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Ura nage [English]
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Standard Ura Nage·Camaleao Judo·Added by Admin
Ura nage basics and one of my favourite variations
Standard Ura Nage
Genus裏投げ(Ura Nage)
TraditionalTranslation: rear throw
Overview
Standard Ura Nage is the classical form of the rear throw in which tori secures a deep body lock around uke's waist or torso, drops their hips low, and arches backward explosively to lift uke off the mat and throw them over tori's shoulder or head. [1],[2] The technique concludes with uke landing on their back and tori transitioning to a controlling ground position. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Ura nage (rear throw) is one of the most powerful sacrifice throws, generating extreme impact through the backward arching action that lifts and slams the opponent. [1] The technique is high-risk but produces spectacular ippon when completed, as the full-body commitment creates tremendous force. [2]
Lineage
Competition Record
Ura nage is scored at IJF World Championships and Olympic Games, often as a counter-throw against forward-attacking opponents. [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
Ma-Sutemi-Waza; tori falls backward pulling uke over; spinal compression risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
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
✓Secure a tight body lock with both arms around uke's midsection — clasp hands behind their back
✓Drive your hips into uke's hips while bending your knees to load their weight
✓Arch backward explosively while straightening your legs — think bridge, not lean
✓Guide uke over your shoulder by arching and rotating slightly to one side
✓Land on your side or shoulder, not flat on your back
✓The power comes from the hip thrust and back arch combined — the arms hold uke in place
✓Drill bridge-and-roll exercises to develop the back flexibility and explosive arch needed
Common Mistakes
!Clasping hands too high on uke's back — grip at waist level for maximum leverage
!Leaning back instead of arching — the arch generates the circular trajectory uke follows
!Not bending the knees before the throw — the explosive leg straightening is essential
!Throwing uke straight onto their head (extremely dangerous) — rotate to the side for a controlled landing
!Releasing the body lock during the arch — uke must stay locked against your body throughout
!Not generating enough upward force — the legs drive upward, the arch directs backward
!Attempting when you have no body lock — ura nage requires both arms committed to the wrap
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
What grip should I use for ura nage?
A lapel grip is effective, but sleeve grips and other variations work as well—experiment to find what works best for you. Camaleao Judo emphasizes trying different grips to see which suits your style.
What's the timing of the throw—should I turn first or arch my back?
Arch your back first to lift your opponent, then turn at the last moment. This sequencing allows you to generate more power before committing to the rotational component of the throw.
How can I add more power to my ura nage?
Use the leg behind your opponent—throwing that leg up pushes them further up and makes the throw easier and more powerful. You can also lift their leg to increase the lift component of the throw.
How do I defend against an osoto gari with ura nage?
When they attack your leg with osoto gari, push them away with your lapel hand, let go of the sleeve, grab their hips, and turn in quickly while using your knee to push their lower leg away. You can also lift the leg they attacked with to execute the throw.
How does the Standard Ura Nage work?
Standard Ura Nage is the classical form of the rear throw in which tori secures a deep body lock around uke's waist or torso, drops their hips low, and arches backward explosively to lift uke off the mat and throw them over tori's shoulder or head. The technique concludes with uke landing on their back and tori transitioning to a controlling ground position.
Where does the Standard Ura Nage come from?
The standard ura nage has been part of judo competition since the early Kodokan era and is listed in the gokyo no waza as one of the principal rear sacrifice throws.
Is the Standard Ura Nage 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 Ura Nage?
Danger rating 6/10. High — Ma-Sutemi-Waza; tori falls backward pulling uke over; spinal compression risk
How do I set up the Standard Ura Nage?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Standard Ura 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 Standard Ura 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 Standard Ura Nage in competition?
Ura nage is scored at IJF World Championships and Olympic Games, often as a counter-throw against forward-attacking opponents.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Ura Nage?
Top errors to watch for: Clasping hands too high on uke's back — grip at waist level for maximum leverage / Leaning back instead of arching — the arch generates the circular trajectory uke follows / Not bending the knees before the throw — the explosive leg straightening is essential / Throwing uke straight onto their head (extremely dangerous) — rotate to the side for a controlled landing.
What are other names for the Standard Ura Nage?
The Standard Ura Nage is also known as Ura Nage, Classical Rear Throw, Standard Back Throw, Kihon Ura Nage.