The Best Sacrifice Throw In Judo by Olympian Travis Stevens
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Sacrifice Throw·Travis Stevens
Sumi Gaeshi is the best sacrifice throw you can do in judo! It has so many elements to it that work in Tori's favor. Fro…
Sacrifice Throw
Group捨身技(Sutemi Waza)
Translation: Sacrifice technique
Overview
Sacrifice throws (sutemi waza) are techniques where the thrower deliberately falls to the ground while executing the throw, using their own bodyweight, falling momentum, and the element of surprise to complete the technique. [1] Judo classifies sacrifice throws into two categories: ma sutemi waza (rear sacrifice throws where the thrower falls on their back) and yoko sutemi waza (side sacrifice throws where the thrower falls to their side). [1],[2] Sacrifice throws are high-risk, high-reward techniques — the thrower gives up their standing position to attempt the throw, meaning a failed sacrifice throw leaves them in bottom position; however, successful sacrifice throws often produce spectacular ippon-scoring projections that catch opponents completely off-guard. [2],[3] The most famous sacrifice throws — tomoe nage (circle throw), sumi gaeshi (corner reversal), and ura nage (rear throw) — are among the most visually stunning techniques in all martial arts. [3]
Sutemi WazaJPSacrifice TechniqueSacrifice Throw
History & Origin
Sacrifice throws are part of the original Kodokan judo curriculum established by Jigoro Kano, representing the most tactically creative category of nage waza. [1] Tomoe nage gained worldwide fame through martial arts cinema (it is the iconic 'stomach throw' seen in countless films) and remains one of judo's most recognised techniques. [1],[2] In competition judo, sacrifice throws have produced some of the most spectacular ippon throws in Olympic and World Championship history. [2],[3] Kani basami (scissors throw) was banned from IJF judo competition in 1980 after causing several serious knee injuries, though it remains legal in sambo and some BJJ competitions. [3]
Effectiveness
Sacrifice throws are extremely effective when used with proper timing, particularly against forward-driving opponents who are difficult to throw with standing techniques. [1] In competition judo, sacrifice throws like tomoe nage and sumi gaeshi regularly produce ippon at the highest levels, including Olympic finals. [2] The element of surprise makes sacrifice throws particularly effective in the early stages of a match or when the opponent is not expecting a ground-level attack. [3]
Lineage
Sacrifice throws derive from classical jujutsu techniques adopted into Kodokan judo by Jigoro Kano. [1] Kyuzo Mifune, widely considered the greatest judo technician of all time, was famous for his mastery of sutemi waza, particularly against larger opponents. [1],[2] Modern competition judo continues to see sacrifice throws at the highest level, and the techniques have been adopted into BJJ, sambo, and MMA. [2]
Competition Record
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — The thrower deliberately drops to the ground while using their legs, hips, or body rotation to lever the opponent over or around them — converting falling energy into throwing energy
Joints Involved — Hips (dropping under the opponent's centre of gravity), legs (feet placed on the opponent's hips or thighs as a fulcrum — the 'monkey flip' mechanic of tomoe nage), back (rolling motion in ma sutemi waza to generate rotational force)
Force Vector — In ma sutemi waza: backward and upward — the thrower falls backward pulling the opponent over them, with feet on the hips elevating the opponent over the head, In yoko sutemi waza: lateral and rotational — the thrower drops to one side, rotating the opponent sideways using momentum
Sacrifice Mechanic — The technique exploits the opponent's forward pressure — their driving force becomes the energy that completes the throw when the thrower drops underneath and redirects it upward or sideways
Position & Entry
From forward-driving opponent (tomoe nage) — When the opponent pushes forward aggressively, sit down while placing a foot on their hip or belt, pull them forward and overhead using their momentum — the classic 'stomach throw' [1]
From clinch (sumi gaeshi) — From a grappling clinch, hook one leg behind the opponent's thigh (butterfly hook), fall to your back pulling them forward, and use the hook to flip them over — effective when the opponent has strong posture
From failed throw attempt — When a standing throw attempt (like uchi mata) fails and the thrower is off-balance, converting into a sacrifice throw saves the attack rather than losing position
Variants
Tomoe nage (circle throw) — the most famous sacrifice throw; falling backward with a foot on the opponent's hip, flipping them overhead [1]
Sumi gaeshi (corner reversal) — butterfly hook sacrifice throw from clinch; hooking the thigh and pulling the opponent over
Ura nage (rear throw) — bridging backward while lifting the opponent, slamming them over the thrower's head; extremely high-amplitude
Tani otoshi (valley drop) — dropping to the side behind the opponent's legs, tripping them backward over the thrower's body
Yoko guruma (side wheel) — a lateral sacrifice throw rotating the opponent sideways
Kani basami (scissors throw) — jumping to scissor the opponent's legs; banned in IJF judo since 1980 due to knee injury risk but legal in other formats
Videos
Judo Sumi Gaeshi (Sacrifice Throw) Tutorial
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Sacrifice Throw·Stuart Tomlinson
Olympian and Judo Black Belt Sophie Cox Head Instructor of Fighting Fit Judo Club in Manchester is filmed here by the Wa…
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
High — sacrifice throws carry risk for both fighters; the thrower risks landing in bottom position if the technique fails, while the thrown opponent faces high-amplitude landing impact; in competition, failed sacrifice throws in judo can score against the thrower if they land on their own back
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
✓Ukemi is critical for both the thrower and the thrown — the thrower must be comfortable falling to their back, and the partner must be able to breakfall from high-amplitude throws (Best Judo, Inokuma & Sato, 1979) [1]
✓Timing is everything in sacrifice throws — they work best when the opponent is pushing forward; attempting a sacrifice throw against a retreating opponent is extremely difficult
✓Drill with cooperative partners first — sacrifice throws are difficult to practice at full resistance because a failed attempt puts the thrower in immediate danger
✓Tomoe nage foot placement is critical — the foot must land on the opponent's hip or belt line, not the stomach (too low) or chest (too high); incorrect placement prevents the flip
✓Sacrifice throws are best used as surprise techniques — opponents who are expecting the sacrifice can simply step over or around; use them sparingly and unexpectedly
✓In BJJ, the tomoe nage is often used as a guard pull with immediate sweep — pulling guard and immediately elevating the opponent with the feet
✓Train the transition to top position after the throw lands — a successful sacrifice throw puts the thrower on bottom momentarily; they must immediately scramble to top or establish a dominant position [2]
✓Combination throwing: sacrifice throws work best as the second or third throw in a combination — after a failed standing throw creates the forward momentum
Common Mistakes
!Using sacrifice throws as a first attack — sacrifice throws work best when the opponent is pushing forward; naked sacrifice throws against a non-committal opponent fail
!Foot placement too low on tomoe nage — placing the foot on the stomach or below the belt line results in the opponent landing on top of the thrower in mount
!Not committing to the fall — half-committed sacrifice throws leave the thrower in an awkward position without generating the throwing force
!Pulling the opponent's arms instead of their body weight — the pull must load the opponent's weight onto the thrower's foot/body, not just tug their arms
!Forgetting to control the landing — in competition, a sacrifice throw where the thrower doesn't maintain grip control may not score if the opponent scrambles free
!Using sacrifice throws in MMA without ground follow-up — landing on bottom in MMA after a failed sacrifice throw exposes the thrower to ground-and-pound
!Not training falls from sacrifice throws — partners who cannot breakfall safely from overhead sacrifice throws are at serious injury risk
Related Techniques
Standing Throws — the conventional alternatives to sacrifice throws that keep the thrower standingGuard Pull — a BJJ-specific concept related to sacrifice throwing, where the fighter pulls to guard positionSweeps — ground-based reversals that share the mechanical principle of using the legs to elevate and flip the opponentTakedowns — ground-oriented alternatives to sacrifice throws
Counter Techniques
Step Over — when the opponent sits down for tomoe nage, simply stepping over their legs neutralises the throwHip Drop — dropping the hips backward to resist the forward pullGrip Strip — releasing the grips to deny the opponent the connection needed to load weightCounter-throw — using the opponent's downward motion as kuzushi for a counter techniqueSprawl — dropping the hips forward to prevent the elevation phase of the sacrifice throw
Setup Chain
1Create Forward Pressure — use push-pull exchanges to get the opponent driving forward into you
2Load Their Weight — pull the opponent's upper body forward over their toes, breaking their balance forward
3Drop and Place — simultaneously sit/fall down while placing the foot/hook on the opponent's body
4Elevate and Redirect — use the placed foot to lift and redirect the opponent overhead or sideways
5Control the Landing — maintain grip control throughout to ensure scoring and transition
6Scramble to Top — immediately after the throw, release the sacrifice position and establish top control
Sources & References
Primary Source
Kodokan Judo (Jigoro Kano, 1986)
1BookKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Description sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) on sutemi waza classification [2] Best Judo (Inokuma & Sato, 1979) [3] Canon of Judo (Mifune, 1956) on sacrifice throwing principles
2BookBest Judo (Inokuma & Sato, 1979)
History sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [2] Judo Formal Techniques (Otaki & Draeger, 1983) [3] IJF competition rule changes
3BookJudo Formal Techniques (Otaki & Draeger, 1983)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [2] Olympic and World Championship judo records [3] Tactical analysis of sacrifice throw timing
4BookCanon of Judo (Mifune, 1956)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
6CitationKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Description sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) on sutemi waza classification [2] Best Judo (Inokuma & Sato, 1979) [3] Canon of Judo (Mifune, 1956) on sacrifice throwing principles
7CitationBest Judo (Inokuma & Sato, 1979)
History sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [2] Judo Formal Techniques (Otaki & Draeger, 1983) [3] IJF competition rule changes
8CitationJudo Formal Techniques (Otaki & Draeger, 1983)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [2] Olympic and World Championship judo records [3] Tactical analysis of sacrifice throw timing
9CitationCanon of Judo (Mifune, 1956)
Community
Athletics
Requires
comfort with falling (the thrower must willingly go to the ground), explosive leg power (the foot on the hip drives the opponent overhead), strong pulling grip (loading the opponent's weight), timing sensitivity
Favours
lighter/more agile fighters (sacrifice throws are often used by smaller judoka against larger opponents), flexible back (rolling motion in ma sutemi waza)
Key muscles
hip flexors (driving the foot into the opponent), core (rolling and rotation), forearms (grip maintenance during the fall), glutes (bridging in ura nage)
Notes
Sacrifice throws require the attacker to fall to the ground to execute the throw — high commitment, no recovery if they fail. The sacrifice gives up standing position in exchange for throwing power. (Kano, Kodokan Judo; judo and wrestling texts)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the key to getting a full rotation in a sacrifice throw?
Stuart Tomlinson emphasizes pulling the arm that's around the back while going onto your back to ensure you get the full lift and rotation needed for the technique.
How do you use your leg to control the throw?
Hook your leg to drive your partner's leg over the top, which helps maintain control throughout the sacrifice throw.
How does the Sacrifice Throw work?
Sacrifice throws (sutemi waza) are techniques where the thrower deliberately falls to the ground while executing the throw, using their own bodyweight, falling momentum, and the element of surprise to complete the technique. Judo classifies sacrifice throws into two categories: ma sutemi waza (rear sacrifice throws where the thrower falls on their back) and yoko sutemi waza (side sacrifice throws where the thrower falls to their side).
Where does the Sacrifice Throw come from?
Sacrifice throws are part of the original Kodokan judo curriculum established by Jigoro Kano, representing the most tactically creative category of nage waza. Tomoe nage gained worldwide fame through martial arts cinema (it is the iconic 'stomach throw' seen in countless films) and remains one of judo's most recognised techniques.
Is the Sacrifice 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 Sacrifice Throw?
Danger rating 6/10. Moderate-high — sacrifice throws carry risk for both fighters; the thrower risks landing in bottom position if the technique fails, while the thrown opponent faces high-amplitude landing impact; in competition, failed sacrifice throws in judo can score against the thrower if they land on their own back
How do I set up the Sacrifice Throw?
The standard setup chain: Create Forward Pressure → Load Their Weight → Drop and Place → Elevate and Redirect → Control the Landing → Scramble to Top.
How do I defend against the Sacrifice Throw?
Standard counters include: Step Over — when the opponent sits down for tomoe nage, simply stepping over their legs neutralises the throw / Hip Drop — dropping the hips backward to resist the forward pull / Grip Strip — releasing the grips to deny the opponent the connection needed to load weight / Counter-throw — using the opponent's downward motion as kuzushi for a counter technique.
What are the variants of the Sacrifice Throw?
Common variants: Tomoe nage (circle throw) (the most famous sacrifice throw; falling backward with a …); Sumi gaeshi (corner reversal) (butterfly hook sacrifice throw from clinch; hooking the t…); Ura nage (rear throw) (bridging backward while lifting the opponent, slamming th…); Tani otoshi (valley drop) (dropping to the side behind the opponent's legs, tripping…); Yoko guruma (side wheel) (a lateral sacrifice throw rotating the opponent sideways); Kani basami (scissors throw) (jumping to scissor the opponent's legs; banned in IJF jud…).
How effective is the Sacrifice Throw in competition?
Sacrifice throws produce some of the most spectacular scores in judo competition — tomoe nage and sumi gaeshi ippon finishes are highlights of major international tournaments. At the Olympic level, sacrifice throws have decided gold medal matches in multiple weight categories.
What are common mistakes when doing the Sacrifice Throw?
Top errors to watch for: Using sacrifice throws as a first attack — sacrifice throws work best when the opponent is pushing forward; naked sac… / Foot placement too low on tomoe nage — placing the foot on the stomach or below the belt line results in the opponent… / Not committing to the fall — half-committed sacrifice throws leave the thrower in an awkward position without generat… / Pulling the opponent's arms instead of their body weight — the pull must load the opponent's weight onto the thrower'….
What are other names for the Sacrifice Throw?
The Sacrifice Throw is also known as Sutemi Waza, Sacrifice Technique, Sacrifice Throw.