Harai Goshi
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Harai Goshi·Seiryoku Zenyo
Mark Gilston, 4th degree judo black belt, discusses and demonstrates harai goshi (sweeping hip throw) and responses to d…
Harai Goshi
SubFamily払腰(Harai Goshi)
TraditionalTranslation: sweeping hip throw
Overview
Harai Goshi (sweeping hip throw) is one of judo's most powerful and dynamic techniques, in which the thrower turns in, places the hip beneath the opponent, and sweeps the opponent's leg with the back of the thigh in a large arc while pulling them over the hip with the hands. [1] The throw combines the hip fulcrum of a standard koshi-waza with a sweeping leg action that drives the opponent's supporting leg away, creating a double-action throw that is extremely difficult to defend. [1],[2] Harai-goshi is sometimes confused with uchi-mata because both involve a sweeping leg action during a turning throw, but they differ in the point of contact — harai-goshi sweeps the outside of the opponent's thigh while uchi-mata sweeps the inside. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Harai goshi was included in the original Kodokan gokyo as a third-set technique, classified as an advanced koshi-waza requiring coordination of hip placement and sweeping leg action. [1] The technique has been the signature throw of numerous judo champions, including Isao Okano, who dominated the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with his harai-goshi. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Competition Record
Harai goshi is one of the most commonly scored ippon techniques in IJF 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 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
Videos
2 Types of Harai-Goshi
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Harai Goshi·Shintaro Higashi
The first version is the classical version where you really bring your hips into play. The second version is when you ca…
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
5
High5/10
Harai-Goshi sweeping hip action; requires good timing
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
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
✓Harai goshi (sweeping hip throw) sweeps uke's leg from outside while rotating them over the hip — it is one of judo's most effective competition throws (Kashiwazaki, Fighting Judo, 1992)
✓Enter as for o goshi, then extend your sweeping leg behind you to sweep uke's near leg from the outside
✓The sweep contacts uke's thigh (not ankle) with the back of your thigh in a sweeping-back motion
✓Drive the sweep with the hip — think of your leg as an extension of the hip rotation
✓Pull uke's upper body forward and down with both hands to load them onto the sweeping hip
✓Harai goshi works especially well against retreating opponents — chase them and sweep as they step back
✓In combination attacks, harai goshi follows naturally from failed o uchi gari or ko uchi gari entries
Common Mistakes
!Sweeping at the ankle instead of the thigh — harai goshi sweeps high on the leg
!Not turning in deeply enough before sweeping — the hip must be loaded first
!Using a kicking motion instead of a sweeping motion — the leg sweeps back, it doesn't kick
!Leaning away from uke to reach the sweep — stay tight against them
!Sweeping too early before uke's balance is broken — the kuzushi comes first
!Standing on a straight support leg — keep it slightly bent for stability
!Focusing so much on the sweep that the upper-body control deteriorates
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I place my hand on my opponent's back during harai goshi?
Place your hand right in the middle of the opponent's shoulder blades with your elbow down, pulling them onto your back. Seiryoku Zenyo emphasizes that keeping your bicep relatively vertical makes it stronger for this pull.
Why does my harai goshi fail when I place my supporting leg to the side?
Your supporting leg must be positioned between the opponent's legs and centered, not out to the side. Seiryoku Zenyo explains that an off-center leg makes it very difficult to support the opponent's weight, whereas positioning it in the middle distributes the load much more effectively.
What common mistake do I make with my leg during the sweep?
Keep your leg completely straight throughout the entire sweep—avoid bending your knee during the execution. Seiryoku Zenyo also notes that you should step in straight with your calves touching rather than spinning out to the side, so the throw goes over you instead of around you.
How do I set up harai goshi if my opponent resists a circular pull?
Try using a small push to get a reaction, then pull the opponent across your body as they resist. Seiryoku Zenyo notes that when the arm is blocked, you can turn and pull them onto your back, stepping behind them so they're already partially on your hip.
What angle should I use to position myself for harai goshi?
Line yourself to the opponent's back hip rather than standing directly in front of them. Shintaro Higashi explains that positioning yourself on the correct angle, bringing them forward and then lifting, makes the hip sweep much more effective.
How does the Harai Goshi work?
Harai Goshi (sweeping hip throw) is one of judo's most powerful and dynamic techniques, in which the thrower turns in, places the hip beneath the opponent, and sweeps the opponent's leg with the back of the thigh in a large arc while pulling them over the hip with the hands. The throw combines the hip fulcrum of a standard koshi-waza with a sweeping leg action that drives the opponent's supporting leg away, creating a double-action throw that is extremely difficult to defend.
Where does the Harai Goshi come from?
Harai goshi was included in the original Kodokan gokyo as a third-set technique, classified as an advanced koshi-waza requiring coordination of hip placement and sweeping leg action. The technique has been the signature throw of numerous judo champions, including Isao Okano, who dominated the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with his harai-goshi.
Is the Harai Goshi 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 Harai Goshi?
Danger rating 5/10. High — Harai-Goshi sweeping hip action; requires good timing
How do I set up the Harai Goshi?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Harai Goshi?
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 Harai Goshi?
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 Harai Goshi in competition?
Harai goshi is one of the most commonly scored ippon techniques in IJF competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Harai Goshi?
Top errors to watch for: Sweeping at the ankle instead of the thigh — harai goshi sweeps high on the leg / Not turning in deeply enough before sweeping — the hip must be loaded first / Using a kicking motion instead of a sweeping motion — the leg sweeps back, it doesn't kick / Leaning away from uke to reach the sweep — stay tight against them.
What are other names for the Harai Goshi?
The Harai Goshi is also known as Sweeping Hip Throw, Hip Sweep, Harai Goshi, Podkhvat (подхват).