Osoto Gari 大外刈 Major Outer Reap TECHNIQUE study video
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Major Outer Reap·Judo Life
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Major Outer Reap
Family大外刈り・大外落とし(O Soto Gari / O Soto Otoshi)
TraditionalTranslation: major outer reap/drop
Overview
The Major Outer Reap family covers ashi-waza techniques in which the thrower reaps the opponent's leg from the outside, driving the attacking leg against the back of the opponent's supporting leg to sweep it away while forcing the upper body backward. [1] Outer reaping techniques (soto-gari and soto-otoshi) are among the most powerful throws in judo, generating tremendous force through the combination of a sweeping leg action and strong rearward upper-body drive. [1],[2] The family includes o-soto-gari (major outer reap), one of judo's most iconic and frequently taught throws, along with o-soto-otoshi (major outer drop), which uses a blocking rather than sweeping leg action. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Outer reaping techniques were among the first throws classified in the Kodokan system, with o-soto-gari included in the original 1895 gokyo as a first-set technique. [1] The family represents some of judo's most fundamental mechanics, and o-soto-gari has been a standard teaching technique in every judo school worldwide since the art's founding. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Outer reap techniques are part of the Kodokan judo ashi-waza syllabus and are considered among the 'big six' fundamental judo throws. [1]
Competition Record
O soto gari is one of the most commonly scored ippon techniques in IJF competition. [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
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
O-Soto-Gari is one of judo's most dangerous throws; direct backward fall onto head/spine (Mifune 1956)
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
✓Outer reaping throws attack the opponent's leg from the outside — your leg sweeps behind and through their leg at the back
✓O soto gari (major outer reap) is the most iconic outer reaping throw and one of the most powerful techniques in judo
✓Drive the opponent backward to load weight onto the target leg, then reap it from behind with a large sweeping motion
✓The upper body drives the opponent backward and downward while the leg takes their base out from behind
✓Outer reaps work best against opponents leaning backward or resisting forward throws
✓The reaping leg swings through like a pendulum, driving through the opponent's leg with the back of the calf or thigh
✓Major outer reap is one of the first throws taught in judo and remains devastating at every level of competition
Common Mistakes
!Reaping the unweighted leg — you must drive the opponent's weight onto the target leg before reaping
!Not getting chest-to-chest before reaping — distance kills the throw
!Reaping with a straight, stiff leg instead of swinging through with a pendulum-like arc
!Bending at the waist to reach the reap, which raises your centre and weakens the throw
!Not driving the opponent backward with the upper body — the reap alone is insufficient without backward kuzushi
!Attempting the reap from the side instead of from behind the opponent's leg
!Falling forward onto the opponent without control — maintain balance on the standing leg
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
O Guruma
SubFamilyO Guruma is a judo throw where the attacker sweeps across both of the opponent's legs with the extended leg while turning, creating a large wheel effect that topples the opponent backward. [1] The attacker enters deeply, extending the rear leg across the front of both of the opponent's legs while pulling and turning. [1] Distinguished from O Soto Guruma by the depth of entry and the angle of the sweep. [1]
Explore
O Soto Gari
SubFamilyO Soto Gari (major outer reap) is one of judo's most fundamental and powerful throws, in which the thrower steps alongside the opponent, drives the leg behind the opponent's supporting leg, and reaps it forward with a powerful sweeping action of the calf while pushing the opponent's upper body backward. [1] The throw creates a rotational force where the leg sweeps in one direction and the upper body is driven in the opposite direction, with the fulcrum at the point of contact between the thrower's reaping leg and the opponent's supporting leg. [1,2] O-soto-gari is classified as a first-set technique in the Kodokan gokyo, taught to beginners for its clear demonstration of kuzushi (balance breaking) to the rear corner. [2,3]
3 genera·3 techniquesExplore
O Soto Guruma
SubFamilyO Soto Guruma is a judo throwing technique classified as ashi waza (foot/leg technique) in the Kodokan syllabus. [1] The attacker breaks the opponent's balance to the rear and sweeps both legs simultaneously by driving the attacking leg across both of the opponent's legs in a wheel-like motion, rather than reaping a single leg as in O Soto Gari. [1,2] The key distinction from O Soto Gari is that the reaping leg contacts across both legs, creating a wheel effect that topples the opponent directly backward. [2] It is classified in the Gokyo no Waza (five groups of instruction) and appears in multiple Kodokan judo references as a fundamental ashi waza technique. [1]
Explore
O Soto Otoshi
SubFamilyO Soto Otoshi (major outer drop) is an ashi-waza technique closely related to o-soto-gari in which the thrower places the leg behind the opponent's supporting leg as a block or prop rather than reaping it, then drives the opponent backward over the obstruction. [1] The key distinction from o-soto-gari is the leg action — in o-soto-otoshi, the attacking leg does not sweep or reap but simply blocks the opponent's leg in place, and the throwing force comes entirely from the upper-body drive pushing the opponent over the blocked leg. [1,2] The 'otoshi' (drop) designation indicates that the opponent drops or falls over the blocking leg rather than being swept away by it. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
O-soto-gari is one of the first throws taught in judo and one of the highest-scoring in competition. Jigoro Kano considered it one of the most important throws in the curriculum. (Kano, Kodokan Judo)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the key to generating power in a Major Outer Reap?
Judo Life emphasizes chest contact, drawing your opponent's body weight, arcing it over your body, and accentuating the hip as your leg comes up and sweeps through.
Where should I focus my arm contact when executing the technique?
Rather than reaching for a distant contact point, use your forearm as the contact point and lock it in tight with a shrug action, similar to a Wakeshima grip.
What's a good follow-up technique if the Major Outer Reap doesn't land?
You can switch to Sasai, or feint a Sasai Surikami Ash before transitioning back into the Major Outer Reap.
How does the Major Outer Reap work?
The Major Outer Reap family covers ashi-waza techniques in which the thrower reaps the opponent's leg from the outside, driving the attacking leg against the back of the opponent's supporting leg to sweep it away while forcing the upper body backward. Outer reaping techniques (soto-gari and soto-otoshi) are among the most powerful throws in judo, generating tremendous force through the combination of a sweeping leg action and strong rearward upper-body drive.
Where does the Major Outer Reap come from?
Outer reaping techniques were among the first throws classified in the Kodokan system, with o-soto-gari included in the original 1895 gokyo as a first-set technique. The family represents some of judo's most fundamental mechanics, and o-soto-gari has been a standard teaching technique in every judo school worldwide since the art's founding.
Is the Major Outer Reap 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 Major Outer Reap?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — O-Soto-Gari is one of judo's most dangerous throws; direct backward fall onto head/spine (Mifune 1956)
How do I set up the Major Outer Reap?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Major Outer Reap?
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 Major Outer Reap?
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 Major Outer Reap in competition?
O soto gari is one of the most commonly scored ippon techniques in IJF competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Major Outer Reap?
Top errors to watch for: Reaping the unweighted leg — you must drive the opponent's weight onto the target leg before reaping / Not getting chest-to-chest before reaping — distance kills the throw / Reaping with a straight, stiff leg instead of swinging through with a pendulum-like arc / Bending at the waist to reach the reap, which raises your centre and weakens the throw.
What are other names for the Major Outer Reap?
The Major Outer Reap is also known as O Soto Gari / O Soto Otoshi, Outer reap throws, O soto techniques.