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Kouchi Gari

TakedownJudo tripBelt: white+Risk: lowIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

Kouchi Gari is a classic judo foot sweep adapted for BJJ, targeting the opponent’s near-side foot to off-balance and trip them from standing. It is especially effective when opponents are defensive or retreating, and transitions directly into a dominant top position for passing or control.

Start
Standing
End
Top position
Prerequisites: Collar-and-sleeve grip · Breaking posture from standing · Kazushi (off-balancing) · Basic footwork for entries

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish Grips
    Secure a collar-and-sleeve grip (gi) or inside tie and wrist control (no-gi), ensuring your lead hand controls their upper body while your other hand manages their posting arm.
  2. 2
    Create Kuzushi (Off-Balancing)
    Pull their collar/sleeve forward and slightly diagonally, shifting their weight onto the foot you intend to sweep; maintain your posture upright with your head over your hips.
  3. 3
    Step Inside
    Step your lead foot inside, close to their target foot, with your toes pointing slightly inward and your knee bent to lower your center of gravity.
  4. 4
    Position Sweeping Leg
    With your free leg, hook the inside of their target foot (usually their lead foot) using the arch of your foot, keeping your knee slightly bent and your toes flexed upward.
  5. 5
    Sweep the Foot
    In a single motion, sweep their foot backward and slightly outward with a sharp, reaping action, while simultaneously pulling with your grips to continue off-balancing them.
  6. 6
    Drive Forward
    As their balance breaks, drive forward with your upper body, keeping your chest over their torso and maintaining grip tension to prevent them from regaining balance.
  7. 7
    Follow to Top Position
    As they fall, follow them down by stepping your sweeping leg forward and settling your weight onto their torso or hips, ready to initiate a guard pass or secure control.

Key details most people miss

  • The sweep is most effective when their weight is already shifted onto the target foot—timing your entry right as they step is crucial.
  • Keep your upper body posture upright and avoid leaning forward, which preserves your balance and maximizes the force of the sweep.
  • The sweeping action should come from your hip and entire leg, not just the foot, for better power and control.
  • Maintain active tension in your grips throughout the motion to prevent the opponent from posting or sprawling.

Common mistakes

  • If you sweep before creating proper kuzushi, the opponent will simply step back and avoid the trip.
  • Leaning forward with your chest breaks your own posture and allows the opponent to counter with a snapdown or sprawl.
  • Failing to control their sleeve or wrist lets them post with their hand, preventing the takedown.
  • Using only your foot (not your whole leg) for the sweep results in a weak, ineffective trip.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent steps their foot back as you enter.
You do: Immediately transition to an inside trip (uchi mata) or switch to an outside trip (osoto gari) on the opposite leg.
They try: Opponent posts their hand to base out.
You do: Maintain sleeve/wrist control; if they post, use their extended arm to transition to an arm drag or back take.
They try: Opponent sprawls or pulls you forward after failed sweep.
You do: Keep your posture upright; if they sprawl, transition to a single leg by dropping your level and gripping behind their knee.
They try: Opponent circles away from the sweep direction.
You do: Follow their movement, using your grips to redirect their momentum into a snapdown or another foot sweep.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 minutes; 50% resistance; each round, partner gives light movement and defensive reactions. Goal: 5 clean sweeps per round where opponent lands on their back and you establish top position.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Saulo Ribeiro — Emphasizes grip fighting and kuzushi for seamless integration into BJJ stand-up exchanges.John Danaher — Focuses on timing and off-balancing, especially in no-gi contexts, blending with wrestling entries.Leandro Lo — Known for aggressive collar-and-sleeve setups and chaining kouchi gari with guard passing.Andre Galvao — Combines kouchi gari with dynamic footwork and transitions to double leg or guard passing in ADCC rulesets.
#takedown#judo-trip#standing#gi-and-no-gi#low-risk#open-guard-entry#lightweight-friendly#competition-legal#top-position