Osoto Gari

Takedown

Osoto Gari is a major outer reap takedown where you sweep your opponent's leg from the outside while driving them backward. From an overhook clinch, it capitalizes on your ability to control their posture and off-balance them to the rear corner, finishing in a dominant top position.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Break their balance (kuzushi) diagonally to their rear corner on the reaping side before committing to the attack.
  • · Your chest must stay tight against theirs throughout—any space allows them to recover balance or counter.
  • · The reaping leg sweeps through like a pendulum, making contact calf-to-calf and driving past their base.
  • · The overhook side arm pulls them into you and circles downward to amplify the off-balancing.
  • · If they resist by stepping back, follow with your support foot to maintain pressure and re-enter the reap.

Execution

  1. 1 From overhook clinch, use the overhook to clamp their arm tight while your free hand grips their collar, lapel, or neck to control posture.
  2. 2 Step your lead foot (same side as the overhook) alongside their foot on that side, loading your weight onto it while pulling and driving them toward their rear corner.
  3. 3 Swing your back leg in a large arc, reaping through their far-side leg calf-to-calf while simultaneously driving your chest and head forward and downward into them.
  4. 4 Follow through with the reaping leg past their base as they fall, landing in a chest-to-chest top position with your hips heavy on them.
  5. 5 Immediately secure side control or a dominant pin as you settle on top.

Common mistakes

  • × Reaching the reaping leg without stepping close enough first, which leaves you off-balance and easily countered with a sweep or throw.
  • × Leaning backward or staying upright instead of driving forward with the chest, resulting in a weak reap that fails to topple the opponent.
  • × Reaping with a bent knee or tapping the leg instead of sweeping through with a straight, committed pendulum motion, which gives them time to post and recover.

Do it from

Positions and situations where the Osoto Gari shows up.

Overhook Control Clinch

Where it lands

The position you end up in.

Side Control Top