The Ultimate Guide to The Top 5 Most Powerful Judo Throws for BJJ

In order to submit your opponent, you must first take them down, and there is no martial art that focuses more on throws than judo. Throws are an important skill in the BJJ repertoire, but most people don’t know how to throw the opponent correctly.

Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned veteran, this article will help you improve your game by teaching you the top five best judo throws for BJJ so your game can be more effective.

It’s essential to understand what types of judo throws are effective in BJJ because they can help you become a more dominant grappler. Here is a list of the five best judo throws for BJJ:

Osoto Gari is one of the easier judo throws and one of the most common ones used in BJJ. Commonly known as an outside trip in BJJ, this is a great throw that you can learn when you are just starting out.

To perform Osoto Gari, step forward and grab the opponent by the collar and sleeve. Get as close as you can, shoulder to shoulder. Make sure to have a firm grip on the opponent and now step forward with a foot closer to your opponent’s body.

As you swing your foot back to your opponent’s calf, the momentum works in your favor and the opponent is thrown down to the mat. It is crucial to get as close to the opponent as possible. If you are not as close as possible, the opponent may be able to reverse the throw.

In a right vs right-side clinch situation, Kosoto Gare works like a charm. With both of your arms trapping the upper body of the opponent and one foot of the opponent placed between your two feet, sweep the leg of the opponent, step over, and he will fall on his back.

Kosoto Gake also transitions to no-gi very well, and it can be a throw that surprises your opponent, gives you the edge, and lands you in a favorable position on the ground.

Also known as the foot sweep, De Ashi Barai is a technique that a no-gi competitor must have in his arsenal. First, you have to anticipate the correct timing to execute De Ashi Barai, because if you miscalculate your throw, you can end up in a worse position.

Grab the underhook with one hand, control the opponent’s wrist with your other hand, and hook the closer leg to get your opponent off-balance. Now you’ve perfectly set up the De Ashi Barai, and all that is left to do is to perform the deashi on the opponent’s other leg.

Sumi Gaeshi is a sacrifice throw that can work in no-gi matches but works best while wearing a gi. When you are leading with a right side position, control the outside of your training partner, grabbing the gi, and go to the inside, sliding to your partner and moving them to the side.

While it may look intimidating at first, this takedown is not that hard, and with some practice time, you will learn it properly and your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique skill-set will be better for one more move.

We’ve come to the last judo takedown recommended for BJJ practitioners, and it’s the Tomoe Nage. Also known as the rear sacrifice throw, this is a great throw that you can use when you are holding each other’s lapel. In order to be successful with this throw, you have to know the positioning of your opponent’s guard and what he/she is trying to achieve. Before you start throwing, you need to prepare.

It’s crucial for this throw to be in a lower position. When you are sure in your positioning, dip yourself down, bringing your leg up to your opponent’s stomach and moving them towards you. This way, their only option is to fall to the ground and that opens up grappling opportunities for you.

It may seem like an obscure thing to learn because there are BJJ schools that don’t focus on them, but throws are the fundamental skills needed for a jiu-jitsu fighter to be successful. Knowing how to throw your opponent properly will help you get the upper hand. If you really want to learn them properly, you need to dedicate a lot of time to them.

It’s always easier to learn things by watching someone else do them on the mat. Find someone who has experience with the judo throws and then practice them together.

Learning every new skill takes time, and the same goes for judo throws. It takes a while to get a good grip on them, so don’t expect to be able to throw your opponent immediately. When you are learning the throws, you should start with simple techniques. Then you can progress to more complicated ones as you learn more.

When you can’t practice with your partner, be sure to check out instructional videos about judo throws that you are willing to master. Make sure you practice all of them until they become second nature.

Throws are an essential technique and if you don’t learn them properly, you will never be able to compete at a high level. Choosing your favorite throws are truly mastering them will make you much more comfortable and confident any time you step on the mat, whether it is sparring or tournament.