Judo Throws: Names, Techniques and Styles of 30+ Types of Judo Throw
A Guide to Judo Throw Names and other Common Techniques including Locks and Chokes
Judo is a fighting style specifically designed to defeat larger and stronger opponents without using weapons, focusing on throws and grappling techniques.
As its name describes, "Gentle Way", this martial art involves attacking an opponent or defending yourself with ease but without using typical fighting techniques of punches or kicks.
The art of Judo is often described as a form of “self-defence” that uses an attacker’s energy against them. It is a highly effective martial art, and many people find it fun and exciting to learn from a young age, as it also teaches discipline and is a super form of exercise.
Judo is a modern version of Jujitsu, which was created in Japan in the late 19th century.
The art of Judo throws
Judo is a martial art that focuses on throwing and grappling techniques.
The practice uses a wide variety of throwing techniques, such as the forward and backward throws and the hip throw, to unbalance or take down your opponent.
Judo relies heavily on takedowns. There are several different types of Judo takedown, but most of these moves fall into one of two categories: Standing and Groundwork.
Judo throws can be used in competition or self-defence situations.
The Judo throw is a skill taught to all students at the beginning of their training. It is a key element in any type of self-defence situation where you need to subdue an attacker quickly and effectively.
Judo throws are divided into three categories: Nage Waza, Katame Waza and Atemi Waza.
The first category includes throwing techniques that do not involve holding onto the opponent’s Judo gi (uniform).
The second category involves holding onto the opponent’s gi while performing a throw.
The third category consists of techniques that involve striking the opponent’s body with your hand or another part of your body.
There are 40 different individual throws in Judo, but not all of them are considered "effective" for throwing your opponent to the ground.
Names of Different types of Judo throws
1. Ippon Seoi Nage
This is a forward-throwing technique. Use one arm to grab your opponent behind the head and under one shoulder, while simultaneously pushing on the opposite side with your other arm.
Your opponent is lifted off their feet and thrown onto their back.
2. Tai Otoshi
This is a forward-throwing technique in which your opponent is lifted off their feet and thrown onto their back.
You use just one arm to grab behind one leg, while simultaneously pushing on the opposite side with the other arm.
3. Uki Goshi
A drop throw, in which the attacker moves forward quickly with a leap and lands on top of their opponent after pushing them down with both hands.
4. Kata Guruma
Also known as Shoulder Wheel, this is a forward-throwing technique.
The opponent is lifted off their feet and placed on the shoulder, then thrown onto their back by using one arm to grab behind one leg and wrapping the other one around their neck.
The opponent is then thrown to the ground, on the side where the hand is capturing the neck.
5. Osoto Gari
A throwing technique in which the opponent is pulled by the attacker to make them off-balance, by pushing back after placing a leg behind one or both of their legs.
6. Ouchi Gari
A throwing technique in which the opponent is dropped on their back by placing a heel behind their heel and pushing them with their hands and shoulders.
7. Harai Goshi
A hip throw where the Judoka is in a crouching position and pushes off with their lead leg as they grab the opponent’s right lapel.
The Judo practitioner then uses this momentum to throw them over their shoulder.
8. Sode Tsurikomi Ashi
A forward throw where the thrower grabs one of the ankles of their opponent and pulls them off balance.
The technique relies on surprise, speed, strength and timing to be effective.
As it is such a fast move that takes place in a very short amount of time, the thrower must already know where their opponent will step next.
9. O Goshi
A throw where the Judoka uses their leg to sweep the opponent’s leg, while at the same time using their free arm to hold on to the opponent’s other leg and throw them over their shoulder onto the ground.
10. Uchi Mata
A hip throw in which the opponent is lifted on their hip and then three steps take place simultaneously: sweeping the free leg under the opponent’s legs, pulling them over your hip and turning back.
Once in the air, you can throw your opponent to the ground at your backside.
11. Ko Soto Gake
A throw where the Jodoka throws the opponent over their hip by pulling on the lapel of their dress and pushing them away with their other hand.
The Judoka must have good timing to execute this throw successfully.
12. Seoi Nage
A hip throw in which the attacker lifts the opponent on their hip while holding one of their arms, then the attacker turns their back and throws the opponent from the top of their shoulder.
13. Deashi Harai
A hip throw in which the attacker uses their leg to hook around the opponent’s leg, and pushes them to one of their sides.
For example, this will be the left if the left leg is used.
14. Tsurikomi Goshi
This is a hip throw in which the attacker uses their leg to hook around the opponent’s leg, bringing it forward and up while the opponent is lifted on the hip before throwing them to the ground right from the hip.
15. Harai Tsurikomi Ashi
This is a combination of two throws: Harai Goshi and Tsurikomi Ashi.
The attacker first hooks their leg behind the opponent’s knee while pushing them back.
16. Ushiro Kuzure Kesa Gatame
A back breakdown where the attacker drops their weight backward and pulls the defender’s arm with them, forcing them down to the ground.
17. Ushiro Kosoto Otoshi
A drop throw in which the attacker moves forward quickly with a leap and lands on top of the opponent after pushing them down with one hand.
18. Ko Uchi Gari
A variation of Ouchi gari that uses only one hand to grab the opponent’s leg, while the other hand is used to push off their hip.
This move can be used to sweep your opponent or throw them over your shoulder.
19. Kubi Otoshi
A move that uses your arm to grab the opponent’s head and pull it down while you step behind them and throw them over your shoulder.
20. Ouchi Gari
A move that uses your arm to grab the opponent’s head or neck and pull it down while you step behind them and throw them over your shoulder.
21. Ude Garami
This move is similar to Kata Hishigi, but it uses both arms to grab the opponent’s leg instead of just one hand like in Ouchi gari.
22. Osoto Gari
A move that uses your leg to sweep the opponent’s leg out from under them while pushing off their hip with your other hand.
23. Harai Tsurikomi Ashi
A sweeping move that uses both hands to push the opponent’s foot from behind so they fall forward on top of you.
24. Sumi Gaeshi
A variation of Uchi Mata that uses one hand to trap your opponent’s head or neck and pull it down while you step behind them and throw them over your shoulder.
25. Kesa Gatame
The name of this move means “Kimono Hold,” as it uses a kimono sleeve to trap your opponent’s arm around their back, grab one of your wrists with the other hand so that they can’t move, then drop down onto one knee.
This means that you can pull them over your shoulder and onto their back.
26. Kata Gatame
A variation of Kesa Gatame, where you wrap your opponent’s arm around their back and grab your wrist with the other hand so that they can’t move.
27. Kesa Gari
A variation of Ouchi Gari that uses both hands to grab your opponent’s head or neck and pull it down while you step behind them and throw them over your hip.
28. Kakato Otoshi
A move where you grab your opponent’s heel with both hands and drop down on one knee as you pull them over your shoulder and onto their back.
29. Kata Ha Jime
A chokehold that uses a kimono sleeve to trap your opponent’s neck and pull it down.
30. Kubi Jime
A chokehold that uses a Kimono Collar to cut off their air supply.
Then, use your sleeve to pull their arm around their back and drop down onto one knee as you pull them over your shoulder and onto their back.
31. Kata Ha Jime
A chokehold that uses a kimono sleeve to trap your opponent’s neck and pull it down.
32. Okuri Ashi Harai
This is a Judo move that involves sweeping an opponent’s lead leg from behind with your own leg.
The technique is commonly used as a means of catching an opponent off guard or knocking them off balance.
Different types of Locks and Chokes in Judo
1. Kubi Hishing
Kubi Hishing is a Neck Crank where the opponent’s head is grabbed in both arms from a side, and then pressed toward their chest, forcing them to submit.
2. Juji Gatami
A joint lock where the arm of the opponent is grabbed from the wrist and wrapped inside the legs.
Pressure is created on the elbow joint by holding the opponent by the legs and pulling their arm downwards.
In English, we call this move “Armbar.”
3. Hadaka Jime
In English, we call this Judo throw the Rear Naked Choke.
In this move, the attacker wraps their arm around the opponent’s neck from behind, the other hand is placed at the backside of their head, and pressure is created right at the throat.
It can be applied while sitting, standing or even on the ground.
4. Kata Hishigi
A joint lock applied while sitting at the back of the opponent, tucking one or both of their feet under the armpit(s), pressing down and folding the back of the opponent to win by submission.
