Jimmy Pedro & His Osoto Gari Details
Posted by Corey Kuropas on
Jimmy Pedro is one of the best Judoka’s that the United States has ever produced. Currently a sixth degree black belt in Judo, he is a former Olympian who has taken the bronze twice at the Olympic Games. He is also a three time World Judo medalist, taking home gold one of those three times. His vast knowledge of Judo techniques, both standing and on the ground is second to none. One of the first throws you will ever learn in Judo or BJJ is the osoto gari. And Jimmy has some great details for this throw…
Grips are everything
Just like any throwing technique, grips are everything. While there are so many different grips, the standard for this throw is grabbing on the collar with one hand, and using your other hand to grab the sleeve, close to the wrist. For these grips, you need to pull the sleeve to your hip and lift the opponent with the collar grip. This will break the opponent’s balance and posture which make the throw possible.
Hook the leg, then go into position
For the next step in osoto gari, your legs will need to do some of the work. Take your leg that is farther from the leg you are attacking and hook that leg. Once the hook is in place to check or “pit stop”, then step behind that leg with yours. This will set up the finishing maneuver for the throw.
Raise the leg and sweep
Once your leg is in the correct position, you will then be ready to finish the throw. You will raise your leg up high, and use it to sweep the opponent’s leg. You will go calf to calf. As you sweep the leg, also use your grips to turn the opponent down. After he is thrown down, feel free to go down right into scarf hold. It is better to go into scarf hold instead of side control, due to the fact that you have his arm controlled with a sleeve grip.
Throws from the Judo arsenal have always been my favorite way of taking people down. Not only are they effective, but they have a sense of flash. You can also “feel” the power of the takedowns. And osoto gari is a great technique to do that. Jimmy Pedro has released a couple different DVD’s about Judo throwing techniques. He even covers the osoto gari in great detail in his DVD set, The Takedown Blueprint.
Click here to see Jimmy Pedro’s The Takedown Blueprint for $67!
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