Osoto gari (大外刈) is the judo major outer reap: you break your partner's balance back onto one heel and reap that leg from the outside. It sits in the first group of the Gokyo no Waza and stays useful at every level.
- Japanese name: osoto gari, 大外刈. The judoinfo.com ashi-waza page translates it as Major Outer Reaping.
- Kodokan classification: ashi-waza, a foot and leg technique. The Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com places it in Dai Ikkyo, the first group.
- In BJJ: a standard throw from the collar tie or the over-under. Read Judo for BJJ Players for how judo throws carry over.
What is osoto gari in judo?
The Kodokan defines osoto gari as a technique to reap the opponent's right leg from the outside with the right leg and throw him down by breaking his balance backward. The reap, gari, is the whip of your leg against the back of theirs; the kuzushi is what makes the reap land.
Neil Ohlenkamp's article on kuzushi on judoinfo.com uses osotogari as his example of a throw people know the shape of long before they can make it work.
How do you do osoto gari?
Right-handed, as the Kodokan describes it; mirror for the left.
- Break the balance backward and to their right rear corner. Drive your lapel hand into their chest or jaw line and pull the sleeve down, so their weight settles onto their right heel.
- Step outside. Place your left foot to the outside of their right foot, toes pointing the way you want them to fall, and bring your chest to their chest.
- Swing the reaping leg. Lift your right leg forward past their right leg, then whip it back so the back of your thigh or calf reaps the back of their right leg at the knee or just above it.
- Drive with the upper body. As the leg reaps back, your head and chest drive forward and down over their trapped leg.
- Finish standing. Keep the sleeve grip and guide them to their back; stay on your feet or follow into a pin.
The most common mistake is reaping without kuzushi: the leg swings, the partner is still standing on both feet, and nothing happens. Load the heel first, then reap. Our judo training gear covers the drilling kit.
Video: KODOKAN official channel
What are the counters and variations of osoto gari?
Osoto gaeshi: the Kodokan describes it as throwing the opponent by counter-reaping their osoto gari attempt with the leg that is being attacked. Your partner meets your reap with their own and you fall to the same side you were throwing toward. A slow or shallow entry is what feeds it.
Osoto otoshi, osoto guruma and osoto makikomi are the other variants on the Kodokan list of techniques.
Is osoto gari legal in judo competition?
Yes. The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules score a throw when it is a Kodokan classified technique or a recognised variation, and osoto gari is one, so a clean throw 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.
Sources
- Kodokan defines osoto gari, Kodokan Judo Institute
- Judoinfo.com ashi-waza page, JudoInfo
- Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com, JudoInfo
- Neil Ohlenkamp's article on kuzushi, JudoInfo
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
- IBJJF rules, IBJJF
Related terms
Ouchi gari (major inner reap), Kosoto gari (minor outer reap), Off-balancing, Foot and leg techniques, Harai goshi (sweeping hip throw), Grip fighting.