How to do a Competition Style OGoshi (Major Hip Throw)
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Major Hip Throw·DadBod Judo
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Major Hip Throw
Family大腰・腰車(O Goshi / Koshi Guruma)
TraditionalTranslation: major hip throw / hip wheel
Overview
The Major Hip Throw family covers the foundational koshi-waza techniques in which the thrower turns in, places the hip beneath the opponent's centre of gravity, and wheels the opponent over the hip using arm action and hip rotation. [1] This family includes judo's most fundamental hip throws: o-goshi (major hip throw), uki-goshi (floating hip throw), and koshi-guruma (hip wheel), each representing a different variation of the core hip-loading-and-wheeling principle. [1],[2] These techniques are typically the first koshi-waza taught to beginners because they demonstrate the essential mechanics of hip throwing — turning, loading, and projecting — in their clearest form. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The major hip throws are among the oldest techniques in Kodokan judo, with uki-goshi developed by Jigoro Kano himself as one of his personal techniques during the formative years of the art. [1] O-goshi and koshi-guruma were included in the original gokyo and have been taught as foundational judo techniques for over a century. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Major hip throws are foundational in Kodokan judo and are among the first techniques in the koshi-waza syllabus. [1]
Competition Record
O goshi and related hip throws are scored at all levels of judo competition. [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 standard judo grip (collar and sleeve) — Pull opponent forward and off-balance (kuzushi), turn in with back to opponent, load their weight onto your hip, extend legs and rotate to throw
From overhook (no-gi) — Secure an overhook and collar tie, turn in placing hip across opponent's centreline, and execute the hip throw
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
O-Goshi and variants; high amplitude hip throw with significant impact (Kano 1986)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Beginner
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— 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— 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
✓The major hip throw family covers the highest-amplitude koshi waza — master o goshi first as the foundation for all hip throws (Kano, Kodokan Judo, 1986)
✓Enter with a deep pivot step so your back is fully to uke and your hips are below theirs
✓Use the wrapping arm around uke's waist (or neck for koshi guruma) to control their upper body during the lift
✓Power comes from straightening the legs and rotating the torso simultaneously — not from the arms
✓Drill the entry (tsukuri) as a standalone movement hundreds of times before combining with the throw (kake)
✓In randori, use o goshi as a counter-throw when uke pushes forward aggressively
✓Practise breakfalls (ukemi) extensively — hip throws produce high-amplitude falls
Common Mistakes
!Entering with bent-over posture instead of erect spine — loads your back dangerously
!Not turning the hips fully (180°) so uke slides off the side rather than rolling over the hip
!Gripping too high on the collar instead of controlling at the waist or belt level
!Attempting to lift with arm strength rather than leg drive
!Leaving space between your hip and uke's hip — contact must be tight for efficient force transfer
!Rushing the entry without first breaking uke's balance (kuzushi)
!Forgetting to continue pulling with the sleeve hand through the completion
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
Sub-techniques
Koshi Guruma
SubFamilyKoshi Guruma (hip wheel) is a koshi-waza technique in which the thrower turns in, wraps one arm around the opponent's neck or head, and uses the hip as a fulcrum to wheel the opponent over in a forward rotation. [1] The arm around the neck distinguishes koshi-guruma from o-goshi (arm around the waist), and this higher control point gives the thrower leverage over the opponent's head and posture. [1,2] The neck control forces the opponent to bend forward and over the hip, creating a powerful wheeling action that is difficult to resist once the entry is secured. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
O Goshi
SubFamilyO Goshi (major hip throw) is one of judo's most fundamental techniques, in which the thrower turns in, wraps one arm around the opponent's waist, loads them onto the hip, and wheels them over by pulling with the hands and rotating the hip. [1] The technique places the thrower's hip directly beneath the opponent's centre of gravity, creating a fulcrum over which the opponent is rotated. [1,2] O-goshi is characterised by the arm around the waist, which distinguishes it from koshi-guruma (arm around the neck) and uki-goshi (less hip contact). [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Uki Goshi
SubFamilyUki Goshi (floating hip throw) is considered one of the earliest techniques developed in Kodokan judo, in which the thrower turns partially (not fully turning the back), places the hip against the opponent's hip, and uses a sweeping hip motion combined with arm pull to float the opponent over. [1] The 'floating' quality refers to the lighter hip contact compared to o-goshi — rather than loading the opponent fully onto the hip, uki-goshi uses a glancing hip action that redirects the opponent's momentum into a forward rotation. [1,2] The technique requires less commitment than o-goshi, making it useful as a probing attack or combination starter, and it is historically significant as one of Jigoro Kano's personal favourite techniques. [2,3]
1 genera·1 techniquesExplore
Notes
O-goshi was the first throw Jigoro Kano learned and is traditionally the first throw taught to judo beginners worldwide. (Kano, Kodokan Judo)
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my opponent is crunching me down and I can't get space for the hip throw?
Stand up and come across to create separation, then throw your hip through. According to DadBod Judo, timing is critical—if you wait while being crunched, your opponent will complete their attack before you can execute the throw.
How do I set up the Major Hip Throw when my opponent is trying to attack me?
You need to beat them to the punch by creating kazushi (off-balance) before stepping across. DadBod Judo emphasizes pulling your opponent to your hip as you step, which prevents them from throwing you backwards and ensures proper positioning for the throw.
What's the correct sequence of movements when executing the throw?
As your opponent starts to pull, step across while pulling their hand up, then pull to your hip as your leg sits down next to theirs to establish the classical hip throw position. From there you can throw them over your side, according to DadBod Judo.
How does the Major Hip Throw work?
The Major Hip Throw family covers the foundational koshi-waza techniques in which the thrower turns in, places the hip beneath the opponent's centre of gravity, and wheels the opponent over the hip using arm action and hip rotation. This family includes judo's most fundamental hip throws: o-goshi (major hip throw), uki-goshi (floating hip throw), and koshi-guruma (hip wheel), each representing a different variation of the core hip-loading-and-wheeling principle.
Where does the Major Hip Throw come from?
The major hip throws are among the oldest techniques in Kodokan judo, with uki-goshi developed by Jigoro Kano himself as one of his personal techniques during the formative years of the art. O-goshi and koshi-guruma were included in the original gokyo and have been taught as foundational judo techniques for over a century.
Is the Major Hip Throw legal in competition?
IJF: legal — Legal throwing technique; 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 Major Hip Throw?
Danger rating 6/10. High — O-Goshi and variants; high amplitude hip throw with significant impact (Kano 1986)
How do I set up the Major Hip Throw?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Major Hip Throw?
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 Major Hip Throw?
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 Major Hip Throw in competition?
O goshi and related hip throws are scored at all levels of judo competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Major Hip Throw?
Top errors to watch for: Entering with bent-over posture instead of erect spine — loads your back dangerously / Not turning the hips fully (180°) so uke slides off the side rather than rolling over the hip / Gripping too high on the collar instead of controlling at the waist or belt level / Attempting to lift with arm strength rather than leg drive.
What are other names for the Major Hip Throw?
The Major Hip Throw is also known as O Goshi / Koshi Guruma, Basic hip throws, Full hip throws.