Soto Makikomi
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Soto Makikomi·Seiryoku Zenyo
Mark Gilston, 4th degree judo black belt, discusses and demonstrates various applications of Soto Makikomi (the outer wr…
Soto Makikomi
SubFamily外巻込(Soto Makikomi)
TraditionalTranslation: outer wraparound
Overview
Soto Makikomi is an outer winding throw in which tori wraps their arm over and around uke's arm and upper body from the outside, then drops and rolls laterally to bring uke crashing to the mat. [1],[2] The 'soto' (outer) designation indicates that the wrapping action occurs from the outside of uke's body, distinguishing it from uchi makikomi. [2],[3] Soto makikomi is highly effective from an over-the-shoulder grip and is often used in competition when tori has achieved a dominant gripping position on one side. [3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Soto makikomi (outer winding throw) winds the opponent around the attacker's body from the outside, using a rolling sacrifice to bring them down. [1]
Lineage
Soto makikomi is part of the Kodokan judo yoko-sutemi-waza syllabus. [1]
Competition Record
Soto makikomi is scored in IJF competition. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Pulling and lifting with the arms to load the opponent over the shoulder or upper back
Joints Involved — Attacker's shoulders (loading point), elbows (pulling action), hips (turning under the opponent)
Force Vector — Forward and downward rotation — the pulling arm creates circular momentum while the body turns underneath
Kuzushi (Off-balancing) — Forward — breaking the opponent's balance forward over their toes allows the turning entry
Position & Entry
From collar and sleeve grip — Pull the opponent forward and up, turn in while dropping below their centre of gravity, load them onto the back/shoulder and rotate forward to throw
From sleeve grip (ippon seoi) — Secure the sleeve, step across, load the arm over the shoulder while turning, pull and throw
From underhook — Turn in with the underhook side, load the opponent over the shoulder and drive forward
Videos
Soto-Makikomi
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Soto Makikomi·American Judo
Soto-makikomi is often associated with big, fat guys but it can be used effectively by smaller players, especially if th…
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Rolling sacrifice adds rotational momentum; uncontrolled landing 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
✓Soto makikomi (outer winding throw) wraps uke's arm from the outside and rolls forward to throw them — a powerful standing sacrifice technique (Daigo, 2005)
✓From a standard grip, overhook uke's sleeve-side arm by threading your arm over and around it
✓Turn in as for a hip throw but instead of lifting, continue rolling forward while wrapping uke's arm
✓Your body weight rolling forward plus the arm wrap creates massive rotational force
✓Soto makikomi is effective when uke stiff-arms to prevent hip throw entries — the overhook bypasses the stiff arm
✓In no-gi, this translates as an overhook whip-over — the same mechanics apply
✓Keep your shoulder tight against uke's chest during the roll — shoulder-to-chest contact amplifies the wrapping force
Common Mistakes
!Overhooking too loosely — the arm wrap must be tight enough that uke cannot pull free
!Falling forward without rotating — you need to roll, not just drop
!Not maintaining chest-to-chest contact — space allows uke to pull away
!Rolling too slowly — the power comes from explosive forward commitment
!Not turning in deep enough before initiating the roll — your back must be to uke
!Releasing the sleeve grip with the non-wrapping hand — keep pulling with hikite
!Landing on uke dangerously — control the roll direction to land beside them
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
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
explosive turning speed, arm pulling power, deep level change
Favours
shorter stature for getting under the opponent, strong back
Key muscles
deltoids, trapezius, quadriceps, core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I avoid getting my back taken after throwing with Soto Makikomi?
Get low and get under your opponent so that when they come down, they cannot scramble back to their back before you gain control. Seiryoku Zenyo emphasizes that this positioning prevents them from recovering to a defensive posture.
What should I do with my arm position during the throw?
Keep your arm high and leading—your hand should touch your chin with your armpit up by their shoulder. American Judo stresses that you pull past this position to lock it in tight, then bring your hip through to finish.
What do I do if my opponent tries to defend by bending their arm?
Reach over for their hand, pull it, and slide it down—there is a wrist lock available here if your school allows it. Seiryoku Zenyo notes you can also keep the lock tight enough to control them without relying on strength.
What's the follow-up technique if my opponent tries to hook my leg?
Simply move your leg out of their way. Seiryoku Zenyo notes this creates a nice pin position, and in Judo you can transition to Ura Gitani (the rear hold) from here.
How does the Soto Makikomi work?
Soto Makikomi is an outer winding throw in which tori wraps their arm over and around uke's arm and upper body from the outside, then drops and rolls laterally to bring uke crashing to the mat. The 'soto' (outer) designation indicates that the wrapping action occurs from the outside of uke's body, distinguishing it from uchi makikomi.
Where does the Soto Makikomi come from?
Soto makikomi developed as a power variant within Kodokan judo's makikomi family, gaining popularity in international competition where gripping battles often created ideal entry positions for the outer wrap.
Is the Soto Makikomi 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 Soto Makikomi?
Danger rating 6/10. High — rolling sacrifice adds rotational momentum; uncontrolled landing risk
How do I set up the Soto Makikomi?
The standard setup chain: Grip Setup (Kumi-kata) → Off-Balance (Kuzushi) → Entry (Tsukuri) → Execution (Kake).
How do I defend against the Soto Makikomi?
Standard counters include: Lower Centre of Gravity — bend knees and drop hips to make the throw harder to execute / Grip Break — deny the thrower their preferred gripping configuration / Stiff-Arm — maintain distance with straight arms to prevent the entry.
What are the variants of the Soto Makikomi?
Common variants: Morote seoi nage (two-handed shoulder throw with both hands gripping); Ippon seoi nage (one-arm shoulder throw loading the arm over the shoulder); Drop seoi nage (dropping to the knees for a lower entry point); Korean-style shoulder throw (modified entry with deeper level change).
How effective is the Soto Makikomi in competition?
Soto makikomi is scored in IJF competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Soto Makikomi?
Top errors to watch for: Overhooking too loosely — the arm wrap must be tight enough that uke cannot pull free / Falling forward without rotating — you need to roll, not just drop / Not maintaining chest-to-chest contact — space allows uke to pull away / Rolling too slowly — the power comes from explosive forward commitment.
What are other names for the Soto Makikomi?
The Soto Makikomi is also known as Outer Winding Throw, Outside Wrap-Around, Soto Makikomi, Outer Rolling Throw.