Kote Gaeshi

Takedown · Standing

A wrist-turn takedown from the collar tie to side control, for the moment he grabs your wrist or reaches with an extended arm. Take his hand with both of yours: fingers around the thumb side of his palm, thumbs on the back of his hand. Turn the hand outward so the back of his hand faces him and his fingers point back toward his face, bending the wrist, and at the same time step back and pivot so you draw his arm in a circle down and away. To ease the wrist he has to follow the turn, and he falls onto his back or side beside you; keep the wrist and come on top. The throw comes from the circle and your step, not from cranking the joint: forced against a stiff arm, it breaks the wrist before he can fall. Mark it advanced: practise only slowly with a partner who can breakfall, and check your ruleset, since judo allows joint techniques on the elbow only. If he pulls the hand free, shoot the double leg; if he rolls out with the twist, attack the turtle.

How to do it

They grab your wrist or reach with an extended arm: take their hand with both of yours, fingers around the thumb side of the palm, thumbs on the back of the hand.
Bring the hand in front of your belly, close to you, the elbow of their arm bent.
Turn the hand outward so the back of it faces them and the fingers point back toward their face.
At the same time step back and pivot, drawing the arm in a circle down and away: they follow the turn and fall onto the back or side.
Keep the wrist without twisting further and come on top into side control.

Key details

The circle and your step throw them, not the force on the joint.
Keep the hand close to your body; at arm's length you have no control.
Turn the hand outward, fingers back toward their face, with the wrist bent.
Apply slowly so they can follow and fall: the throw needs them to go with it.

Common mistakes

Cranking the wrist with the arms. — The wrist breaks before they can fall, or they resist and the hand slips out. — Step and turn your body; the hand only follows the circle.
Holding the hand far from the body. — Their arm stays strong and they pull the hand free. — Bring the hand in to your belly before you turn it.
Grabbing only the fingers. — Fingers break easily and give no control of the wrist. — Grip the whole hand, thumbs on the back of it.

How to drill it

Slowly only: the partner grabs the wrist, you take the hand and turn it in a circle while the partner falls on purpose with a side breakfall, 3 x 5 each side. No resistance and no speed.

Safety

The wrist breaks easily: apply slowly, never snap or crank it, and release as soon as the partner taps or starts to fall. The partner breakfalls early or rolls with the turn. Never use it on a beginner who cannot breakfall. Judo bans joint techniques except on the elbow; check your BJJ ruleset before using it in competition.

What comes next

RhizoBJJ

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