Judo technique
Utsuri-goshi
- Pronunciation
- oo-tsoo-ree goh-shee
- Meaning
- Hip transfer
Recognize a lift followed by a switch onto the hip.
Understand the technique
is a hip-transfer counter in . When attacks with a hip throw, stops it, lifts Uke close to the body, and moves the hip in underneath to throw Uke forward. The change onto Tori’s hip is what names it: can start with a similar lift but finishes by falling backward.
How it works
Stop the attack and lift
In this example, Uke attacks with left . Tori lowers the hips, wraps Uke’s waist with the right arm to stop the entry, and lifts with the legs while keeping Uke pressed close.
Transfer onto the hip
While Uke is lifted, Tori turns the right hip in underneath and guides Uke forward over it, finishing like a hip throw. A right-sided attack is answered as a mirror image. Keep Uke supported through the change: never let go of a lifted partner or let Uke drop onto the head.
Common mistakes
Stopping at the lift
Lifting Uke and then just putting them down misses the transfer that makes the throw. The lift only prepares the change onto the hip.
Lifting with a gap
Lifting with the arms while Uke hangs away from the body strains Tori’s back and leaves no hip contact to transfer onto. Lower the hips first, keep chest and hips close, and lift with the legs.
First learning focus
First notice the exact moment the lift changes into a hip throw. Uke should stay close and supported from the stop all the way to the landing.