GEORGIAN BELT GRIP FOOT SWEEPS LEG LIFT THROWS
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Georgian Rear Belt Grip·welcomematstevescott·Added by Admin
In this video, the Georgian Belt grip is used for several Foot Sweeps and Props and for Leg or Thigh Lift throws. coachi…
Georgian Rear Belt Grip
Genusジョージアン後帯取り(Jōjian Ushiro Obi-dori)
HybridTranslation: Georgian rear belt grip
Overview
The Georgian Rear Belt Grip is a signature gripping configuration from Georgian judo and wrestling where the attacker reaches deep behind the opponent to grip the back of the belt with one hand while controlling the collar or lapel with the other. [1] This grip creates an extremely powerful asymmetric control where the belt hand can lift and rotate the opponent's hips while the collar hand controls posture and direction. [1],[2] The Georgian grip is renowned for its effectiveness in setting up powerful throws such as harai goshi, uchi mata, and various suplex variations. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The Georgian grip is named for the country of Georgia, whose judoka developed this gripping style from their native wrestling art, chidaoba. [1] Georgian wrestlers traditionally grip a short jacket (chokha) at the waist, and when these athletes transitioned to judo, they brought their belt-gripping preferences with them. [2] Georgian judoka like Shota Khabareli, David Khakhaleishvili, and more recently Lasha Bekauri have demonstrated the devastating effectiveness of this grip system at the Olympic level. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The Georgian rear belt grip provides exceptional throwing power by securing the opponent's belt from behind with one or both hands, enabling explosive hip and suplex-style throws. [1] The grip is particularly effective in judo and freestyle wrestling where Georgian athletes have used it to execute devastating lateral and rotational throws. [1]
Lineage
This grip originates from Georgian traditional wrestling (chidaoba), where all matches begin with a mandatory belt grip. [1] The Georgian wrestling tradition has produced a disproportionate number of Olympic and World Championship medallists in judo and wrestling, largely attributed to the belt-grip skills developed through chidaoba training. [1] Notable lineage figures include the coaches and wrestlers of the Georgian national wrestling and judo teams who have systematically adapted chidaoba belt techniques to international competition rules. [2]
Competition Record
Georgian judoka have dominated with belt grip techniques on the international stage. Shota Chochishvili won Georgia's first Olympic judo gold (1972 Munich) using Georgian grip techniques. [1] More recently, Lasha Bekauri (Olympic gold, Tokyo 2021, -90kg) and Lasha Shavdatuashvili (Olympic gold, London 2012, -66kg) continued the tradition of Georgian belt-grip dominance in Olympic judo. [2]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Establishing body-to-body connection through underhooks, overhooks, or collar ties to control the opponent's movement
Joints Involved — Attacker's shoulders (driving position), hips (base and drive), opponent's upper body (restricted)
Force Vector — Forward pressure and angular positioning — inside position (underhooks) creates offensive advantage
Control Mechanic — Chest-to-chest pressure combined with inside ties limits the opponent's ability to create distance or attack
Position & Entry
From judo grip fighting — Secure the belt with one hand while controlling the collar with the other — common in judo and sambo
From clinch (gi-based) — During gi-based grappling, reach around and grab the belt for a strong controlling grip
Variants
Standard variation — primary clinch configuration from the most common entry
Gi variation — adapted with collar and sleeve grips for gi-based grappling
No-gi / MMA variation — modified for no-gi or cage fighting conditions
Offensive variation — configured to set up strikes, takedowns, or submissions from the clinch
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
2
Low2/10
Grip fighting is primarily positional; finger/wrist strain risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
WBC/Boxing — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding results in point deduction {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
K-1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
— WAKO — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no...
WAKO Competition RulesPDFLegal
— Unified MMA — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— grip fighting
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— IBJJF — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work pe...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IFMA — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai,...
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDF— UWW — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the pri...
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDFTraining Notes
✓The Georgian grip reaches deep across the opponent's back to grip the far-side belt — a specialty of Georgian wrestlers (chidaoba and sambo) who use jacket grips for power throws
✓This deep cross-back grip gives extraordinary control: your arm wraps behind the opponent's back with your hand on their far hip
✓Georgian wrestlers like Vladimer Khinchegashvili and Lasha Shavdatuashvili have demonstrated this grip's effectiveness at Olympic level
✓From the Georgian grip, throw with a laterral drop, hip throw, or forward trip — the deep belt grip provides massive rotational force
✓Establish the grip by threading your arm behind the opponent's back — it requires getting close and past their near-side arm
✓The Georgian grip sacrifices your near-side frame but gives you disproportionate control of the opponent's hips
✓Train this grip specifically in gi or kurtka: the reach and grip placement are unique and require dedicated drilling
Common Mistakes
!Reaching for the Georgian grip without first controlling the opponent's near arm — they block your reach
!Wrapping behind the back but not reaching the far-side belt — the depth of the grip is what makes it powerful
!Using the Georgian grip without immediately attacking — it's a throwing grip, not a holding grip
!Standing too upright while gripping — bend the knees and get your hips below the opponent for throwing power
!Not using the head on the same side as the gripping arm to add control — head pressure supplements the grip
!Attempting the Georgian grip against an opponent who is pulling away — close distance first
!Not conditioning the shoulder and arm for the deep reach — the Georgian grip requires significant shoulder flexibility
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Pummeling — fight for inside position by swimming arms under opponent's gripsFrame and Push — create distance using forearm frames against the chest or neckGrip Break — systematically strip the opponent's controlling gripsPosture Up — straighten the spine and drive the hips forward to break clinch control
Setup Chain
1Close Distance — bridge the gap using footwork, strikes, or a level change
2Establish Primary Grip — secure the initial controlling grip on the opponent
3Position the Hips — align hips to maximize leverage and control angle
4Apply Pressure — use the grip to control posture and create offensive opportunities
Sources & References
Primary Source
Kodokan Judo (Jigoro Kano, 1986)
1BookKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Alias sources — [1] UWW Technical Terminology (UWW, 2018) [2] Georgian Wrestling: Chidaoba (Berdzenishvili, 2008) [3] Freestyle Wrestling: A Complete Guide (Petrov, 2005)
2BookGreco-Roman Wrestling (Petrov, 1985)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Georgian Wrestling: Chidaoba (Berdzenishvili, 2008)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
5CitationKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Alias sources — [1] UWW Technical Terminology (UWW, 2018) [2] Georgian Wrestling: Chidaoba (Berdzenishvili, 2008) [3] Freestyle Wrestling: A Complete Guide (Petrov, 2005)
6CitationGreco-Roman Wrestling (Petrov, 1985)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Georgian Wrestling: Chidaoba (Berdzenishvili, 2008)
Community
Athletics
Requires
grip strength, upper body endurance, balance under pressure
Favours
strong arms and shoulders, stable base
Key muscles
forearms, deltoids, core, hip muscles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Georgian grip and where does it come from?
The Georgian grip is a rear belt control technique used in Sambo that originates from Georgian grappling style. According to Steve Scott, it involves catching over the opponent's back from the side after they attempt to escape your initial grip.
What's the key hip movement when executing a Georgian rear belt throw?
The critical element is a quick turn with the hips—this explosive hip rotation combined with stepping out wide allows you to drop your opponent effectively with the grip.
What types of leg attacks can I use from the Georgian grip?
From the Georgian grip, you can execute either a lifting thigh sweep action or a more traditional foot sweep to complete the throw.
How does the Georgian Rear Belt Grip work?
The Georgian Rear Belt Grip is a signature gripping configuration from Georgian judo and wrestling where the attacker reaches deep behind the opponent to grip the back of the belt with one hand while controlling the collar or lapel with the other. This grip creates an extremely powerful asymmetric control where the belt hand can lift and rotate the opponent's hips while the collar hand controls posture and direction.
Where does the Georgian Rear Belt Grip come from?
The Georgian grip is named for the country of Georgia, whose judoka developed this gripping style from their native wrestling art, chidaoba. Georgian wrestlers traditionally grip a short jacket (chokha) at the waist, and when these athletes transitioned to judo, they brought their belt-gripping preferences with them.
Is the Georgian Rear Belt Grip legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA; IJF: legal — Legal — kumi-kata (grip fighting) is fundamental to judo; IBJJF: legal — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work permitted; IFMA: legal — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai, clinch dominance is highly…; WBC/Boxing: restricted — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding resu…; K: restricted — 1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks; WAKO: restricted — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no clinch fighting in most fo…; UWW: legal — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the primary position in Greco-Roman
How dangerous is the Georgian Rear Belt Grip?
Danger rating 2/10. Low — grip fighting is primarily positional; finger/wrist strain risk
How do I set up the Georgian Rear Belt Grip?
The standard setup chain: Close Distance → Establish Primary Grip → Position the Hips → Apply Pressure.
How do I defend against the Georgian Rear Belt Grip?
Standard counters include: Pummeling — fight for inside position by swimming arms under opponent's grips / Frame and Push — create distance using forearm frames against the chest or neck / Grip Break — systematically strip the opponent's controlling grips / Posture Up — straighten the spine and drive the hips forward to break clinch control.
What are the variants of the Georgian Rear Belt Grip?
Common variants: Standard variation (primary clinch configuration from the most common entry); Gi variation (adapted with collar and sleeve grips for gi-based grappling); No-gi / MMA variation (modified for no-gi or cage fighting conditions); Offensive variation (configured to set up strikes, takedowns, or submissions f…).
How effective is the Georgian Rear Belt Grip in competition?
Georgian judoka have dominated with belt grip techniques on the international stage. Shota Chochishvili won Georgia's first Olympic judo gold (1972 Munich) using Georgian grip techniques.
What are common mistakes when doing the Georgian Rear Belt Grip?
Top errors to watch for: Reaching for the Georgian grip without first controlling the opponent's near arm — they block your reach / Wrapping behind the back but not reaching the far-side belt — the depth of the grip is what makes it powerful / Using the Georgian grip without immediately attacking — it's a throwing grip, not a holding grip / Standing too upright while gripping — bend the knees and get your hips below the opponent for throwing power.
What are other names for the Georgian Rear Belt Grip?
The Georgian Rear Belt Grip is also known as Jōjian Ushiro Obi-dori, Georgian Grip, Chidaoba Belt Grip, Georgian Back Belt Clinch.