Okuri ashi harai (送足払) is the judo following foot sweep: you drive your partner sideways and sweep one foot into the other so both feet are taken. It is one of the 40 throws of the Gokyo no Waza.
- Japanese name: okuri ashi harai, 送足払. English: Following Foot Sweep.
- Kodokan classification: ashi-waza, a foot technique.
- Gokyo no Waza: Dai Nikyo, the second group.
What does okuri ashi harai mean?
Okuri Ashi Harai (送足払) is classified by the Kodokan as ashi-waza, a foot technique. The judoinfo.com ashi-waza list gives its English name as Following Foot Sweep. On the judoinfo.com list of Japanese judo terms, ashi means foot or leg. The Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com places it in Dai Nikyo, the second group, so it is one of the 40 judo throws of the traditional syllabus.
How do you do okuri ashi harai?
The Kodokan defines okuri ashi harai as a technique to throw down the opponent by driving him leftward and sweep his right foot with the left foot so that both of his feet are put together. The steps follow that definition, right-handed as the Kodokan writes it; mirror them for the left.
- Drive your partner to their left so they step sideways.
- As they step, sweep their right foot with the sole of your left foot.
- Follow through so their right foot is carried into their left and both feet leave the mat together.
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 okuri ashi harai and de ashi harai?
Both are foot sweeps with the sole. The Kodokan times de ashi harai to the step forward, sweeping the foot just as your partner loads weight onto it; okuri ashi harai catches the sideways step and sweeps one foot into the other so both are taken at once.
Is okuri ashi harai 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 okuri ashi harai is on the Kodokan list, so a clean okuri ashi harai 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 okuri ashi harai, Kodokan Judo Institute
- Judoinfo.com list of Japanese judo terms, JudoInfo
- 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
De ashi harai, Foot and leg techniques, Gokyo, Throwing techniques.