Tsurikomi goshi is a throwing technique in judo, it is classified as Koshi waza, the category of hip throws.
In this article, you will learn how to do Tsurikomi goshi in a step-by-step guide.
How to do Tsurikomi goshi (step-by-step guide)
Important note: In this guide, we have broken down this throw into several steps. This does not mean that you have to execute each step separately, sometimes you have to execute several steps simultaneously.
1. What grip should you use? (Kumi kata)
Tsurikomi goshi can be executed with several grips, but the most used one is the standard grip:
With your right hand, grip the lapel of your opponent
With your left hand, grip the sleeve of your opponent
2. Kuzushi
Kuzushi is the part where you have to set up your opponent for the throw by putting them slightly off-balance and making them lean forward on their toes.
The main purpose of Kuzushi is to shake the opponent’s balance and make them vulnerable to what’s coming up. If it is done correctly, the throw will have more chances to be a success.
How to do Kuzushi:
1. With your right hand, grip the lapel with a tight fist, press your forearm against your opponent’s chest.
2. Now push your opponent upward with the same arm, the motion of the push has to look as if you want to deliver an uppercut.
3. With your left hand, grip the sleeve from under the elbow, elevate the opponent’s arm upward and pull it slightly towards you. The palm of your hand has to be facing outside and your wrist has to be facing inside. The motion should look as if you want to check your watch.
4. Bring your wrist to the side of your head. Your eyes have to be fixated on your wrist and your head should turn to follow it as it is coming up.
If you do Kuzushi correctly, your opponent will now be leaning slightly forward, standing on their toes with their heels off the ground.
Obviously, in competition things may go fast and chaotic and Kuzushi may not be applied as clean as in drills. But, it is a crucial step for most judo throws, you have to drill it hundreds of times until it becomes second nature in all of your throws.
3. Step in
1. Take a step with your right foot towards your opponent’s left foot
2. Pivot on your right foot and turn to face the same direction your opponent is facing
3. Take a step with your left foot and place it on the same line your right foot is at. Both your feet should be parallel to your opponent’s feet and your feet’s toes should be pointed to the same direction your opponent is facing.
4. Your stance has to be narrower than your opponent’s stance.
4. Leave no space
You have to be back-on-belly with your opponent, and you should leave no space in-between. If you leave space between you and your opponent you will have a hard time lifting them and you will have less control over their body.
Your opponent’s body has to become an extension of your own body, and you should both become one entity.
5. Drop your level
Bend your knees and drop your level. Your hips must be lower than your opponent’s hips. The hips are the center of gravity, if you want to control your opponent’s weight you have to control their center of gravity by going under it with your own center of gravity.
6. Lift and toss
1. Now that your hips are placed under your opponent’s hips, use your buttocks to hit your opponent in the upper thigh area. This hit will help you load their weight on your back easily
2. Go as deep as possible with your legs. When initiating the lift, you should try to stand at the same line your opponent is standing at, this will help you take their weight from under them. If you try to lift your opponent while standing away from their feet line, the throw will have little to no success.
3. Use the lapel grip to load your opponent on your back. Keep your right arm’s elbow pointed to the ground, and lift your opponent using an uppercut motion.
4. Now wheel your opponent on your hips. Your hips should be the fulcrum of the throw.
5. By now, the opponent’s upper body should be heading downward and their legs should be elevated in the air.
6. Toss them to the ground. Just redirect the opponent’s upper body towards the ground by using the sleeve grip and the lapel grip.
7. Your opponent should fall in front of your right foot’s toes.
7. Maintain control
1. Once your opponent has hit the ground, don’t release them and lose control.
2. Release the lapel grip and keep holding the sleeve, the sleeve grip will keep the opponent’s arm under your control.
3. Your feet must be close to the opponent’s shoulder, and their arm must be placed between your legs for further control.
8. What should you do if your opponent bends over and takes their hips away?
Sometimes in high-level competition, you may face an opponent who can detect hip throws coming a mile away.
As a response to your Tsurikomi goshi, the opponent may bend over and take their hip away from you. No hips, no throw!
The solution in this case is to release the lapel grip and use the same hand to grip the opponent’s gi from the lower back or from the belt.
This way, you will have control over the hips of your opponent, and you will be able to keep them in place in order for you to get your hips under them.
