Morote Seoi Nage
Takedown
Morote Seoi Nage is a two-handed shoulder throw where the practitioner grips the opponent's arm and lapel (or sleeve in no-gi) and turns in to load them onto their back before projecting them over the shoulder. It is used when the opponent is pushing forward or reaching, allowing you to exploit their momentum and land in a dominant top position.
Quick Reference
Key principles
- · Both hands grip and control the same arm or arm-and-lapel combination, creating a strong fulcrum at the shoulder line.
- · A deep, explosive turn-in with your back flush against the opponent's chest eliminates space and loads their weight onto your hips.
- · Your hips must drop below the opponent's center of gravity during the entry to generate effective lifting and throwing mechanics.
- · Pull the gripped arm tightly across your chest and forward-down to break their posture and prevent them from posturing away.
- · If the opponent stiffens or pulls back, use a push-pull sequence or foot sweep combination to re-create forward momentum before entering.
Execution
- 1 From a collar-and-sleeve grip (gi) or wrist-and-bicep control (no-gi), create kuzushi by pulling the opponent forward and slightly to the side of your throwing arm.
- 2 Pivot on the ball of your lead foot, turning your back into the opponent while simultaneously bending your knees deeply to drop your hips below their waistline.
- 3 Secure both hands on the opponent's arm—one at the wrist/sleeve and one gripping the upper arm or lapel—pulling it tightly across your chest.
- 4 Drive your hips back into the opponent's midsection, straighten your legs, and rotate your torso forward-down to project them over your shoulder.
- 5 Follow through by continuing the rotation and landing with chest pressure into side control or knee on belly.
Common mistakes
- × Not dropping the hips low enough during entry, resulting in the opponent sprawling over your back or countering with a choke.
- × Leaving space between your back and the opponent's chest, which allows them to circle out or take your back.
- × Pulling the gripped arm outward instead of tight across the chest, which weakens the fulcrum and lets the opponent slip their arm free.
Where it lands
The position you end up in.
Side Control Top
