Morote-Seoi-Nage Tips | Riki Judo Dojo
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Morote Seoi Nage·Riki Judo Dojo·Added by Admin
Riki sensei explained morote-seoi-nage (背負投 - two handed shoulder throw) during judo class on 12-29-2022. 0:00 definiti…
Morote Seoi Nage
Genus諸手背負い投げ(Morote Seoi Nage)
TraditionalTranslation: two-hand shoulder throw
Overview
Morote Seoi Nage (two-handed back-carrying throw) is a seoi-nage variant in which the thrower maintains both lapel grips throughout the throw, turning in and loading the opponent across the upper back while pulling with both hands on the lapels or collar. [1] The 'morote' (two-handed) designation distinguishes this from ippon seoi-nage — both hands remain on the gi rather than one arm reaching under the opponent's arm. [1],[2] The two-handed grip provides strong control of the opponent's upper body throughout the throw, though it requires the thrower to generate lifting force through hip and leg drive rather than the arm-trapping mechanism of ippon seoi-nage. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Morote seoi nage has been recognised as a distinct variant of seoi-nage in the Kodokan classification, valued for its strong grip control and applicability to a wide range of body types. [1] The technique is popular among judoka who prefer to maintain their standard grip configuration throughout the throw rather than switching to the underhook position of ippon seoi-nage. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Morote seoi nage provides a more powerful grip configuration than ippon seoi nage because both hands maintain their standard judo grips (lapel and sleeve), giving the thrower greater pulling force during the throw. [1] Daigo notes that the two-handed version sacrifices some arm control in exchange for superior kuzushi power, making it effective against heavier opponents. [2]
Lineage
Competition Record
Morote seoi nage is commonly scored across all weight categories at IJF events, particularly in the middle and heavier weight divisions where the stronger grip provides advantages over the single-arm variant. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Loading the opponent onto the hip and rotating them over it — the hip acts as the fulcrum
Joints Involved — Attacker's hip (fulcrum point), knees (deep bend for loading), core (rotation), opponent's centre of gravity (elevated)
Force Vector — Rotational — pulling and turning motion loads the opponent, then hip extension and rotation drives them over
Kuzushi (Off-balancing) — Forward and upward — breaking opponent's posture forward lifts their centre of gravity onto the attacker's hip
Position & Entry
From judo grip — Break the opponent's balance forward (kuzushi), turn in with hip below their centre of gravity, and rotate to throw
From clinch (overhook or underhook) — Secure inside position, turn the hips across the opponent's body, load and throw
Variants
Standard hip throw — full turn-in with hip below the opponent's centre of gravity
No-gi hip throw — adapted without gi grips, using overhook and collar tie
Drop hip throw — dropping to one knee to lower the fulcrum point
Combination hip throw — chaining from a failed foot technique or hand technique
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Seoi-Nage family; high amplitude with rotation over tori's shoulder (Kano 1986)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
— IJF — Banned since 2010 leg grab prohibition — direct han...
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— UWW — Legal in both freestyle and Greco-Roman
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— 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
✓Morote seoi nage (two-handed shoulder throw) maintains the double grip (sleeve and lapel) throughout the throw
✓Both hands stay on the grips during entry — the lapel hand drives under the opponent's armpit while maintaining grip
✓This version provides more control than ippon seoi nage because both grips are retained
✓The entry is the same: step across, turn, drop hips low, and pull the opponent onto your back
✓The lapel grip hand rotates inward and drives upward under the opponent's arm as you turn
✓Morote seoi nage is the most common variant used by fighters with shorter arms who cannot easily loop under the armpit
✓The double grip makes it easier to control the opponent during the throwing rotation
Common Mistakes
!Releasing one of the grips during the turn — the whole point of morote is maintaining both grips
!Not turning the lapel grip hand inward to drive under the armpit
!Entry too high — the hip drop is equally important in the morote version
!Not pulling forward with the sleeve hand (hikite) — the pull drives the rotation
!Leaving space between your back and the opponent's chest
!Over-rotating past the throw and ending up beside the opponent instead of throwing them over
!Using morote seoi nage against an opponent with a stiff arm on the lapel side — they block your arm from driving under
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Lower Centre of Gravity — bend knees and drop hips to make the throw harder to executeBlock the Hip — post hand on the thrower's hip to prevent loadingStep Around — circle away from the throw direction to avoid being loadedGrip 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
hip rotation speed, core strength, lower back stability
Favours
strong hips and core, good flexibility for turning entry
Key muscles
hip rotators, core, quadriceps, latissimus dorsi
Notes
Morote seoi nage (two-arm shoulder throw) is the most popular competition variant of seoi-nage — both hands grip the gi for maximum control during the throw. Kosei Inoue won Olympic gold in 2000 using morote seoi nage as his primary attack. (Kano, Kodokan Judo; IJF records)
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I grip my opponent's collar when doing Morote Seoi Nage?
Your hand should turn so you're holding the collar like an old-style telephone—this grip creates the proper kuzushi (off-balance) needed for the throw.
Should I try to lift my opponent up when executing the throw?
No—avoid trying to lift or force anything. Instead, float in lightly and bump your opponent out using proper positioning rather than muscular effort.
How does the Morote Seoi Nage work?
Morote Seoi Nage (two-handed back-carrying throw) is a seoi-nage variant in which the thrower maintains both lapel grips throughout the throw, turning in and loading the opponent across the upper back while pulling with both hands on the lapels or collar. The 'morote' (two-handed) designation distinguishes this from ippon seoi-nage — both hands remain on the gi rather than one arm reaching under the opponent's arm.
Where does the Morote Seoi Nage come from?
Morote seoi nage has been recognised as a distinct variant of seoi-nage in the Kodokan classification, valued for its strong grip control and applicability to a wide range of body types. The technique is popular among judoka who prefer to maintain their standard grip configuration throughout the throw rather than switching to the underhook position of ippon seoi-nage.
Is the Morote Seoi Nage legal in competition?
IJF: banned — Banned since 2010 leg grab prohibition — direct hansoku-make; IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels; UWW: legal — Legal in both freestyle and Greco-Roman; Unified MMA: legal — Legal throwing technique; ADCC: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Morote Seoi Nage?
Danger rating 6/10. High — Seoi-Nage family; high amplitude with rotation over tori's shoulder (Kano 1986)
How do I set up the Morote Seoi Nage?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Morote Seoi Nage?
Standard counters include: Lower Centre of Gravity — bend knees and drop hips to make the throw harder to execute / Block the Hip — post hand on the thrower's hip to prevent loading / Step Around — circle away from the throw direction to avoid being loaded / Grip Break — deny the thrower their preferred gripping configuration.
What are the variants of the Morote Seoi Nage?
Common variants: Standard hip throw (full turn-in with hip below the opponent's centre of gravity); No-gi hip throw (adapted without gi grips, using overhook and collar tie); Drop hip throw (dropping to one knee to lower the fulcrum point); Combination hip throw (chaining from a failed foot technique or hand technique).
How effective is the Morote Seoi Nage in competition?
Morote seoi nage is commonly scored across all weight categories at IJF events, particularly in the middle and heavier weight divisions where the stronger grip provides advantages over the single-arm variant.
What are common mistakes when doing the Morote Seoi Nage?
Top errors to watch for: Releasing one of the grips during the turn — the whole point of morote is maintaining both grips / Not turning the lapel grip hand inward to drive under the armpit / Entry too high — the hip drop is equally important in the morote version / Not pulling forward with the sleeve hand (hikite) — the pull drives the rotation.
What are other names for the Morote Seoi Nage?
The Morote Seoi Nage is also known as Two-Handed Shoulder Throw, Double-Grip Back Carry, Morote Seoi Nage, Two-Arm Shoulder Throw.