more than just a few techniques. Its famous exploitation of the laws of dynamics in relation to velocity and motion make it a science in and of its own right. If the student spends years delving in the nuances of Newaza, that’s because it’s worth every hour spent on it. And that time isn’t wasted either. The more you learn about it, the better player you become whether you’re practicing Judo or BJJ.

What a deep study of Newaza reveals is that with motion comes imbalance and an opening for you to take control of your opponent’s body. When you’re facing your opponent and both of you are motionless, there’s balance in power and conditions. But when the opponent moves, that brings about a change in the dynamics and tips the balance in favor of one of them.

This is why when you go on the offensive, you try to keep the opponent motionless. You’re bringing balance back to a situation that is definitely in your favor. The adversary on the other hand is working on creating motion. That will give them a chance to break out of your hold and make a fluid situation out of the encounter. 

Judo Newaza

In Judo, Newaza takes a more traditional form where how you pin down your opponent is not really important as long as you know how to optimize the forces at play. By forces I mean your own body weight, the way you apply that force, and how effective your opponent is in their countermeasures.

In other words, once you have the upper hand in the situation, you turn your attention to bring the struggle to a standstill. Make it static. Render the opponent motionless. That ensures you maintain your superiority and keep your control over their body. It’s stability you’re after here. As long as you’re the attacker, you want to keep the opponent motionless and their body under control.

Your opponent is of course striving for the exact opposite of this. They’re trying to force the situation back into instability. Create motion and thus topple you and take away the advantage you have secured so far. It’s worth noting that if they manage to achieve that little goal, that can bring about a change in your fortunes. They will simply turn the tables, take the initiatives and become the attacker. And now it’s your turn to create motion and instability in the balance of forces.

BJJ takes ground techniques to new levels. The sport famously enhances the players’ skills and puts them through a gruelling regimen that makes them real masters of the ground. Building on the same principles of power stability and motion, BJJ maintains that the attacker is most in control of the situation when they’re as low to the ground and their body spread out as possible.

So if you were the attacker, then assuming a prone position means you’re in full control since that is as motionless as you can get. But how would you do that with the opponent in the equation? That’s where a strong pin down comes into play.

By keeping the opponent’s body pinned down, you’re eliminating any chance they have of forcing the struggle back into motion and fluidity. With the rival motionless, you have full control and your center of gravity is as close to the ground as possible. This in effect makes it harder for your rival to overturn you or turn the tables in their favor so to speak.

Even though both Judo and BJJ give a lot of importance to the role Newaza plays in their disciplines, BJJ has added prominent advances to the scope and strategy of ground work and techniques.

Which BJJ Submissions Are Allowed In Judo

• Post date July 12, 2020

Although BJJ is based on Judo and has its roots deep in that system, not all BJJ submissions are allowed in Judo. Of course, it helps if you have a Judo training to grasp the basics but if you’re moving from BJJ to Judo you might be surprised at how some BJJ submissions will get you disqualified in a Judo tournament. This is especially true if you go for leglocks, wrist locks, or the spine.

That said some of the BJJ submissions that are allowed in Judo include Ezequiel, cross chokes, rear naked chokes, leg or arm triangle, bow and arrow among many others. As long as you don’t use your fingers on the opponent’s throat or use your Gi skirt to choke them and force a submission, you’re on the right side of the Judo rules.

In this article, we’ll focus on some of the most common BJJ submissions that are acceptable in Judo, how to use your BJJ experience to master them, and what to watch out for in order to not get disqualified in a Judo competition.

In Ezequiel choke, you’re relying on the opponent’s wrist and Gi sleeve to force a submission. So how do you go about achieving that in Judo while also using your BJJ experience? You have to do it fast and wait for the right moment. Your motion needs to be fluid and precise. You’re going to combine the sleeve and wrist in a scissoring movement that blocks the adversary’s trachea.

This choke became popular in BJJ in the early days and many players embraced it and tried to come up with their own variations to perfect it. So what’s the reason for its popularity? It’s one of the easiest and safest chokes to perform from inside the player’s guard. It’s named after the famous Brazilian Olympian Ezequiel Paraguassú. 

That doesn’t mean that Ezequiel Paraguassú was the one who created this choke. Its origins go back to the early beginnings of Judo. In Japanese it’s known as Sode Guruma Jime. But in BJJ it really flourished and many variations including the arm in Ezekiel developed out of it and were later adopted by famous grapplers.

Some of the top players who have an affinity for Ezekiel are Andre Galvao, Marcio Feitosa, Roger Gracie, Vitor Shaolin, Rafael Lovato Jr., and Rodolfo Vieira among others.

The Clock Choke

Put simply, the clock choke is all about grappling. You know you’re a master grappler when you can execute this choke with dexterity and ease. If you can come up with your own variation, which is a must for all serious BJJ top level players, that’s even better. So what is the clock choke all about?

For starters, you’re going to focus all your body weight and your attention on the opponent’s neck. This is one vulnerable part of their body that you can do a lot of work on and get a submission if you do it right. For preparation, you start with the turtle position and work your way toward the rival’s neck, slowly, but steadily.

With one arm choking the opponent, mostly it’s the right arm, you have a free left arm which you use to make your way under their armpit as you reach for their wrist. Now you have almost full control over their movement. Another option you have if you can’t secure the wrist is to go the inside of their thigh.

Now you’re ready to take your choke to its ultimate conclusion. Walk around your opponent with your forehead to the floor to achieve the strangle. And if you’re wondering where the name clock choke comes from, it’s from the shape your legs make as they walk around the head of the defender.

The Americana lock is all about the arm. Just like the clock choke is focused on the neck, this one has the opponent’s arm as its target. There are many names for this lock including top wristlock, bent armlock, figure four armlock, keylock, and in Judo it’s called ude garami.

But whatever name you like to call it, the fact that by controlling the wrists, the rival is left defenseless in the elbow and joints areas, make it one of the most advanced locks to get a submission. It is often combined with the side control position for maximum effect. That doesn’t mean you can’t get it from other positions. You certainly can.

Many notable BJJ champions prefer to use Americana. For them, it’s the go-to choke when the opportunity arises. It’s effective and efficient. Gabrielle Garcia, Fabricio Werdum, Lana Stefanac, Jeff Monson, and Rodrigo Nogueira “Minotauro” are just a few names of great champs who have mastered this technique and added to it with their own style and flair.

While the history of the Americana lock is shrouded in mystery, there’s no denying that it’s a popular technique and once you’ve got your head around the basics of the discipline, this should be one of the first techniques to learn and master.

• Sumi Gaeshi

Sumi Gaeshi works well both in BJJ and Judo. Whether you’re moving from Judo to BJJ or vice versa, this is one technique you can use freely in either sport and achieve great results. It works well in BJJ as a response to the single leg takedown. As many players know, you can use the single leg takedown with great effect to take the opponent off their feet.

But the Sumi Gaeshi is the right response to this. So how do you use it to counter that popular BJJ takedown? For one thing, you need to maintain your balance. Even if one leg is off the mat, you can still lean on the opponent and force his hands off your arms or legs. This foils his attempt to take you down and give you valuable seconds to start your counter move.

Now reach for the opponent’s belt with your palm. This initiates your maneuver as you grab your opponent and slide under them using your leg as a hook. Done right, you’d be able to throw the rival on their back. You can apply many techniques to achieve this outcome. The Kimura grip is one great candidate and helps you get a submission.

The Triangle Choke

In BJJ, the front triangle choke is a popular technique that players learn about during their first few classes. And like many other techniques in the sport, its origins go back to the early beginnings of Judo. In fact, Judo has many variations of the triangle choke, that would surprise BJJ players taking their first steps in a Judo class.

The difference in implementation between the Judo versions and BJJ ones is in the position that you can apply each one. In Judo, for example, you can implement the triangle choke either from the turtle or side control positions. But in BJJ, triangle chokes are usually employed from the guard position. That said, the technique itself is almost identical in both disciplines and if you master it in one sport, you’ll be able to easily apply it in the other.

The idea is to force a submission by controlling the opponent’s body. You start with their arm. Squeeze it along with their head between your legs thus creating the triangle shape. From there on out it’s a matter of using your thighs to squeeze the arm and head while going after their free arm. You simply have a lot of control and you can take this wherever you want to go. But in most cases, a submission is your goal.

The point here is that you really have a lot of options and your next move is all about your mastery of the technique and your very unique style. Some people would argue that this technique or that is better in Judo than its counterpart in BJJ. That actually defeats the purpose of the sport. You’re not trying to limit yourself to one discipline or a very narrow interpretation of a certain technique. 

In order to become a well rounded player regardless of the sport you practice, it’s important to keep an open mind and explore the various positions and techniques that overlap both sports. There’s no doubt that both Judo and BJJ have a lot to contribute and enrich the life of the player. So you’re encouraged to dig deeper into both sports to find common grounds and unique variations to common positions that make you grasp the spirit of the move or technique.

Top 5 Judo Throws For Short People

• Post date June 14, 2020

In Judo, height matters. If your opponent towers over you, that advantage is not something to make little of. You’ll need to work harder to throw your tall and lanky opponent than if you were up against one who stares back at you at the same level or maybe someone who has to tilt their head back just so as to meet your gaze.

The top 5 throws in Judo for shorter players are

• Morote -Gari

Recent changes to the Judo rules have wiped away the advantage that short people used to have over a taller rival. Gone are the days when you could just grab them by the legs and force them to the ground. Now being short and stocky means you have to find other ways to take the opponent off their feet and change the course of the game. This article lists the top 5 throws you can use against a taller rival on the mat.

Morote-Gari 

When the rules of Judo that favored short players allowing them to topple down a lankier opponent with leg grabs were abolished in 2013, those players less fortunate in the height department had to look elsewhere for a technique or throw to even the field and cut those tall players down to size. The first throw that springs to mind, so to speak, is the Morote-Gari. 

It literally translates into double leg takedown. As a shorter player, your center of gravity is low which can work in your favor with this throw. So how do you use it to your advantage? First, you need to charge like a bull at your rival. Bend down below their center of balance and as you rise, you carry them then drop them on their back. Simple and effective.

Easier said than done, right? Not really. You need to pick your moment effectively. You both have to be facing each other. There needs to be enough space that separates you both that allows you to gather momentum in your charge. Your movement has to be swift and leaves the opponent no room to counter it. A slow approach alerts your rival to your intentions and they can brace themselves or simply ward off your attack.

A strong and firm arms and shoulders are key to executing this throw efficiently. Remember, at some point, you’ll be carrying the weight of the opponent then call on all your strength to throw them down. Not an easy feat if you don’t have muscular legs and healthy knees to support both your weights.

The Uchi Mata is a tricking maneuver. You’re not trying to take your opponent off their feet with the sheer weight of your body or strength as you would with the Morote-Gari. Here you’re tricking the rival into losing their balance because they can’t stop their momentum. Let’s explore that interesting technique.

The idea here is to stand still and wait for the rival to make the first move. Even after they’ve made their intentions clear and they’re coming at you like a frothing bull, you still hold firm and stand your ground. Now when they’re close enough you take action.

Jump on one leg with your foot facing your opponent. Now slide your free leg between the opponent’s legs and open your legs as wide apart as you can. The opponent is defenseless and has nowhere to go now. He’s completely under your mercy. Now pull them forward on your leg and roll them up to make a neat throw. As you can see it’s not the easiest of techniques and you’ll need to practice it a lot to get it just right.

A lot of things could go wrong so a variation on this technique that makes sure the rival is totally unaware when you start your execution is to employ it when the rival is already on the defensive. It works best when their body is already lunged forward and they need a few seconds to get their balance back. That’s your opportunity to launch your Uchi Mata and take the game to the ground.

Rather than being a throw, the Te-Waza is a bunch of techniques all grouped under one name. In fact, there are about 15 of them and each one is just as good as the next. Rather than push the article beyond its limits, I’ll just list the most important techniques here with a concise description of what each technique implies.

• Uchi Mata Sukashi (Inner Thigh Throw Slip): Similar to the Uchi Mata throw above but you would use this one to fend off your opponent when they’re engaged in an Uchi Mata offensive. The goal is to step out of the way and when the opponent misses you throw them forward.
• Sumi Otoshi (Corner Drop): As a hand technique, this is one of the original throws that were created by Jigoro Kano. It involves grabbing the opponent by the lapels, slipping a leg behind their legs and pushing them forward. A real classic.
• Seoi Otoshi (Shoulder Drop): Another classic that involves grabbing the opponent’s arm with your back to them and pulling them forward as you bend over to take them off their feet and land them on their back. 
• Sukui Nage (Scoop Throw): A hand technique that takes down the opponent using a double leg motion that leaves them flustering on the ground.
• Kata Gurama (Shoulder Wheel): A rather complex technique that sweeps the opponent off their feet, slides them off your shoulders, and throws them off. Requires strength and stamina.
• Kuchiki Taoshi (Dead Tree Drop): A single leg takedown where you wrap your leg around that of the opponent and ensconce your forearm in their neck area with a powerful shove to push them to the ground.
• Kibisu Gaeshi (Heel Reverse): The idea behind this technique is to hold their lapel, push them forcefully as you reach for their leg. It has to be done smoothly and in one swift and fluid movement.
• Obi Otoshi (Belt Drop): As the name implies, you’re using the gi belt to take the opponent off balance. It’s less straightforward than other throwing techniques and needs to be done at the right moment for maximum effect.
• Uki Otoshi (Floating Drop): Grab the opponent by the top of their gi, as they move toward you, drop down to one knee and slide your leg toward their foot on the ground to take them down.
• Tai Otoshi (Body Drop): Here you’re spreading your legs wide and with your back to your opponent, grab them by the lapels using your thigh to take them off balance.

As you can see, you’re using your hands in every technique to initiate or finish off the technique. Some of these techniques are as old as Judo itself. And if they have one thing in common, it’s how irrelevant the opponent’s advantage in height becomes when they’re no longer on their feet.

When your bulky opponent is flaunting their size in front of you and literally blocks off the light, it’s time to use the Tomoe-Nage to bring them down to your level of thinking. It involves planting your leg firmly behind the opponent’s and as you hold a firm grip on their gi, you drop your own weight on your heel.

Now fall to your back grabbing the opponent’s body toward you. Put your foot in their stomach pulling them over you. As they fly haplessly over your head, keep your firm grip as you guide them to the other side of your body. 

Speed is the name of the game in Seoi-Nage. This is what sets it apart from other throwing techniques that require you use plenty of power against a taller and heftier opponent. So how do you go about executing the Seoi-Nage drop?

You start with the sleeves of your rival’s gi. Get a firm hold of their gi and keep a tight grip. You’re both standing legs apart facing each other. Swivel on your feet to get your hips below your opponent. You need to do this right, else you would end up on the ground, not your opponent.

Point your knee to the ground as you pull the rival by their sleeves. When you feel the moment is right, act fast. Bend forward as quickly as you can with a forceful tug at the opponent’s sleeves dragging them over your hips. This forces the rival off their feet and sails them across your side and down to the ground.

For maximum effect, don’t let go of the opponent. When they land on the floor drop on them with your back on their chest. You’re now in control and have a great advantage.

What Is The Difference Between Judo And BJJ?

• Post date May 31, 2020

Many people find Judo and BJJ so similar that they confuse them for the one and same sport. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Even practitioners of those two sports get them mixed up at the early stage too.

So what is the difference between Judo and BJJ?

Judo is focused on taking down the opponent from a standing position. You can do that by either throwing the opponent to the ground or tripping them. The rules for BJJ are a little different. Rather than tripping or throwing your opponent, much more focus is directed to ground work and submissions.

While both Judo and BJJ stem from the same self-defense sport Ju Jutsu, the fact that they share some moves shouldn’t blind us from the fact that they’re totally different sports. From different rules and strategies to special uniforms, each one is a unique sport in its own right. 

In fact, the difference between those two sports couldn’t be more glaring. And what may appear to the layman as similarities have too many nuanced divergences that merit elaboration.

Here, we’ll lay out what sets each sport apart from the other and why some practitioners cross-train to get the full benefits of the other sport.

Shared Heritage

It was the Samurai who first created the art, rules, and strategies for Ju Jutsu. This ancient Japanese Jiu-Jitsu was in essence a self-defense regiment that involved among other things the use of weapons to dominate the opponent. But while the weapons part suited the sword-savvy Samurai well, it didn’t appeal to the general populace who were in it for self-defense mainly.

As the sword was replaced with guns, the Samurai went out of fashion and with them, Ju Jutsu became history to be found only in the archives of museums. But that doesn’t mean that the sport died out. It just evolved into Judo at the hands of Jigoro Kano. With Judo there were no weapons and the techniques were much safer than the more aggressive and violent Ju Jutsu.

Judo was embraced throughout Asia as an accepted form of sport not just in competitions but also for the regular person. By the time it reached Brazil, it was a well-developed sport that found fertile grounds among three brothers, Carlos, Hélio, and George Gracie. Carlos learned Judo from a Japanese traveler and he later developed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This shared heritage explains why the two sports share some similarities. But a deeper look reveals the chasm of differences between BJJ and Judo.

Different Rules

No sport can exist without rules. Rules define the boundaries and the very essence of the sport. The first thing that beginners learn are the rules they need to adhere to. This goes for soccer, tennis, martial arts, and just about any other sport be it an established one or the game you create with your buddies on a lazy afternoon. 

We saw how Judo evolved out of the dying Ju Jutsu and BJJ came out of the womb of Judo. But they both have different rules that give each sport its distinct character, style, and objectives. So what’s the difference between the two?

As a self-defense sport, Judo is focused on taking down the opponent from a standing position. You can do that by either throwing the opponent to the ground or tripping them. If you manage to get the adversary off their feet you score a full point (called Ippon) and win the contest.

So how do you achieve this goal? Judo rules chart two clear ways for you to do that: 

• Score an Ippon which is equal to one point.
• Score more Waza-Ari (one Waza-Ari is half a point) than the rival.

Of course, you’d want to score an Ippon and win the match right then and there. Here you have three paths to getting that tall order:

• Secure the opponent on the ground for at least 20 seconds.
• Force the rival to fall on their back.
• Use either strangulation or an armlock to force the adversary to submit.

Easier said than done. And if you watch many Judo competitions, you’ll notice that not many matches end that way. Scoring an Ippon in Judo is rarer than getting a knockout in boxing. And since Judo matches have to end at some point, other ways of winning have been set in the rule books. Waza-Ari is by far an easier goal to attain than a full Ippon. Here’s how you can score a Waza-Ari:

• Use a weak trip to get the opponent to fall.
• Employ a less convincing throw to get the rival to the ground.
• Hold the opponent on the floor for 10 seconds.

The rules for BJJ are a little different. Rather than tripping or throwing your opponent, you try to achieve submission as well as score more points in the game. There are many ways you can score points and get your opponent to submit.

• You get 3 points for Passing the Guard.
• Achieve a Full Mount to score 4 points.
• A Knee Mount gets you 2 points.
• Four points for Back Mount.
• A sweep gives you 2 points.
• A throw or takedown also puts you ahead of your opponent by 2 points.

A match in BJJ either ends immediately with a submission or the score at the end of the game determines the winner. Penalties and advantages also play a role if both participants have the same score.

Different Strategies

With different objectives, come different strategies. When you’re trying to force the opponent on their back you employ different techniques than those if you were trying to achieve a Full Mount for example. Another big difference comes with the fact that BJJ is more focused on groundwork combat and tactics.

Judo Strategy

The ultimate goal for the judo competitor is to achieve a full throw. You win an Ippon and end the match right there. Grappling in Judo is more than a technique. It’s an art. You aim to get a good grip on your opponent and use that to force them to the ground. Many factors are at play here. Your footwork, your balance, your body weight, and your own style and techniques. They all contribute to and determine the outcome of the match.

This is why there isn’t much ground strategy in Judo. Players are expected to be on their feet for the most part during the match. Besides, if the game shifts to the ground, as a player you have less than a half-minute to force your opponent into submission before you’re both asked to stand up and resume the match.

BJJ Strategy

BJJ on the other hand is more of a ground game. Players spend less time on their feet as their goal is to force submission. Since you can’t reach that outcome on your feet, the strategy in BJJ is mainly to start on the ground and employ all your skills and techniques from there. 

You still start your competition on your feet but soon you’re both on the ground trying to dominate and restrict the other’s movement to get a submission.

Different Outfits

Another more subtle difference between those sports is the uniform. To the untrained eye, both Judo and BJJ gi look the same. Unlike other MMA sports, your Judo or BJJ gi is made of thick material that doesn’t tear off easily. Just think of all the grappling and gripping that takes place during the game. You need a sturdy outfit to handle this rough treatment.

That said, the BJJ gi is more in tune with that sport’s focus on grappling. The Judo gi, on the other hand, is designed to take all that gripping that goes on during a Judo match. This is why the Judo gi is longer and looser than the BJJ one. It is thicker with reinforced stitching to make it more durable.

Colors also differentiate the two uniforms. A Judo gi is either white or blue with simple and straightforward designs. BJJ, however, tends to incorporate other colors. It doesn’t go all out in the color department though. One can see uniforms in green, gray, or even black in BJJ tournaments and nobody raises an eyebrow. It probably has to do with the rich Brazilian culture that celebrates bright colors in general.

One last thing to remember, you need to stick to your sport’s uniform at least as far as competitions are concerned. You can’t wear a Judo gi to a BJJ tournament or vice versa. You’ll be asked to change your uniform before you can take part in the match.

Cross-Training

Many Judo practitioners have found it necessary for their all-round game to dapple in BJJ even a little. The same is true for BJJ players who can’t resist the benefits of improving their standing techniques through rigorous Judo training. 

For a BJJ player, learning Judo enhances their ability to master the standing techniques that they can use to their advantage during a BJJ match. The grip techniques that Judo can teach a BJJ practitioner are invaluable in throwing the opponent and controlling their movement on the ground.

As for Judo players, they too can gain a lot of experience with all the groundwork that BJJ is famous for. Both tripping and forcing the rival to the ground can benefit from BJJ techniques and skills.

For long the rivalry between the two sports has been raging on. Each sport has claimed to be the original while the other is redundant. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Both Judo and BJJ have a lot to contribute to MMA and the sports world in general. They don’t have to replace each other, and can actually co-exist and even collaborate to create well-rounded practitioners.

Top 5 Judo Throws For Tall Guys

• Post date May 25, 2020

If you are a taller judoku, your height and reach can be an advantage but it can also be a detriment if you don’t know how to use it properly. Certain techniques and throws will be more difficult for the taller judoku whereas others can potentially help you use your height to an advantage. 

The Top 5 Judo Throws For Tall Guys Are: 

• Kouchi Gari
• Harai Goshi

As with everything in judo, you want to throw your opponent off balance and this often requires a tailored approach for someone particularly tall. Long limbs and a long reach can help put your opponent off balance and give you an advantage, if you know what you’re doing. In this article, we break down the top 5 throws for tall guys.

The Osoto Gari (large outer reap) is a perfect throw for someone with a significant reach advantage. It is perhaps one of the most basic judo throws and often the first one new judokas are taught when they take up the sport. 

The long legs of a taller judoka is going to be the main advantage here. For this throw, you want to get your opponent’s weight back on their heels to take them off balance. This is achieved by stepping next to your opponent with your left-leg (from a right-handed perspective) and pulling uke into your body. Once your opponent has shifted their weight, bring your right leg around and sweep uke’s right leg at the ankle. If you are doing this correctly, your face should be turned into your arm as if you are looking at your watch while you bring your leg around to sweep.

The idea is that the leg you are sweeping should be the main port of balance for the uke as a result of their weight shifting when you pulled them into your body. You’ll want to ensure you are sweeping at the ankle as well so uke has nothing left to shift their weight onto.

There are some taller judokus who have difficulty with these throws, however. This may come from the coordination it sometimes requires to move your longer legs or possibly because it is easier for your opponent to see the technique coming. Many other judokus find long legs to be an advantage for these throws, however. If you are a taller judoku, this very basic leg sweep is one that you should always have in your toolbelt. It’s easy and advantageous for someone with a size and reach advantage. 

An Ouchi Gari (or Great Inner Reap) is very similar to the above mentioned Osoto Gari but you are attacking the other leg. It is one of the more popular moves in judo but also one of the more basic. Much like the leg sweep mentioned above, it is one of the first throws new judokas are taught when they first start learning. 

Instead of stepping to the side of your opponent, you want to position your lead leg in between their legs. You again want to pull your opponent into your body to cause them to shift their weight onto the leg you plan on sweeping. Remember with everything judo, if your opponent isn’t off balance when you attempt a throw, something has gone very wrong. 

As you step in, pivot your body around so that your hip is pointed in to uke and your right foot (from a right-handed perspective) is inbetween uke’s feet. Your toes should be pointed to uke’s left foot. Then take your opponent over your leg at a 45 degree angle. 

The one problem associated with this throw for taller fighters is that it can sometimes be easy for uke to see you coming with it. Longer limbs are easier to see in motion and because the throw is so common, uke likely knows to expect it and has practiced countering it. Still, because this throw is so basic and easy to execute for newer judokas, it has to be considered one of the go-to throws for taller competitors. 

An Uchi Mata (or Inner-thigh reaping throw) is also an excellent throw for taller judokas with longer limbs. 

In order to make this throw work you must first destabilize your opponent diagonally to the front and take them off balance. From a right-handed perspective, step in so that the toes on your right foot are coming towards the toes of uke’s right foot. Then feed your right hip into uke’s right hip. This takes uke off-balance and also creates contact between you and uke that you’ll use for your throw. Use your hands to pull uke upwards to take them further off-balance. This should be easier to do for a taller fighter and will help you to pull off this throw. You will know you have your opponent off balance if you see them come up on their toes. Your grip is important for this one as well. While some judoku like to grab onto the back of the lapel on the Gi, for taller fighters it is far better to grab onto the front of the lapel on the Gi. You want to elevate uke up and that can be hard to do if you’re holding onto them from the back. 

Once uke is off balance and elevated up on their toes, bring your right leg in between uke’s legs, ride uke over on your hips and bring your left foot around to be lined up with your right to complete the throw. 

For examples of successful Uchi Matas in MMA, Ronda Rousey frequently used such throws. In particular, Rousey’s fight with Meisha Tate at UFC 135 provides some excellent examples of well-executed Uchi Matas. 

Kouchi Gari (or small inner reap) is another leg sweep taller judokas will find advantageous given their size. For this throw, you want to take uke off-balance by pulling them forward, causing all of their weight to shift onto their front leg. As uke’s weight shifts forward you will then want to take a little step in so that you can bring your right leg in behind uke’s left leg (from a right-handed perspective). Then you will want to reap their heel in a scooping motion to take them down to the mat. 

Causing uke to fall off-balance for this throw should be easier for taller fighters but it does depend on how your body is proportioned and how it lines up with your opponent’s, however. 

As with all other judo throws, you really want to make sure of your timing for a Kouchi Gari. You will not be able to just muscle your opponent down with this throw but if you reap the leg at a time when it is the sole bearer of uke’s weight, your opponent is going to go to the mat no matter how skilled they are. You want to really be aware of when uke has shifted their weight so that you can attack at the most opportune time. 

Another solid hip throw for taller judokas is the Harai Goshi. This is essentially a hip-throw with a sweep. For this throw, you want to first bring your right foot around so that it is coming toward your opponent’s right foot. As you do this pull uke into your body and elevate them up. You then want to bring your left leg around so that it lines up with your right, basically turning your back into your opponent. As you do this, use your right leg to reap uke’s right leg and bring them over your body from your hip and onto the mat. When you finish the throw you should be at a 180 degree from where you started with your reaping leg in the air and pointing behind you. 

Attempting to execute this throw when uke is not off-balance can put you in a vulnerable position so it is important to time this throw correctly. Think of uke’s feet as a traffic light and them coming up on their toes as a green light and their feet remaining flat as a red light. Pull uke into your body and elevate them up and if you see them go up on their toes, the time is right to attack. If your opponent is not off-balance and you attempt this throw, you’ll likely have a very difficult time. 

Best Judo Throws For Tall Guys

• Post date May 20, 2020

Some may say that being tall in judo is a disadvantage as it is easier for your opponent to get underneath you for a throw. However, if you know the best judo throws for tall guys and when to use them, you can use your height as an advantage to gain the upper hand in a bout. 

So what are some of the best Judo throws for tall guys?

The best judo throws for tall guys are:

• Uchi mata –  long legs are put to good use
• Deashi Barai – can be applied from further out with a long reach
• O Soto Gari – an effective throw for tall guys

While these judo throws may be effective for tall guys, time still needs to be taken to learn and master them. Not only that, you need to know the best time to use them and how being a tall guy makes them work best or you. You should also consider the other ways you can use your height to your advantage. 

Uchi mata may be one of the most commonly used judo throws at international level, but that does not mean it is an easy throw to pull off effectively. Firstly, before attempting Uchi mata you need to be in a dominant position. If you aren’t, then you will likely be countered and be on the receiving end of a throw yourself! 

Tall guys tend to have long legs and larger feet than shorter guys. This is why throws such as Uchi mata work so well for tall guys. Any foot/leg techniques (Ashi-Waza) can be used very effectively as long legs and large feet are perfect sweeping instruments. 

It makes sense for tall guys to make use of leg grabs and sweeps to take advantage of their longer reach. When performing Uchi mata, as a tall guy, you don’t need to come in as tight or get as low as you would with a shoulder throw like Seoi nage for example. By staying further away from your opponent, you are less likely to be grabbed and ultimately thrown. 

Uchi mata is a classic (and very popular) judo throw that suits tall guys perfectly. Take full advantage of your long legs and practice Uchi mata a lot! 

Deashi Barai 

Deashi Barai is all about catching your opponent distributing their weight unevenly. You are looking for a situation where they have little to no weight on their front foot so you can sweep it and throw them to the floor. This can be done when your opponent is moving in any direction but it tends to be most successful when they are moving sideways or backwards. When they are moving in these directions, they are less likely to be expecting a sweep as much as they are when they are moving forwards so it is easier to catch them unawares. 

Like with Uchi mata, Deashi Barai makes great use of tall guys’ long legs. With longer legs you have a greater reach meaning you can sweep your opponents leg from a farther distance.

This type of sweep and throw tends to be a lower risk option for tall guys; it can be applied from a good distance away from your opponent so there is less chance of them being able to counter or grab you if you are unsuccessful. 

Deashi Barai is a quick and effective attack when used at the right time. The key is in the timing of the sweep so timing drills are of great importance to make sure you know exactly when to strike! 

One of the key factors in performing Osoto Gari is making sure your positioning is such that when you move in for the sweep, your opponent is already unbalanced and vulnerable to an attack. This is usually done by, first grasping them with a good grip. One hand grips the lapel while the other grips the sleeve from below the elbow. From this position you can then get them off balance by pushing them in a diagonal line in the direction you want to throw or by shifting their body weight onto the leg you want to sweep (reap).  

Osoto Gari works well for taller players in a similar way to Uchi mata and Deashi Barai in that the longer reach of the arms and legs can create an advantageous position from further back meaning your opponent has less opportunity to grab you and perform their own attack. 

Osoto Gari is a great counter move particularly for an opponent’s own Osoto Gari. It is one of the most popular judo throws and it is also relatively simple to learn. Take your time to master Osoa Gari so you are able to use it to most effect when you need to in a bout. 

Benefits of Being Tall in Judo

Some of the most successful players in judo are small or of average height. This makes sense in a sport that is about throwing your opponent as the smaller (or shorter) you are, the lower your centre of gravity. Having a low centre of gravity makes you extra stable and therefore, less likely to be forced off balance and thrown. 

Being tall does have some advantages in judo though. Firstly, as mentioned already, having longer limbs means you can reach your opponent from a greater distance so you are less vulnerable to a counter attack or being pushed or pulled off balance. 

Being a tall guy in judo also means some throws are harder to perform on you. Any throw that requires you to be lifted off your feet will be much more challenging for a shorter opponent to pull off as they are unlikely to be able to generate enough lift to get your feet off the ground. This can help you tactically as you will be aware they will be more likely to try and move you sideways to get you off balance rather than attempting anything where a lift is required. 

More Judo Throws for Tall Guys

While not necessarily the best judo throws for tall guys, there are plenty of other throws that work well for taller players. If timed right and executed well, these judo throws can also be effective for tall guys in judo:

• Ashi Guruma
• Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi
• Darai Goshi

Tips for Tall Guys in Judo

• Adapt. You will likely find that you have to adapt grips and throws slightly to suit your height. For example, you may need to use the top grip instead of the lapel and sleeve as this may be an easier position to perform your throws. You might also need to adapt your strategies as if you use the top grip more, your opponent may notice and try to counter with O Goshi and Seoi Nage so you will need to be prepared for this. The more experienced you are in judo, the more understanding you will have of which throws work for you and which do not. Learn to adapt to make them work. 
• High grips. You may find you grip your opponent higher than others simply because it is easier for you. Do not force yourself to use a lower grip as it may cause you to become vulnerable to an attack. 
• Concentrate on your posture and movements. Taller guys tend to be a little less coordinated than shorter guys so focus on creating and maintaining a strong posture and move with decisiveness. Do not allow yourself to move around unnecessarily as you may become tired quicker, make each move a step towards victory!
• Be patient. This is important for all players but particularly tall guys in judo. It can be more challenging for tall guys for a while until they find what works best for them. This is normal so do not rush, be patient and the best throws for you will become apparent the more experienced you become. 
• Study hard and practice a lot. To master judo throws and be successful, you will need to study outside of your regular classes. However, as a tall player you will likely need to do more specific studying of other successful tall judo players. By studying them and adapting your style to more closely match theirs you are more likely to be successful too. 

Best Judo Throws For Tall Guys 

Ultimately, the best judo throws for tall guys will be the ones the individual feels most comfortable performing and the ones they are able to do at exactly the right time. It may take years before you find your Tokui Waza (favoured technique) so do not expect to perfect your best throws in the early days of your judo journey.  

It is always wise to study your craft both in a personal and professional manner. Listen to your sensei, perform their training and drills with full effort and take all of their feedback on board. This is the best way to master your throws and be successful in judo.