← All techniques

Seoi Nage

TakedownJudo throwBelt: blue+Risk: moderateIBJJFADCCNo-GiMMA

Seoi Nage is a classic judo shoulder throw adapted for BJJ and no-gi, used to off-balance and project an opponent from a standing engagement. It is highly effective for transitioning from standing to a dominant top position, especially when grips are established. Mastery of Seoi Nage provides a powerful offensive option in gi and no-gi rulesets.

Start
Standing in same-side grip
End
Top position
Prerequisites: Collar-and-sleeve grip breaking · Kazushi (off-balancing) · Footwork for level change · Back-step entry mechanics

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish Same-Side Grips
    Secure a collar grip with your right hand and a sleeve grip with your left (or vice versa), keeping your elbows tight and wrists flexed to control the opponent’s posture.
  2. 2
    Create Kazushi (Off-Balancing)
    Pull forward and slightly upward with the collar hand while steering the sleeve hand across your body, shifting the opponent’s weight onto their toes.
  3. 3
    Step In and Rotate
    Step your lead foot between the opponent’s feet, toes pointed straight ahead, and begin to rotate your body so your back is close to their chest.
  4. 4
    Pivot and Lower Your Level
    Pivot on your lead foot while swinging your trailing foot around so both feet are inside their stance, knees bent, hips dropped below their center of gravity.
  5. 5
    Thread the Throwing Arm
    Release the collar grip and shoot your arm under their armpit, wrapping tightly around their upper arm or triceps, palm up, with your elbow pointed forward.
  6. 6
    Load Opponent Onto Your Back
    Pull the opponent’s sleeve tightly across your chest while straightening your legs slightly to elevate their center of mass onto your back and shoulders.
  7. 7
    Execute the Throw
    Explosively extend your legs and rotate your torso, pulling with the sleeve and lifting with your back, to project the opponent over your shoulder to the mat.
  8. 8
    Follow to Top Position
    Maintain grip on the sleeve and immediately turn to face the opponent, ready to secure top control (side control or knee-on-belly) as they land.

Key details most people miss

  • The initial kazushi must shift the opponent’s weight fully onto their toes—without this, the throw lacks momentum.
  • Your hips must be lower than your opponent’s center of gravity at the moment of loading for optimal leverage.
  • The sleeve pull is not just a guide but a tight anchor—keep your elbow glued to your ribs to prevent escapes.
  • Rotation speed and entry angle are more important than raw strength; a sharp pivot brings your back flush to their chest.
  • Keep your chin tucked and posture upright during the throw to avoid being countered or rolled.

Common mistakes

  • If you step too shallow, your hips will be too far from their center, causing the throw to stall and allowing the opponent to sprawl.
  • If you fail to off-balance, the opponent can post their leg or stiff-arm, blocking your entry.
  • If you bend at the waist instead of dropping your hips, you lose leverage and risk being counter-thrown.
  • If you release the sleeve grip early, the opponent may turn away and take your back.
  • If your feet are parallel instead of staggered, you cannot generate the necessary rotation for the throw.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent sprawls and hips back during entry
You do: Switch to a drop Seoi Nage (kneeling variation) or transition to a single-leg by catching their leg as they sprawl.
They try: Opponent posts their far leg wide to block rotation
You do: Redirect the throw to a Koshi Guruma (head-and-arm throw) by wrapping their head instead of the arm.
They try: Opponent circles behind as you turn in
You do: Abort the throw, square your stance, and re-establish grips or transition to a guard pull if necessary.
They try: Opponent stiff-arms and breaks sleeve grip
You do: Switch to a double-leg shot or snap down to front headlock as they extend their arm.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 minutes; 50% resistance; each round, complete at least 5 clean entries and throws, with partner recovering to feet after each rep. Success metric: 80% throws result in immediate top control.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Saulo Ribeiro — Emphasizes BJJ-specific grip fighting and seamless transition to ground control after the throw.Leandro Lo — Known for aggressive standing attacks, often using Seoi Nage to initiate scrambles in IBJJF competition.Andre Galvao — Focuses on explosive entries and chaining Seoi Nage with other takedowns in ADCC and gi formats.Keenan Cornelius — Innovates with lapel and unconventional grip variations for Seoi Nage in modern gi play.
#takedown#judo-throw#standing#gi#no-gi#top-control#explosive#lightweight-friendly#competition-legal#transition