Hiza Guruma
Takedown · Judo Throws
A knee wheel from the grip fight standing to side control, for when he steps forward on a straight lead knee. Draw him slightly forward with sleeve and collar so the weight comes onto that leg, and as it arrives block the outside-front of the knee, just below the kneecap, with your sole; your supporting foot is planted with the toes at him and the knee bent. Turn your hands like a steering wheel, sleeve down to his front corner with the elbow high, collar up and across, and turn your body straight from foot to shoulder: he rotates forward and to the side over the blocked knee. The foot blocks, never kicks, and an unweighted leg is just stepped over. If he bends the knee and steps through, sasae tsurikomi ashi; if he lowers the hips, o goshi.
How to do it
- Grip sleeve and collar and feel them step towards you; draw them slightly forward so the weight comes onto the lead leg.
- As their weight comes onto the leg, block it with the sole of your foot just below the knee, from the outside-front. The supporting foot is planted, toes pointing at them, knee bent.
- Turn your hands like a steering wheel: sleeve down, collar up and across. The sleeve hand pulls to their front corner with the elbow high.
- Keep the knee blocked while your body turns, straight from foot to shoulder, so they rotate over the blocked knee.
- They fall forward and to the side over the knee; keep the sleeve, follow them down and settle in side control.
Key details
- The foot blocks, it does not kick: it holds the knee so the leg cannot step out.
- The body turn makes the throw; the arms only pass it on. Keep your body straight from foot to shoulder, the supporting knee bent.
- Timing: block the knee as the weight arrives on it; an empty leg is lifted and stepped over.
- Plant the supporting foot with the toes pointing at them: it lets you keep turning.
- Pull to their front corner with the elbow high; the other hand pushes up and across.
- The blocking leg stays straight and strong: a bent leg cannot hold the knee.
Common mistakes
- Blocking a knee with no weight on it. — They simply lift the leg and step over the foot. — Wait for the step to land, then block.
- Kicking the knee straight in. — It hurts the partner's knee joint and does not throw. — Place the sole on the outside-front of the knee, just below the kneecap, and hold.
- Pulling only straight down. — They bend forward over the knee and stay on the feet. — Turn the wheel: one hand down, one up.
- Blocking from straight in front, or leaning back away from them. — Your body stops their forward momentum and the pull loses power; leaning back only drags you both down. — Side-step out to the side, open the hips, stay close and drive the throw up and over through them.
How to drill it
Walking uchikomi: partner steps forward, you place the foot on the knee on every step, 10 each side. Then 5 full throws on crash mats.
Safety
Hold the sole just below the kneecap, never kick or push straight into the joint. Let go of the block as they turn so the knee is not twisted.
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