AWESOME Inside Trip TAKEDOWN!!
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Inside Trip·TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian
This video I breakdown the inside trip off of a front headlock position with the help of the Munoz Brothers. Check out …
Inside Trip
Family内掛け(Uchigake)
TraditionalTranslation: inside trip/reap
Overview
The Inside Trip family covers techniques where the attacker uses their leg to trip the opponent from the inside — threading the tripping leg between or inside the opponent's legs to hook, reap, or block the ankle or lower leg. [1] Inside trips exploit the close-range clinch position where the attacker's legs naturally have access to the inside of the opponent's stance. [1],[2] The family includes inside ankle trips and ko uchi gari (minor inner reap), both of which attack the opponent's base from an interior angle while upper body control directs the fall. [2] Inside trips are among the most commonly used clinch takedowns in both wrestling and judo. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Inside trips appear across virtually all wrestling traditions, with judo's ko uchi gari and wrestling's inside trip representing the most refined modern forms. [1] The inside angle of attack has been a fundamental principle of standing grappling for centuries across Asian, European, and Middle Eastern martial arts. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Competition Record
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Penetrating step and level change to attack the opponent's legs — disrupting their base of support
Joints Involved — Attacker's knees and hips (level change), opponent's knee or ankle (controlled point)
Force Vector — Forward and downward — closing distance and driving through the opponent's lower body
Takedown Mechanic — Removing one or both legs from the opponent's base forces them to fall or be driven to the mat
Position & Entry
From collar tie and sleeve/wrist control — Step inside between the opponent's feet, hook or sweep the near leg while pushing with the upper body
From clinch (inside position) — When opponent's weight is on the lead foot, hook it from inside and drive them backward
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
5
High5/10
Ko-Uchi-Gari style; backward fall risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
— leg-to-leg contact prohibited
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDFLegal
— 2 points
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— Unified MMA — Legal takedown technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— ADCC — Legal, scored 2-4 points in second half of match
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal — all takedowns permitted
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDF— 2 points
NCAA Wrestling Rules 2025-26PDFTraining Notes
✓Thread your tripping leg between the opponent's legs from the inside
✓Use upper body clinch control to drive the opponent's weight over the targeted leg
✓The trip and the drive are simultaneous — hook the ankle and push the shoulder
✓Step in deep so your hip is close to theirs before initiating the trip
✓Inside trips work from collar tie, underhook, and body lock positions
✓Practice stepping into the inside position from different clinch entries
Common Mistakes
!Not stepping close enough — if your hips are far away, you can't reach the inside of their ankle
!Tripping without pushing their upper body, so there's no force to topple them
!Hooking too high (behind the knee) when the ankle gives better leverage
!Trying to trip from outside position — this is specifically an inside technique
!Losing your own balance by standing on one foot without a wide base
!Not driving through after the trip, ending up in a neutral scramble
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Sprawl — drop hips back and drive weight down to stuff the takedown attemptLift the Targeted Leg — raise the foot being attacked to avoid the reap or sweepStep Over — lift the targeted leg over the sweeping limb to evadeCounter-Throw — use opponent's committed weight shift to execute a counter technique
Setup Chain
1Establish Grip — secure collar tie, underhook, or body lock for control
2Off-Balance (Kuzushi) — push or pull to shift opponent's weight onto the target leg
3Execute the Reap/Sweep — attack the loaded leg with the sweeping or tripping action
Sources & References
Primary Source
Kodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification
1BookKodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification
Traditional Judo throwing/takedown terminology (Kodokan Institute)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)
4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
5CitationKodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification
Traditional Judo throwing/takedown terminology (Kodokan Institute)
Community
Athletics
Requires
timing, balance, upper body control for push-pull
Favours
good coordination and sense of opponent's weight distribution
Key muscles
core stabilisers, hip adductors/abductors, calves
Sub-techniques
Inside Ankle Trip
SubFamilyThe Inside Ankle Trip subfamily specifically targets the opponent's ankle from the inside, using the attacker's foot to hook or block the ankle while upper body pressure drives the opponent over the trapped foot. [1] The attacker typically uses a collar tie, underhook, or clinch position to control the opponent's upper body, then steps inside and hooks the near ankle with the instep or heel. [1,2] Pulling the hooked ankle forward while driving the opponent's shoulders backward creates a sharp rotational fall. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Ko Uchi Gari Trip
SubFamilyThe Ko Uchi Gari Trip subfamily applies judo's minor inner reap as a takedown, where the attacker reaps the opponent's inner ankle or lower leg from the inside while directing the upper body backward over the reaped leg. [1] Ko uchi gari uses a small, sharp reaping action — the attacker's foot hooks the inside of the opponent's heel or ankle and pulls it forward, destroying the opponent's rear base. [1,2] The upper body simultaneously drives the opponent's weight backward over the leg being reaped. [2] Ko uchi gari is one of judo's most versatile techniques, used both as a primary attack and as a setup for other throws. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
The inside trip appears in 20 passages across 6 books including the US Army Hand-to-Hand Combat manual (FM 3-25.150). The attacker hooks the opponent's leg from the inside while driving forward. One of the most natural and instinctive takedowns — commonly seen in self-defense situations. (6 books; US Army FM 3-25.150)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my opponent's arm from escaping when setting up an inside trip?
Coach Brian emphasizes controlling the underhook by covering your opponent's hand with your chin—this locks the arm in place and prevents it from coming out during the technique.
What's a good setup for hitting an inside trip effectively?
Coach Brian recommends combining a club dig with a snap down to set up the inside trip, as this combination helps establish control and balance before executing the takedown.
How does the Inside Trip work?
The Inside Trip family covers techniques where the attacker uses their leg to trip the opponent from the inside — threading the tripping leg between or inside the opponent's legs to hook, reap, or block the ankle or lower leg. Inside trips exploit the close-range clinch position where the attacker's legs naturally have access to the inside of the opponent's stance.
Where does the Inside Trip come from?
Inside trips appear across virtually all wrestling traditions, with judo's ko uchi gari and wrestling's inside trip representing the most refined modern forms. The inside angle of attack has been a fundamental principle of standing grappling for centuries across Asian, European, and Middle Eastern martial arts.
Is the Inside Trip legal in competition?
IJF: legal — Legal (ashi-waza) — trips executed without grabbing opponent's legs are permi…; IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels, scored as takedown (2 points); UWW: restricted — Legal in freestyle, restricted in Greco-Roman (leg-to-leg contact prohibited); Unified MMA: legal — Legal takedown technique; ADCC: legal — Legal, scored 2-4 points in second half of match; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal — all takedowns permitted; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal; NCAA Folkstyle: legal — Legal, scored as takedown (2 points)
How dangerous is the Inside Trip?
Danger rating 5/10. High — Ko-Uchi-Gari style; backward fall risk
How do I set up the Inside Trip?
The standard setup chain: Establish Grip → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Execute the Reap/Sweep.
How do I defend against the Inside Trip?
Standard counters include: Sprawl — drop hips back and drive weight down to stuff the takedown attempt / Lift the Targeted Leg — raise the foot being attacked to avoid the reap or sweep / Step Over — lift the targeted leg over the sweeping limb to evade / Counter-Throw — use opponent's committed weight shift to execute a counter technique.
What are the variants of the Inside Trip?
Common variants: Standard trip (blocking or sweeping the support leg while driving the up…); Combination trip (chaining an inside trip with an outside trip when the opp…); Counter trip (using the trip as a counter when the opponent attacks); Clinch trip (executing the trip from a tight clinch position).
How effective is the Inside Trip in competition?
Inside trips are frequently scored in judo (as ko uchi gari) and MMA competition, and are a standard technique in wrestling.
What are common mistakes when doing the Inside Trip?
Top errors to watch for: Not stepping close enough — if your hips are far away, you can't reach the inside of their ankle / Tripping without pushing their upper body, so there's no force to topple them / Hooking too high (behind the knee) when the ankle gives better leverage / Trying to trip from outside position — this is specifically an inside technique.
What are other names for the Inside Trip?
The Inside Trip is also known as Uchigake, Inside Reap, Uchi Waza, Inner Trip.