4 Crucial Judo Throws

You will need to master certain judo throws to become proficient. Some of these throws outlined in this article are tai-otoshi (body drop), tsurikomi-goshi (lifting hip throw) and harai- goshi(sweeping loin throw).

Tai-otoshi (body drop)
In tai-otoshi you throw your opponent by making use of his own gravity and advancing force. You hold each other in a natural posture. Making use of the force with which your opponent moves forward, you make him lean forward to his right front corner. Now you quickly turn to the left while pulling him down in his off-balance direction with both your hands. He will then be thrown in front of you.

Key point: Your best chance to apply this technique is when your opponent has stiffened his body a little without bending his legs and is leaning forward or to his right front corner.

Tsurikomi-goshi (lifting hip throw)
In attacking your opponent, you must apply force with the longest arm possible. Tsurikomi-goshi is typical of the techniques that make use of the moment of force. With the principle of the moment of force in mind, let us study tsurikomi-goshi.

You and your opponent hold each other in a natural posture. You grasp the back part of his right collar with your right hand. The moment you break his posture to the front, you turn your body to the left while fully bending both your knees. You then put your lower back almost against his knees and your back against his abdomen.

You pull down his upper body with both hands while lifting his lower body backwards with your hips by pushing the mat with both your legs. He will then roll over your hip and down in front of you.

Key point: If you turn to the left with your hip fully lowered, the arm becomes longer, and the force, which lifts your opponent's lower body backwards, becomes larger also. Therefore little effort is needed in performing this technique.

Harai-goshi (sweeping loin throw)
This is one of the very useful judo throws to learn.You and your opponent hold each other in right natural posture. Then you take advantage of the force with which he pushes you back, and you cause him to lean to the front or to the right front corner. Now you quickly pivot to the left, drawing your left foot near to his left foot and bringing your right hip just in front of him while pressing his chest against your right side with your left hand.

At the same time your right hand, which is placed under his armpit, pulls his back forward. Now you sweep up his lower body with your right leg and loin, bending your upper body to the left. He will then be thrown to the mat easily.

Key point: You must press your opponent's chest close to your right side with both your hands; otherwise, you cannot cause him to lean forward. If you fail to do this, his weight presses his feet against the mat, with the result that the friction created between the soles of his feet and the mat will prevent his body from being lifted from the mat.

Hane-goshi (spring hip throw)
Hane-goshi is very much like harai-goshi in form, but actually they are quite different. You and your opponent hold each other in right natural posture. Making him lean to the front or to the right front corner, you pivot to the left while lowering your right hip a little to support his center of gravity on it.

At the same time you press the upper part of his body close to the right side of your body with both hands. You then lift him up with your right leg and hip and at the same time turn your upper body to the left. He will then be thrown.

Key point: YOU should bring your opponent's center of gravity above your right hip. If you do not achieve this, friction will be produced between his feet and the mat, since his weight presses his feet against the mat when your right leg strikes against his, as in the case of harai-goshi.

      By Desmond McKay

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