Yoko gake (横掛) is a judo side sacrifice throw: you tilt your partner onto their little toe, sweep their outer ankle and drop onto your side. It is one of the 40 throws of the Gokyo no Waza.
- Japanese name: yoko gake, 横掛.
- Kodokan classification: yoko-sutemi-waza, a side sacrifice technique.
- Gokyo no Waza: Gokyo, the fifth group.
What does yoko gake mean?
Yoko Gake (横掛) is classified by the Kodokan as yoko-sutemi-waza, a side sacrifice technique. On the judoinfo.com list of Japanese judo terms, yoko means side. The Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com places it in Gokyo, the fifth group, so it is one of the 40 judo throws of the traditional syllabus.
How do you do yoko gake?
The Kodokan defines yoko gake as a technique to throw down the opponent by breaking his balance toward his right small toe and pushing and sweeping his right outer ankle with the left foot while laying down the body onto the left side. The steps follow that definition, right-handed as the Kodokan writes it; mirror them for the left.
- Break the balance toward their right little toe.
- Push and sweep their right outer ankle with your left foot.
- Lay your body down onto your left side as the foot goes, taking them down with you.
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 yoko gake and kosoto gake?
Both attack the outside of your partner's leg. The Kodokan's kosoto gake hooks the leg and lifts the body while you stay standing; yoko gake sweeps the outer ankle and you fall onto your side with them.
Is yoko 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 yoko gake is on the Kodokan list, so a clean yoko 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 yoko gake, Kodokan Judo Institute
- Judoinfo.com list of Japanese judo terms, JudoInfo
- Gokyo no Waza listed on judoinfo.com, JudoInfo
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
- IBJJF rules, IBJJF
Related terms
Kosoto gake, Sacrifice techniques, Gokyo, Throwing techniques.