Harai Goshi: Sweeping Hip Throw

History

According to Jigoro Kano, Shiro Saigo, given a little time, could always devise a counter attack to get out of any technique applied against him. Since Kano was good at the uki-goshi, for a good while Saigo could not get the best of him, but later he figured out a method of jumping forward and getting away. Professor Kano devised a way to prevent this escape. The way he would sweep and stop his opponent’s escape foot is the origin of the present harai-goshi.

Attacking

1. Pivoting on your left toes, whirl your upper body to the left, stretch your right leg out, and tense it’s big toe.
2. Put the back of your right thigh up against the front of your opponent’s right thigh, and ride them well on your hips as you raise their right leg from the floor in a scooping motion.
3. Sweep them over and off the ground. Pull with both arms, and twist both your head and your upper body as you throw them down.

Books

The best book on this throw is Harai Goshi by Jean-Luc Rouge, one of the Ippon Judo Masterclass Series. It is an excellent book dedicated solely to the technique harai goshi. It explores grips, variations, entries, combinations, and self-defence applications, by a world champion judoka.

Videos

Here are some animations. Here is a video of harai goshi performed by Neil Ohlenkamp (tori) and Gordy Oliver (uke) of the Encino Judo Club. Here is another video of harai goshi and a second video of harai goshi.