Hiza-guruma (knee wheel) is the second technique of the gokyo. Tori blocks uke's leading knee with the sole of the foot, then turns uke around that fixed point with the hands, like turning a steering wheel. The foot throws nothing. It is the pivot.
This is a skill throw rather than a power throw. It suits lighter judoka facing an opponent who walks forward heavily.
Hiza-guruma vs sasae-tsurikomi-ashi: it comes down to height
Beginners mix these two up all the time. In sasae-tsurikomi-ashi, the block is at the ankle and the hands draw uke forward. In hiza-guruma, the block is higher (at the knee) and the hands make a genuine turning motion.
There is also ashi-guruma, in group three, where a straight leg bars the knee instead of just the foot. Three heights of block, one shared wheel idea. All three are ashi-waza in the nage-waza family.
The hands do the throwing
In hiza-guruma, most of the work happens in the hands. For a right-hander:
- the left hand (hikite) pulls the sleeve to your left in an arc, then down;
- the right hand (tsurite) lifts the lapel up, then pushes it to your left.
Together they turn a steering wheel to the left. Uke's knee can no longer travel forward, so the body tips over it.
How to do hiza-guruma (right-handed)
- Uke steps forward with the right foot, or you draw that step by moving back.
- Your right foot pivots and opens slightly to the right. You now face uke at three-quarters.
- The sole of your left foot lands on the front of uke's right knee, on the outer side. Leg straight, toes turned in.
- The hands turn the wheel. Your upper body follows the rotation without leaning forward.
The foot on the knee does not push. It blocks. Push, and uke pulls the leg back and the throw evaporates.
Why it fails
The foot arrives too late. Uke has already loaded the right leg, the knee is locked and your foot bounces off. As with de-ashi-barai, the window is during the step.
The second reason is hands pulling straight instead of turning. Uke simply steps over your leg. Then there is aiming at the kneecap. Hitting the kneecap hurts and throws nobody. Aim at the front of the knee, a little to the outside.
When to use it in randori
Hiza-guruma works on an opponent who steps forward to push or to chase a grip. It works poorly on a defensive judoka with wide feet and hips back, because the knee is too far away.
One simple trigger is to attack when uke takes a big step to recover the sleeve you just stripped. That step is rarely controlled. In an opposite-stance grip, uke's leading knee sits right in front of your left foot, which shortens the path.
Counters and follow-ups
Uke who feels the block can lift the foot and step over it. When that happens, the weight moves forward onto the other leg. That opens a forward throw such as tai-otoshi.
If uke stiffens and pulls the hips back, the standing leg becomes heavy. Switch to o-uchi-gari on the other leg.
Drills
Start with a no-fall drill. Uke stands still with the right foot forward. Tori places the foot on the knee and turns uke slowly until uke feels they can no longer stay up. Then repeat on the move, with uke walking forward three steps.
Falls come later, on a thick mat, once the hand action is clean.
Our view: hiza-guruma is the best throw for understanding that the hands do the throwing. Judoka who own it often have better kuzushi on everything else. It deserves more mat time than it usually gets.