Ouchi Gari
Takedown · Judo Throws
A major inner reap from the grip fight standing to side control, for when he leans back and retreats with his feet apart. Push with collar and sleeve so his weight goes back onto his heels, then step in chest to chest with your foot between his feet and your hips under your shoulders. Hook the inside of his leg, the back of your knee against the back of his knee, and reap it outward in a wide half-circle, toes drawing on the mat, while your chest and hands drive him back. The chest throws, the leg only takes away the support; any gap between you lets him step out of the hook. If he lifts the hooked leg free, change levels to a double leg; if he turns his hips away, take the back.
How to do it
- With collar and sleeve, push them back so they step back with the feet apart; the kuzushi is backward, onto their heels.
- Step in close with your chest on theirs and your foot between their feet, so your hips are right under your shoulders.
- Hook your leg around the inside of their leg, behind the knee: the back of your knee against the back of theirs, calf against calf.
- Reap the leg outward in a wide circle, toes drawing a half-circle on the mat, while you drive them back with your chest and hands into the rear corner on the side of the reaped leg, where that leg no longer stands.
- Lean your chest onto them as they fall, follow them down between their legs and pass to side control.
Key details
- The chest drives them back; the leg only takes away the support. Lean your chest onto them as they fall.
- Reap in a circle outward, not straight back, and drive them into the rear corner on the side of the reaped leg: that leg is gone, so nothing catches them there.
- Stay close: any gap lets them step out of the hook.
- Hook the back of your knee against the back of theirs, from the inside: at the knee the leg cannot slide out of the hook.
- Draw a half-circle on the mat with your toes as you reap, opening their leg outward.
- Keep your head on the side opposite the reaping leg and stay square: with head and reaping leg on the same side you are easy to counter.
- If they catch their balance by stepping the other foot back, shift your angle to the side of the reaped leg and keep driving: that is their weak angle.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back while reaping. — Without your weight on them nothing pushes them down, and you are the one off balance. — Chest on chest, drive forward into the rear corner on the side of the reaped leg.
- Hooking too low, at the ankle. — The foot slips out of the hook and they keep the stance. — Hook behind the knee, calf against calf.
- Standing on one leg too long. — They recover, and counter with a hip throw or trip you back. — Hop the standing foot closer to keep driving until they fall.
- Pulling them toward you before the reap. — Their posture breaks forward, the opposite of where ouchi gari throws. — Drive their weight back onto the heels and close the distance chest to chest.
How to drill it
Walking drill: 10 reaps each side while the partner steps back. Then combine: kouchi gari into ouchi gari, 10 chains.
Safety
Fall with them but put a hand down: do not land your whole weight on their chest. The partner must tuck the chin.
What comes next
Where it comes from