Harai Goshi
Takedown · Standing
A sweeping hip throw from collar and sleeve, or from a no-gi overhook, that leaves you standing above them. Use it when they bring their hips in close. Pull up and forward so they rise onto their toes, then turn in with your back to their chest, the supporting foot stepped in deep between their feet and the knee bent. Pull the sleeve around you with your armpit tight to theirs, load them on your hip and sweep the front of their leg with the back of yours, calf against their shin so the knee locks, as you stand up on the supporting leg. Hip and leg work as one movement; a flat-footed opponent blocks your hip. If they drop the hips, switch to o goshi; if they step around your hip, reap with osoto gari. Keep the sleeve so they land on their side.
How to do it
- Grip the collar and the sleeve and pull up and forward, so they rise onto their toes before you turn in.
- Step in and turn so your hip is in front of theirs, your back to their chest. Plant the supporting foot deep between their feet, the supporting knee bent.
- Pull the sleeve around you and load their weight onto your hip, your armpit tight against theirs to control the upper body.
- Sweep your straight leg back against the front of their leg, your calf against their shin so the knee locks, while you stand up on the bent supporting leg.
- Turn your head and shoulders the way of the throw and keep the sleeve as they land, staying on your feet above them.
Key details
- The pull puts them on their toes before you turn in; flat-footed, their low weight blocks your hip.
- Your supporting leg is bent; you stand up into the throw, adding lift to the sweep.
- Sweep the front of their leg with the back of your leg while the upper body turns: leg and hip work as one unit, one movement.
- Plant the supporting foot deep between their feet, your hip in contact with theirs: entered off to one side, they fall sideways and the throw loses its power.
- Keep your armpit tight against theirs to control the upper body; a gap lets them slide off your hip.
- Keep the sleeve elbow pushed forward and up through the whole throw; dropping that hand puts their weight back on their toes and stops the throw.
Common mistakes
- Turning in while they stand flat-footed. — Their weight is low and they block your hip with theirs. — Pull up and forward first so they rise onto their toes, then turn in.
- Throwing with the leg alone, bending forward before your hip touches theirs. — With a gap between the hips they stay standing on their own base and resist. — Connect your hip to theirs first, then bend forward and turn the head: the hips and hands throw, the leg blocks and lifts.
- Looking at the mat as you throw. — You fall with them and land on your partner. — Turn your head the way of the throw and stay on your feet above them.
How to drill it
Uchikomi: 3 × 10 entries without the throw, then 5 throws on a crash mat with the partner practising the fall.
Safety
A high-amplitude throw: keep the sleeve so your partner lands on the side, and only throw people who can break a fall.
What comes next
Where it comes from