Tani Otoshi

Takedown · Judo Throws

A sacrifice counter from the grip fight standing to side control: it catches him when he turns his back in for a hip or shoulder throw. Drop your hips below his and stop the turn before his hip gets under you; take the belt or wrap his waist and hold him tight to your chest so his weight stays on his heels. Step your leg deep behind both his heels, almost straight and close to the mat, then sit onto your side beside that leg while both hands circle back and down: with both heels blocked he has no foot to step back with. Drop to the side, never under him. Safety: he falls straight back, so practise with partners who can breakfall. If he steps out first, take the back; if he sprawls the legs back, pull guard.

How to do it

When they turn in for a hip or shoulder throw, drop your hips below theirs and stop the turn before their hip gets under you.
Step your leg behind both of their heels, as deep as you can, almost straight and close to the mat.
Grip the belt or wrap the waist with your arm and keep them tight against your chest, the weight on their heels.
Sit down onto your side beside your extended leg, pulling them backward over it; both hands move in a big circle back and down.
They land on their back beside you, not on top of you; keep the belt and turn onto them into side control.

Key details

Your leg blocks behind both heels so they cannot step back: the kuzushi is straight back, where they have no foot.
Drop to the side, never straight back under them, or they fall onto you.
Timing: it works the moment their weight is committed to the turn and they cannot change direction.
Lead them so they stand on one leg, the weight over that heel.
Move both hands in a big circle as you drop, so they turn over that heel.
Outside the counter it also works when they resist your forward pull and lean back: the harder they resist, the easier they go back over your leg.

Common mistakes

Falling straight back. — You land under them and they fall on top of you with all their weight. — Fall beside your leg, turned to the side.
Leg too short, behind one heel only. — They step the free foot back, catch their weight and stay up. — Slide the leg behind both heels before you drop.
Letting go of the waist. — They roll away as they land and you give up top position. — Hold the belt and turn onto them as they land.

How to drill it

Partner turns in slowly for o goshi; you counter with tani otoshi onto crash mats, 5 each side. Then at speed.

Safety

Two knees are at risk. Theirs: if your angle is wrong or they step as you drop, your hip sits into the side of their knee and can tear the ACL, so drop beside the leg, never into it. Yours: keep the blocking leg straight and on the mat so they cannot sit on a bent leg. Many schools keep it for experienced students only.

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Where it comes from

RhizoBJJ

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