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Ouchi Gari

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

Ouchi Gari is a fundamental judo trip adapted for BJJ, used to off-balance and sweep an opponent from standing to the mat, usually ending in a dominant top position. Its efficiency and low risk make it a staple takedown for both gi and no-gi grapplers.

Start
Standing
End
Top position
Prerequisites: Collar-and-sleeve grip · Inside foot positioning · Breaking opponent's posture

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish Grips
    Secure a collar-and-sleeve grip (gi) or a strong inside tie and wrist control (no-gi), ensuring your lead hand controls their collar or neck and your other hand controls their sleeve or wrist.
  2. 2
    Create Kuzushi (Off-Balance)
    Pull their upper body slightly forward and diagonally toward your sleeve/wrist grip while stepping your lead foot inside their stance, aiming to disrupt their balance over their rear foot.
  3. 3
    Step Inside
    Slide your lead (attacking) foot between their legs, placing your foot close to their base foot with your knee slightly bent and toes pointing forward, maintaining chest-to-chest proximity.
  4. 4
    Reap the Leg
    Hook the back of their far leg (the one you off-balanced them onto) with your attacking leg, using a sweeping motion from the inside-out, keeping your foot flexed and your thigh close to theirs.
  5. 5
    Drive with Upper Body
    Simultaneously pull with your sleeve/wrist grip and push forward with your collar/neck grip, driving your chest into theirs to amplify the off-balance as you reap.
  6. 6
    Finish the Trip
    Continue the reap until their weight collapses over the reaped leg, following them down by maintaining your grips and driving your hips forward to prevent them from regaining balance.
  7. 7
    Secure Top Position
    As they fall, keep your chest heavy and maintain grips, landing with your hips low and knees wide to establish control and immediately transition to a dominant top position (side control or top half guard).

Key details most people miss

  • The reap is most effective when your thigh maintains constant contact with theirs—avoid swinging your leg wide and missing the connection.
  • Timing the reap with the opponent's weight shift is crucial; initiate the sweep as their weight loads onto the target leg.
  • Your upper body pull/push must be continuous—if you pause, the opponent can regain posture or step out.
  • Keep your head level or slightly below theirs to maximize leverage and minimize risk of counter throws.

Common mistakes

  • If you reap before off-balancing, opponent keeps base and steps out easily.
  • If your upper body is too upright, you lose leverage and can be countered with an uchi mata or hip toss.
  • If you fail to maintain sleeve/wrist control, opponent posts with their hand and prevents the takedown.
  • If you swing your reaping leg too high or too far, you lose contact and the sweep loses power.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent steps their target foot back as you enter.
You do: Switch to a ko-uchi gari (minor inside trip) on their near leg or transition to a double leg.
They try: Opponent posts with their hand or frames on your shoulder.
You do: Circle your body to remove the post, maintaining sleeve/wrist control, and re-enter the reap at a new angle.
They try: Opponent attempts a counter uchi mata (inner thigh throw) as you commit.
You do: Keep your hips low and head forward, retract your reaping leg immediately, and drive into a body lock or drop for a double leg.
They try: Opponent sprawls or drops their weight backward.
You do: Release the reap, transition to an ankle pick or snapdown, capitalizing on their backward momentum.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 minutes each; 50% resistance; alternate roles every round. Goal: 8 clean Ouchi Gari entries and finishes per round, with partner providing realistic posture and footwork.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Saulo Ribeiro — Emphasizes seamless transition from Ouchi Gari to top control, prioritizing pressure and grip retention for BJJ rules.John Danaher — Focuses on no-gi adaptations, using inside ties and wrist grips to replicate classic judo mechanics.Leandro Lo — Known for dynamic standing attacks, integrating Ouchi Gari into chain wrestling sequences for IBJJF competition.Roger Gracie — Demonstrates textbook Ouchi Gari with flawless kuzushi, emphasizing timing and weight transfer for high-percentage success.
#takedown#judo-trip#standing#gi#no-gi#low-risk#top-control#open-weight#competition-legal#fundamental