Kosoto gake (小外掛) is the judo small outside hook: you break your partner's balance backward, hook their leg from the outside and lift their body. It is one of the 40 throws of the Gokyo no Waza.
- Japanese name: kosoto gake, 小外掛. English: Small Outside Hook.
- Kodokan classification: ashi-waza, a foot technique.
- Gokyo no Waza: Sankyo, the third group.
What does kosoto gake mean?
Kosoto Gake (小外掛) is classified by the Kodokan as ashi-waza, a foot technique. The judoinfo.com ashi-waza list gives its English name as Small Outside Hook. The Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com places it in Sankyo, the third group, so it is one of the 40 judo throws of the traditional syllabus.
How do you do kosoto gake?
The Kodokan defines kosoto gake as a technique to throw down the opponent by breaking his balance backward, hooking the left foot or leg from the outside on his right leg and uplifting his body. The steps follow that definition, right-handed as the Kodokan writes it; mirror them for the left.
- Break the balance backward with your hands, so their weight goes onto their heels.
- Hook your left foot or leg from the outside onto their right leg.
- Lift their body with your hands and chest as the hook holds the leg, and throw them down backward.
Learn it with a coach and a partner who can breakfall, on a proper mat, and build speed only once the steps are clean.
Video: KODOKAN official channel
What is the difference between kosoto gake and kosoto gari?
The names differ by one word, and the word is the technique. Gari is a reap: in kosoto gari the Kodokan has you reap the foot away from the outside. Gake is a hook: in kosoto gake the foot or leg is hooked and held while you lift the body.
Is kosoto gake legal in judo competition?
Yes. The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules score a throw only when it is a Kodokan classified technique or a recognised variation, and kosoto gake is on the Kodokan list, so a clean kosoto gake can score yuko, waza-ari or ippon.
In BJJ a throw counts as a takedown: 2 points under the IBJJF rules once your partner lands on the back, side or seat and you hold the top for three seconds.
See where it sits among the 40 judo throws. Rash guards and kit for the mat are in our judo training gear.
Sources
- Kodokan defines kosoto gake, Kodokan Judo Institute
- Judoinfo.com ashi-waza list, JudoInfo
- Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com, JudoInfo
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
- IBJJF rules, IBJJF
Related terms
Kosoto gari, Foot and leg techniques, Gokyo, Throwing techniques.