Hip Throw

What it is

The hip throw, o goshi in judo, is a throw where you wrap an arm around your opponent's waist, turn your hips in lower than theirs and lift them over your hip to the mat. It is one of the first throws taught in judo and BJJ. A controlled sleeve or wrist grip steers them onto their back and side, so the landing is safe for both of you.

When to use it

• They stand upright and close to you, chest to chest.
• You have an underhook or an arm around their waist from the clinch.
• They lean forward into you, giving their weight to your hips.

How to do it

1. Grip their sleeve or wrist with one hand and wrap your other arm around their waist or back.
2. Step your front foot in just inside their near foot and pivot, bringing your back foot around inside their other foot so you turn your back to them.
3. Bend your knees so your hips are lower than theirs and right across them.
4. Pull the sleeve around your body and hug them tight to your hip.
5. Straighten your legs and turn, so they roll over your hip toward the mat.
6. Keep the sleeve as they land, so they fall onto their back and side, then follow them to the top.

Key details

• Hips lower than theirs. If your hips are higher, you have to lift them with your back.
• Hips all the way across. Half in, they slide off the side and block you.
• The legs throw, not the arms. Bent knees straightening do the lifting.
• Hold the sleeve until they land. It keeps their head off the mat and controls the fall.
• Partner safety: drill it slowly with a partner who can breakfall, and never land them on the head or neck.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: hips too high. You try to lift them with your back and hurt yourself.
• Mistake: turning in only halfway. They block with the hip and take your back.
• Mistake: letting go of the sleeve. They fall uncontrolled and can land on the head or shoulder.
• Mistake: falling with them with your weight on top. You land on their ribs or neck.

What they will try

• They drop their hips and bend their knees to block yours.
• They step around your hip as you turn and take your back.

Gi and no-gi

Without the sleeve, grip their wrist or overhook their arm to control the fall, and keep the waist wrap tight. The throw is harder to steer without cloth, so be even more careful with the landing.