O - uchi - gari . Variations and Combinations
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O Uchi Gari·Aris judo Club
O uchi gari is an effective technique in judo for several reasons. Firstly, it capitalizes on the opponent's natural mov…
O Uchi Gari
SubFamily大内刈り(O Uchi Gari)
TraditionalTranslation: major inner reap
Overview
O Uchi Gari (major inner reap) is a judo ashi-waza technique in which the thrower drives the leg between the opponent's legs and reaps the far leg from the inside, sweeping it backward while pushing the opponent's upper body in the same rearward direction. [1] The 'o' (major) designation indicates that the technique targets the far leg with a large, powerful reaping action, creating a diagonal throwing line. [1],[2] The thrower typically steps deep between the opponent's feet, hooks or reaps the far leg's inner calf or ankle with the foot or shin, and drives forward to topple the opponent backward over the reaped leg. [2],[3]
History & Origin
O uchi gari was included in the Kodokan gokyo from its earliest form, classified in the second set as a fundamental attacking technique. [1] The throw is one of the most frequently attempted techniques in judo competition and serves as both a primary attack and a critical setup for combination sequences. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Competition Record
O uchi gari is a high-frequency technique in IJF competition, commonly used in combination with seoi nage and uchi mata. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Sweeping, reaping, or blocking the opponent's foot or leg to remove their base of support
Joints Involved — Attacker's sweeping leg (ankle or shin contact), opponent's supporting ankle or knee (swept)
Force Vector — Two opposing forces — the upper body is directed one way while the sweeping leg removes the support in the opposite direction
Timing Principle — Maximum effectiveness when the opponent's weight is committed to the targeted foot — timing supersedes strength
Position & Entry
From judo grip — Use push-pull timing (kuzushi) to catch the opponent as they step, sweep the support foot in the direction of their movement
From clinch (collar tie) — Push or pull to make the opponent step, sweep the stepping foot at the exact moment it lifts off the mat
Videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
O-Uchi-Gari and variants; backward fall risk with head impact (Kano 1986)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
— no leg attacks below waist
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDFLegal
— IJF — Legal throwing technique
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— Unified MMA — Legal throwing technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓O uchi gari (major inner reap) reaps the opponent's leg from the inside using a large sweeping action
✓Step between the opponent's legs and reap their far leg from inside to outside with the back of your calf or sole
✓Push the opponent backward with the hands while reaping to knock them off the back of their base
✓O uchi gari is one of the most commonly used throws in judo — it is simple, effective, and highly versatile
✓Use it as a single attack or as a setup for forward throws — push them back with o uchi gari, and when they resist forward, enter a seoi nage or uchi mata
✓The reap must be deep — your leg reaches between the opponent's legs to catch their far ankle or calf
✓O uchi gari works against both backward-leaning and upright opponents when combined with proper kuzushi
Common Mistakes
!Reaping the near leg instead of reaching between the legs for the far leg — the major version targets the far leg
!Not stepping between the opponent's legs before reaping — you must close distance to reach the target
!Pushing backward without actually reaping — the push and reap must be simultaneous
!Reaping too gently — the leg action must be a committed, sweeping reap that dislodges the foot
!Leaning too far forward during the push, losing your own balance
!Not maintaining grip control — if you lose the grip, the reap becomes ineffective
!Attempting o uchi gari when you are off-balance backward — it requires you to be driving forward
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Lower Centre of Gravity — bend knees and drop hips to make the throw harder to executeLift the Targeted Leg — raise the foot being attacked above the sweeping actionCounter-Throw — exploit the attacker's committed weight to throw them insteadGrip Break — deny the thrower their preferred gripping configurationStiff-Arm — maintain distance with straight arms to prevent the entry
Setup Chain
1Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) — establish the controlling grips needed for the throw
2Off-Balance (Kuzushi) — break the opponent's balance in the throwing direction
3Entry (Tsukuri) — position the body for the throw by turning, stepping, or loading
4Execution (Kake) — complete the throwing action with full commitment and follow-through
Sources & References
Primary Source
Kodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification
1BookKodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification
Traditional Judo throwing technique 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 technique terminology (Kodokan Institute)
Community
Athletics
Requires
precise timing, ankle coordination, upper body kuzushi ability
Favours
excellent balance and quick reflexes
Key muscles
tibialis anterior, calves, hip rotators, forearms (grip)
Sub-techniques
Notes
O uchi gari appears in 12 passages across 9 books. The most common setup throw in competitive judo — used to drive opponents backward before switching to a forward throw. Often chained with o-soto-gari or uchi-mata. (9 books in corpus; Kano, Kodokan Judo)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the O Uchi Gari work?
O Uchi Gari (major inner reap) is a judo ashi-waza technique in which the thrower drives the leg between the opponent's legs and reaps the far leg from the inside, sweeping it backward while pushing the opponent's upper body in the same rearward direction. The 'o' (major) designation indicates that the technique targets the far leg with a large, powerful reaping action, creating a diagonal throwing line.
Where does the O Uchi Gari come from?
O uchi gari was included in the Kodokan gokyo from its earliest form, classified in the second set as a fundamental attacking technique. The throw is one of the most frequently attempted techniques in judo competition and serves as both a primary attack and a critical setup for combination sequences.
Is the O Uchi Gari legal in competition?
IJF: legal — Legal throwing technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels; UWW: restricted — Legal in freestyle, banned in Greco-Roman (no leg attacks below waist); Unified MMA: legal — Legal throwing technique; ADCC: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the O Uchi Gari?
Danger rating 6/10. High — O-Uchi-Gari and variants; backward fall risk with head impact (Kano 1986)
How do I set up the O Uchi Gari?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the O Uchi Gari?
Standard counters include: Lower Centre of Gravity — bend knees and drop hips to make the throw harder to execute / Lift the Targeted Leg — raise the foot being attacked above the sweeping action / Counter-Throw — exploit the attacker's committed weight to throw them instead / Grip Break — deny the thrower their preferred gripping configuration.
What are the variants of the O Uchi Gari?
Common variants: Forward sweep (sweeping the foot in the direction the opponent is stepping); Rear sweep (sweeping the foot backward as the opponent retreats); Combination sweep (chaining sweeps to both feet); Counter sweep (timing the sweep as the opponent initiates their own attack).
How effective is the O Uchi Gari in competition?
O uchi gari is a high-frequency technique in IJF competition, commonly used in combination with seoi nage and uchi mata.
What are common mistakes when doing the O Uchi Gari?
Top errors to watch for: Reaping the near leg instead of reaching between the legs for the far leg — the major version targets the far leg / Not stepping between the opponent's legs before reaping — you must close distance to reach the target / Pushing backward without actually reaping — the push and reap must be simultaneous / Reaping too gently — the leg action must be a committed, sweeping reap that dislodges the foot.
What are other names for the O Uchi Gari?
The O Uchi Gari is also known as O Uchi Gari, Major Inner Reaping Throw, Large Inner Reap, Inside Leg Reap, Perednyaya Podnozhka (передняя подножка).