O-goshi (major hip throw) is often the first hip throw a judoka learns. Tori wraps an arm around uke's waist, slides the hips fully underneath, lifts by straightening the legs and then tips uke over. It sits in group one of the gokyo, right after o-soto-gari.
Its value as a teaching tool goes well beyond its use in competition. Understand o-goshi and you understand how to get under an opponent.
Where o-goshi sits among the hip throws
The koshi-waza of the nage-waza mostly differ on two things: how deep the hip goes and where the tsurite arm sits. A small table helps.
| Technique | Right arm (right-hander) | Hip |
|---|---|---|
| Uki-goshi | around the waist | halfway in, rotation |
| O-goshi | around the waist | fully under uke, lift |
| Koshi-guruma | around the neck | past uke, wheel |
| Tsurikomi-goshi | holds the lapel | very low |
O-goshi is the one that carries the most load. Uke is lifted, not just turned.
Setting up the entry
The left hand (hikite) holds uke's right sleeve at the elbow. On the attack it pulls forward and up, as if checking your watch. Uke rises onto the toes. That is the kuzushi, and without it nothing else matters.
Your right arm releases the lapel and slides under uke's left armpit, around the waist, hand flat on the back near the belt. It pins uke against you.
Tsukuri: get under the center
- Right foot in front of uke's right foot, on the inside.
- Pivot on that foot. The left foot comes alongside, in front of uke's left foot. Your feet are parallel, between theirs.
- Bend your knees. Your hips drop below uke's belt and stick out past the far side of uke's body.
- Keep your back straight and tight against uke's stomach.
Your hips must be lower than theirs. That single point decides everything.
Kake: straighten the legs, then turn
Uke is loaded. Straighten your legs and uke comes off the mat. Then turn your upper body to the left while pulling the sleeve, head following. Uke rolls over your lower back and lands in front of you.
The arm on the back guides the fall. Keep the sleeve to the end so uke lands on the back and not on the shoulder.
The most common mistakes
- Straight knees on the entry. You lift with your back, uke stays down and your lower back pays for it.
- Hips not far enough through. If your right hip stops at the middle of uke's body, you are doing a bad uki-goshi.
- A gap between the bodies, often because the right arm is not pinning. Uke gets pushed instead of carried.
- Looking at the mat. The head steers the rotation and should turn toward the left shoulder.
Counters and uke's answers
An uke who feels the hip coming drops the center and pushes the pelvis forward, blocking o-goshi with the stomach. A strong uke can then lift tori in turn and counter with ushiro-goshi or utsuri-goshi, two hip counters from the gokyo.
Against that block, tori can change direction. An uke whose hips push forward often has the chest back. A rear attack such as o-uchi-gari becomes possible.
Using o-goshi today
In competition, grips around the waist are regulated. IJF rules penalize the bear hug, an arm wrapped around the body without holding the judogi with the other hand. With the sleeve held, o-goshi is legal. It mostly shows up late in an exchange, when uke steps in to attack and the distance disappears.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has hip throws too, but they expose your back. We compare the two approaches in our BJJ vs judo article.
Drills
Start with entries and no throw, ten per side, checking that your hips get below uke's belt. Then lift uke without throwing and set them down. Only then throw.
Here is a simple test. If uke comes off the mat when you straighten your legs without turning, your placement is right. If not, do not try to force it with your arms. Redo the entry.