Seoi Nage
Takedown · Judo Throws
A shoulder throw from the grip fight standing to side control, best when he pushes into you with his chest. Pull the sleeve forward and up so his weight rises onto his toes, step in and pivot so your back is against his chest, your feet inside his with the toes pointing his way, knees bent so your hips sit well below his belt. Trap his arm in your armpit and keep your back tight to him from waist to shoulders. Straighten the legs first to load him, then bow forward and pull the sleeve down toward your opposite foot: he rotates forward over your shoulder. The hips must be lower than his, and the arm is never forced over a resisting elbow. If he drops his hips and leans back, switch to kouchi gari.
How to do it
- From collar and sleeve, pull the sleeve forward and up so their weight goes onto the toes; the best moment is when they push into you.
- Step your front foot in front of theirs and pivot so your back is against their chest. Your feet end inside theirs, toes pointing the same way as theirs.
- Bend your knees so your hips are well below theirs; trap the arm in your armpit or the collar hand under their armpit. Your back is tight from waist to shoulders.
- Straighten the legs first, lifting them onto your back, then bow forward while you pull the sleeve down toward your opposite foot.
- They rotate over your back and shoulder; keep the sleeve so they land on their back, and follow into side control.
Key details
- Your hips must be lower than theirs, or there is no lift: their belt must sit on your back, above your belt.
- The legs lift and the bow rotates: the arms only steer. Straighten the legs first, then bend forward: bending early throws only your own upper body.
- Enter when they push in: their forward drive does half the work, carrying them onto your back.
- Your feet go inside theirs, toes pointing the same way as theirs: then your back is tight to them from waist to shoulders and there is no gap to slip through.
- Never force the arm over a resisting elbow: break the balance first so the arm comes up by itself.
- Back straight, knees only slightly bent, and the head turns in the direction of the throw together with the sleeve pull.
Common mistakes
- Turning in with straight legs. — Your hips end up above theirs, there is nothing to lift with, and they sit down behind you. — Bend the knees on the turn so your belt is under theirs.
- Leaving space between your back and their chest. — A gap lets them slide off the side of your back or block with the hips. — Pull the sleeve tight to your chest before lifting, feet inside theirs.
- Pulling the arm up instead of down. — They stay stacked on your back and do not rotate over your shoulder. — After the lift, drive the sleeve down toward your opposite toes.
If they defend
- They step around your hip. → Turn deeper and drop to the knees: drop seoi nage goes under the step.
How to drill it
Uchikomi with a band or partner: 3 x 10 turn-ins stopping at the lift. Then nagekomi on crash mats: 5 throws each side.
Safety
Keep hold of the sleeve all the way down so the partner lands flat on the back, not on the head. Drop seoi nage from the knees is hard on your knees on thin mats.
What comes next
Where it comes from