Osoto Gari

Last updated: June 3, 2026

What is osoto gari?

Osoto gari is one of the original 40 throws of judo, codified by the art’s founder, Jigoro Kano, and it sits in Dai Ikkyo, the first group of the Gokyo no waza that most students learn early. The Kodokan still lists it among its current 67 throws. In Japanese, it is written 大外刈, and the name breaks down neatly: “o” for major or large, “soto” for outer, and “gari” for reap.

The throw belongs to a family called ashi-waza, the foot and leg techniques. What makes osoto gari an ashi-waza is the finish: the thrower’s leg sweeps through the back of the opponent’s thigh and knee, cutting the supporting leg out while the upper body gets driven backward. Take away someone’s base, and gravity does the rest.

Coaches reach for it early because the motion is intuitive, and the same backward-reaping idea shows up far beyond the judo mat. A spectator watching judo, sambo, wrestling, or MMA will see versions of it constantly, which is part of why it is worth recognising by name.

How osoto gari works

The throw has two halves working together. First comes kuzushi, the off-balancing: the thrower loads the opponent’s weight onto one leg, usually by pulling the sleeve and steering the head and shoulders back over that foot. A defender with weight planted on a single leg has no way to step out of trouble.

Then comes the reap. The thrower swings the matching leg past the trapped leg and brings it back hard against the thigh, scything the support away while the hands keep driving the torso down and back. Timing matters more than strength. If the reap lands before the opponent’s weight is committed, there is nothing to take away and the throw stalls.

The defining feature is direction. Osoto gari sends the opponent straight backward over a reaped outside leg, which separates it from forward-rotating throws and from trips that attack the inside line.

Osoto gari vs. similar throws

Most people searching for osoto gari are trying to tell it apart from the throws that look similar in a scramble. The Japanese names follow a logic once the pieces are clear: “o” means major, “ko” means minor, “soto” means outer, “uchi” means inner, “gari” means reap, and “gaeshi” means counter.

The cluster below shows where osoto gari sits among its closest relatives.

Throw	Japanese	Meaning	What it attacks
Osoto gari	大外刈	Major outer reap	Reaps the outside of the supporting leg, sending the opponent straight backward
Ouchi gari	大内刈	Major inner reap	Hooks the inside of the leg, also driving the opponent backward
Kosoto gari	小外刈	Minor outer reap	A lighter outside reap aimed at the ankle or heel rather than the thigh
Osoto gaeshi	大外返	Major outer reap counter	The counter to osoto gari, turning the attacker’s own reap back on them

Ouchi gari is the one beginners mix up most often. Both reap a leg and send the opponent backward, but osoto gari attacks the outside of the leg while ouchi gari hooks the inside. Because they pull a defender’s reaction in opposite directions, the two are often trained as a pair, with a feint toward one opening the other.

Osoto gari in MMA and grappling

Judo throws crossed into other grappling arts long ago, and osoto gari travelled further than most. Brazilian jiu-jitsu treats it as a high-percentage standing takedown because it needs little setup and tends to leave the thrower on top in a controlling position once the opponent lands.

In MMA, the principle survives even without a gi to grip. A fighter can replace the sleeve-and-lapel grips with an underhook and a collar tie, then reap the leg the same way. Commentators will sometimes just call it an outside trip, but the mechanic is the throw judoka have drilled for over a century.

There is a safety reason the throw commands respect. Because it drops an opponent backward with force, a defender who cannot break their fall lands hard, so coaches teach it alongside backward breakfalls before anyone throws at speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does osoto gari mean?

It translates from Japanese as “major outer reap” or “large outer reap.” The reap refers to the leg sweeping out the opponent’s supporting leg from the outside.

Is osoto gari a beginner technique?

It is one of the first throws many judoka learn, since it belongs to Dai Ikkyo, the first group of the Gokyo. The basic idea is simple, though high-level timing takes years.

What is the counter to osoto gari?

The classic counter is osoto gaeshi, the major outer reap counter, where the defender draws back the attacked leg and turns the thrower’s own reap against them.

What is the difference between osoto gari and ouchi gari?

Osoto gari reaps the outside of the leg. Ouchi gari hooks the inside instead, and because both send the opponent backward, they pair naturally as combinations, with a feint toward one opening up the other.

Is osoto gari legal in MMA and BJJ?

Yes. It is a standard standing takedown in both, and unlike some leg-grab throws, it does not depend on grabbing below the belt.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “O soto gari.” Accessed June 2026.
2. Kodokan Judo Institute. “Throwing Techniques (Nage-waza).” Accessed June 2026.
3. Judo Fanatics. “Osoto Gari With Kayla Harrison.” Accessed June 2026.
4. LowKickMMA. “Osoto Gari: Judo Technique.” Accessed June 2026.
5. BJJ Graph. “Osoto Gari.” Accessed June 2026.
6. Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Judo.” Accessed June 2026.

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