How to do Harai-Goshi | Sweeping Hip | 払腰
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Standard Harai Goshi·Sampson Judo·Added by Admin
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Standard Harai Goshi
Genus払腰(Harai Goshi)
TraditionalTranslation: sweeping hip throw
Overview
Standard Harai Goshi executes the classical sweeping hip throw where the thrower turns in with the hip placed beneath the opponent's centre of gravity, then sweeps the back of the thigh against the opponent's front thigh in a large upward arc while pulling strongly with both hands to rotate the opponent over the hip. [1] The sweep drives the opponent's leg backward and upward while the hands wheel the upper body forward, creating a powerful rotational throw. [1],[2] The technique requires precise coordination between the hip placement, the sweeping leg action, and the hand pull to generate maximum throwing force. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Harai goshi is one of the most powerful throws in judo, combining the rotational force of a hip throw with the sweeping action of the leg to produce high-amplitude, ippon-scoring throws. [1] Daigo classifies it among the most effective competition techniques, noting that the dual-action mechanism (hip rotation plus leg sweep) makes it more difficult to defend than pure hip or pure leg techniques. [2] The throw is versatile, applicable from multiple grip configurations and effective against opponents of varying body types. [3]
Lineage
Competition Record
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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
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
✓Break uke's balance forward with a strong sleeve-and-lapel pull before turning in
✓Pivot on the support foot and turn your back to uke, making hip contact
✓Extend the sweeping leg behind and across uke's near thigh — contact with the back of your thigh
✓Sweep the leg backward in a powerful arc while simultaneously pulling uke over your hip with both hands
✓The support leg stays slightly bent — do not lock it out or you'll lose balance
✓Follow through completely — your sweeping leg should finish high behind you as uke falls
✓Drill harai goshi uchikomi (entry practice) daily — the timing between entry and sweep is the hardest part
Common Mistakes
!Sweeping with a straight stiff leg instead of a fluid sweeping motion
!Making contact too low on uke's leg (at the knee or below) — aim for mid-thigh
!Not breaking uke's balance forward before the sweep — they simply step around it
!Losing the sleeve grip during the sweep — hikite control is essential for directing uke's fall
!Entering too far away so the hip doesn't make contact
!Over-rotating and falling forward yourself
!Not keeping your head up — looking down pulls your posture forward and collapses the throw
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I grip my opponent's arm for harai goshi?
Hold underneath the elbow across the body rather than over the top. According to Sampson Judo, holding underneath gives more control and is more subtle—when you twist the jacket, you have good control of the shoulder, whereas holding high doesn't give you as much control.
What's the most common mistake people make when entering harai goshi?
Bending forward before making body contact with your opponent. Sampson Judo emphasizes that if you lean forward before your opponent is connected to your hips, you lose about 60-70% of the throw's power—you need to step in and make contact first, then bend forward so your opponent comes with you.
How do I know if I've executed harai goshi correctly?
Your opponent should land in front of you, not to your side. Sampson Judo explains that where uke lands is the key indicator of whether the throw has been done correctly or falsely—proper execution means they land directly in front of you as you throw in the direction they're pointing.
What are the four key technical points for harai goshi?
According to Sampson Judo: (1) keep your opponent's elbow controlled upward at all times, (2) get your elbow underneath their shoulder throughout, (3) position your entry between their legs—not to one side and close, not far forward, and (4) make sure your hips make contact with theirs before bending forward to throw.
How does the Standard Harai Goshi work?
Standard Harai Goshi executes the classical sweeping hip throw where the thrower turns in with the hip placed beneath the opponent's centre of gravity, then sweeps the back of the thigh against the opponent's front thigh in a large upward arc while pulling strongly with both hands to rotate the opponent over the hip. The sweep drives the opponent's leg backward and upward while the hands wheel the upper body forward, creating a powerful rotational throw.
Where does the Standard Harai Goshi come from?
The standard form of harai goshi has been a core Kodokan technique since the original gokyo, and it is demonstrated in the Nage no Kata as a representative koshi-waza technique. It remains one of the most commonly scored throws at international judo competitions.
Is the Standard 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 Standard Harai Goshi?
Danger rating 5/10. High — Harai-Goshi sweeping hip action; requires good timing
How do I set up the Standard Harai Goshi?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Standard 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 Standard 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 Standard Harai Goshi in competition?
Harai goshi is consistently among the highest-scoring throws at IJF World Championships and Olympic Games. Isao Okano (JPN), who won the 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold at 80 kg, was renowned for his devastating harai goshi.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Harai Goshi?
Top errors to watch for: Sweeping with a straight stiff leg instead of a fluid sweeping motion / Making contact too low on uke's leg (at the knee or below) — aim for mid-thigh / Not breaking uke's balance forward before the sweep — they simply step around it / Losing the sleeve grip during the sweep — hikite control is essential for directing uke's fall.
What are other names for the Standard Harai Goshi?
The Standard Harai Goshi is also known as Harai Goshi, Classical Sweeping Hip Throw, Standard Hip Sweep, Kihon Harai Goshi.