Ouchi Gari (major inner reaping throw) is a fundamental judo technique that has become an essential tool in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s standing game. The technique involves reaping the opponent’s lead leg from the inside while simultaneously breaking their posture and balance to the rear corner. Unlike pure throwing arts where the goal is a clean ippon, BJJ practitioners use Ouchi Gari both as a takedown to achieve dominant top position and as a setup for other attacks when the opponent defends. The technique’s effectiveness lies in its ability to capitalize on natural standing posture—most grapplers stand with weight distributed between both legs, making them vulnerable to this inside leg attack. When executed properly, Ouchi Gari creates a powerful combination of off-balancing, sweeping action, and forward pressure that makes it extremely difficult for the opponent to maintain their base. The technique integrates seamlessly with BJJ’s ground game, as a successful Ouchi Gari typically lands the practitioner in side control or a transitional position from which mount or back control can be achieved. Its versatility makes it valuable across all rulesets, from IBJJF competition to no-gi grappling and MMA applications.
Starting Position: Standing Position Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 70%
Key Principles
- Control opponent’s posture through collar and sleeve grips before initiating throw
- Break opponent’s balance to their rear corner (backward and slightly to their supporting leg side)
- Reap the inside of opponent’s lead leg with your corresponding leg in a sweeping motion
- Drive forward and down with your upper body while reaping to prevent recovery
- Keep your base leg strong and stable throughout the execution
- Maintain tight connection to opponent’s body to control their fall and landing position
- Time the attack when opponent steps or shifts weight onto their lead leg
Prerequisites
- Establish standing clinch position with proper gripping (collar and sleeve or double collar)
- Opponent must be in relatively upright posture with weight distributed or forward
- Sufficient distance closed to allow leg contact for the reaping action
- Strong pulling action with grips established to break opponent’s posture backward
- Your body positioned at an angle to opponent (not square) for optimal mechanical advantage
- Footwork pattern that positions you close enough for the inside leg attack
- Opponent’s lead leg identified and accessible for the reaping motion
Execution Steps
- Establish dominant grips: Secure a high collar grip with your right hand (on opponent’s left lapel or behind their neck in no-gi) and a sleeve grip with your left hand on their right arm. In no-gi, establish an overhook or underhook position. These grips provide the control necessary to break posture and prevent escape. (Timing: Setup phase - establish before initiating throw)
- Break opponent’s posture: Pull down and backward with your collar grip while pushing or pulling with your sleeve grip to bend opponent forward and break their upright posture. Their weight should shift slightly backward onto their heels. This postural break is critical—without it, they maintain balance too easily. (Timing: 0.5-1 second before step 3)
- Step in close: Step your left foot forward and slightly to the outside of their right foot, closing the distance significantly. Your hips should be close to theirs, and your chest should be pressed against their upper body. This proximity is essential for the reaping action and prevents them from creating defensive space. (Timing: Immediately after posture break)
- Reap the inside leg: Drive your right leg between opponent’s legs and reap their right leg (inside leg) by sweeping your calf and foot against the back of their calf in an arcing motion from inside to outside. The reaping action should be forceful and committed, targeting the lower third of their leg while your foot stays active and hooks their leg. (Timing: Simultaneous with step 5)
- Drive forward and down: As you reap, explosively drive your upper body forward and downward using your grips. Pull their upper body toward you and down while pushing your chest into theirs. This creates a powerful rotational force—their upper body goes backward and down while their leg is swept out from under them. (Timing: Simultaneous with step 4)
- Follow to the ground: Maintain grip control as opponent falls and follow their body to the mat. As they land, transition immediately to side control by releasing the sleeve grip, establishing crossface with your right arm, and securing hip control. Your weight should settle on their torso with proper positioning established before they can recover guard. (Timing: Continuous motion through landing)
- Consolidate top position: Once on the ground, establish full side control by getting your hips low, chest pressure on their sternum, and controlling their head and far hip. Prevent them from turning into you or recovering guard by maintaining heavy pressure and proper base distribution. (Timing: Immediate post-landing, 1-2 seconds to stabilize)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent steps back with attacked leg to avoid the reap (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Follow their backward step and chain into Kouchi Gari (minor inner reap) on the same leg, or switch to Kosoto Gari attacking their other leg. Alternatively, use their backward movement to enter for a different forward throw like Seoi Nage.
- Opponent sprawls and creates distance by pushing hips back (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: If they sprawl early, switch to a front headlock position or snap them down to a turtle position. If already committed to the throw, maintain your reaping leg behind theirs and drive harder forward, turning the technique into more of a trip than a sweep.
- Opponent bases out with their free leg and posts hand to prevent fall (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Transition to a different attack on the posted leg (such as a single leg) or continue driving through the original technique with increased forward pressure. You can also release and immediately re-attack with a combination.
- Opponent circles away from the direction of the throw (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Follow their circular movement and switch to an outside leg attack like Osoto Gari, or use their momentum against them by transitioning to a different throw that works with their direction of movement.
- Opponent pulls guard as they feel the throw coming (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: This is actually advantageous in many rule sets. Maintain your grips, land in their guard, and immediately begin your guard passing sequence. In competition, you may score for the takedown if you initiated the action before they pulled guard.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the primary direction of off-balancing in Ouchi Gari? A: The primary direction of off-balancing in Ouchi Gari is to the rear corner—backward and slightly to the side of opponent’s supporting leg. This breaks their base by removing weight from the leg you’re about to reap while making it difficult for them to step back with that leg to recover. The off-balancing is achieved through pulling down and back with the collar grip while the leg reap simultaneously removes their support.
Q2: Which leg reaps which leg in standard Ouchi Gari, and why is this important? A: In Ouchi Gari, you use your inside leg to reap opponent’s corresponding leg—right leg to their right leg from the inside position. This is critical because it defines the technique (using the outside leg would make it Osoto Gari instead). The inside position allows you to attack while maintaining better balance on your supporting leg and creates a more powerful sweeping arc. Getting this wrong fundamentally changes the mechanics and effectiveness of the throw.
Q3: How should you coordinate your upper body action with your reaping leg to maximize effectiveness? A: The upper body and reaping leg must work in perfect synchronization. As your leg sweeps backward through opponent’s leg, you simultaneously pull down and toward you with your collar grip while driving your chest forward and down into theirs. This creates opposing forces—their upper body is being pulled/driven down and back while their leg is swept out from under them. Without this coordination, the technique becomes only a leg attack that can be easily resisted. Think of it as 50% leg sweep and 50% upper body pull/drive.
Q4: What is the most effective combination when opponent steps back to defend Ouchi Gari? A: The most effective combination is transitioning to Kouchi Gari (minor inner reap) on the same leg they’re stepping back with. As they pull their leg back to avoid the major inner reap, they’re typically in mid-step or shifting weight to that leg, making them vulnerable to the minor inner reap. This combination (Ouchi Gari to Kouchi Gari) is one of judo’s fundamental attacking sequences because the defensive movement against the first technique sets up the second perfectly. Other options include switching to Osoto Gari if they circle, or entering for a front headlock if they sprawl.
Q5: How does the execution of Ouchi Gari differ between gi and no-gi, and what adjustments must be made? A: In gi, Ouchi Gari benefits from traditional collar and sleeve grips that provide powerful leverage for posture breaking and control through the throw. In no-gi, you must adapt to collar ties, underhooks, or overhooks which provide less direct control over opponent’s posture. The no-gi version typically requires getting closer to opponent’s body, using more body-to-body pressure, and often emphasizes the underhook position. The reaping action itself remains similar, but the setup and grip fighting change significantly. No-gi practitioners often combine Ouchi Gari with wrestling techniques like snap downs or front headlocks more naturally than gi practitioners would.
Q6: Describe the optimal timing window for executing Ouchi Gari and how to recognize it during live grappling? A: The optimal timing for Ouchi Gari occurs when opponent either: (1) steps forward with their lead leg, momentarily committing weight to it before establishing base, (2) stands with weight distributed evenly between both legs without active movement, making them vulnerable to the off-balancing, or (3) responds to your grip fighting by pulling back slightly, loading their weight onto their heels. You recognize these moments through feeling their weight distribution through your grips and observing their foot positioning. Advanced practitioners can create the timing by using feints and grip fighting to provoke the desired response. The key is attacking during weight transfer or static positioning—not when opponent is actively moving away or laterally circling.
Q7: What are the key differences in how Ouchi Gari is finished in judo versus BJJ, and why do these differences exist? A: In judo, Ouchi Gari is finished with emphasis on making opponent land flat on their back with force and control (ippon), often requiring the thrower to maintain upright posture throughout and create a clean throwing motion. In BJJ, the finish prioritizes landing in a dominant position like side control, so the thrower typically follows opponent to the ground more aggressively, sometimes even sacrificing perfect throwing form to ensure they achieve top position. BJJ practitioners are less concerned with the aesthetics of the throw and more focused on the positional outcome. This reflects the different scoring systems and objectives—judo values the throw itself as potentially match-ending, while BJJ treats it as a means to achieve positional dominance for continued grappling.
Safety Considerations
When training Ouchi Gari, controlled execution is paramount to prevent injury to both partners. The person being thrown should practice proper ukemi (breakfall techniques) before drilling this technique extensively, as improper landing can result in head injury or impact trauma. Start all drilling at slow speed with cooperative partners and gradually increase intensity only as both partners become comfortable with the mechanics. The thrower must be prepared to support their partner’s weight and control the descent to the mat, especially during initial learning phases. In live training, be mindful of the training surface—always practice takedowns on proper grappling mats, never on hard surfaces. When defending against Ouchi Gari, avoid posting with a straight arm to break your fall, as this can lead to shoulder, elbow, or wrist injury; instead, use proper breakfall techniques. Communication between training partners is essential, particularly when one partner is learning or when fatigue sets in. Both practitioners should agree on the intensity level before each round and should not hesitate to tap or verbally signal if they feel unsafe during the technique’s execution or landing.
Position Integration
Ouchi Gari serves as a fundamental bridge between BJJ’s standing game and ground game, fitting into the broader takedown system as a reliable offensive technique from clinch positions. In the context of positional hierarchy, successful execution of Ouchi Gari typically results in side control top or transitional positions that lead to mount or back control—all highly advantageous positions worth 3-4 points in IBJJF competition. The technique integrates particularly well with BJJ’s grip fighting game, as it requires the same collar and sleeve controls that set up other attacks like guard pulls, single legs, and various judo throws. Strategically, Ouchi Gari functions as both a primary attack and a combination technique—when opponents defend against your other standing attacks (such as Osoto Gari or single leg takedowns), their defensive positioning often creates openings for Ouchi Gari. From a systems perspective, this technique is essential for any BJJ practitioner developing a well-rounded takedown game because it works across all rule sets (gi, no-gi, and submission-only), requires no exceptional physical attributes, and creates opportunities for immediate ground control. Many high-level BJJ competitors use Ouchi Gari as their primary takedown specifically because it lands them in positions they want to be in (top side control) rather than neutral positions like double guard pull scenarios. The technique also chains effectively with ground entries—if the throw is partially successful but doesn’t result in a full takedown, the reaping position often provides access to single leg attacks or front headlock positions that transition smoothly into submission-oriented ground control.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: Ouchi Gari represents one of the most mechanically efficient takedown techniques available to grapplers because it exploits fundamental vulnerabilities in human bipedal stance. The technique’s power derives from attacking structural base at its weakest point—the inside line of the leg where there is minimal ability to generate reactive force. When we analyze the biomechanics, we observe that the human body’s standing stability depends on triangular base positioning between both legs and the centerline. Ouchi Gari disrupts this triangle by sweeping one corner while simultaneously applying forward and downward pressure to the upper structure, creating a mechanical impossibility for the opponent to maintain balance. The critical detail that separates effective execution from ineffective attempts is the timing and coordination of the upper body pull relative to the leg sweep—these must occur in perfect synchronization to create overwhelming force. Additionally, the thrower’s base leg positioning is paramount; maintaining a strong, wide base on the supporting leg while executing the reap determines whether you successfully complete the throw or compromise your own balance in the attempt. For BJJ practitioners, I emphasize that Ouchi Gari should not be viewed as an isolated technique but rather as part of a systematic approach to standing exchanges that includes combinations, re-attacks, and position acquisition as primary objectives rather than the aesthetic quality of the throw itself.
- Gordon Ryan: In high-level competition, Ouchi Gari is one of my go-to techniques for securing takedowns because it’s incredibly reliable when you understand the timing and it consistently lands me in the positions I want to be in—primarily side control where I can immediately begin my passing or submission sequences. The key to making this work against world-class opponents is understanding that you’ll rarely get it on the first attempt; instead, you’re using it to create reactions that open up your second and third attacks. When I attack with Ouchi Gari and my opponent steps back to defend, I’m immediately following with Kouchi Gari or switching to a single leg—the initial attack forces them to make a choice and every choice creates an opening. What makes this technique particularly valuable in no-gi and submission grappling is that it requires less setup than wrestling-based attacks like double legs and works exceptionally well when you’ve established an underhook or collar tie position. I’ve scored countless takedowns in ADCC and other major competitions by using Ouchi Gari combinations because opponents who are primarily guard players often don’t have sophisticated enough standing defense to deal with coordinated judo attacks. The throw also has the advantage of keeping you relatively safe from counters—unlike shooting for legs where you can get guillotined or face sprawl defense that puts you in bad positions, Ouchi Gari maintains your upright posture and grip control throughout, meaning even if you don’t complete the throw, you’re still in a safe position to continue the standing exchange.
- Eddie Bravo: From a 10th Planet perspective, Ouchi Gari is interesting because it bridges the gap between traditional judo methodology and modern no-gi grappling innovation. What I love about teaching this technique to my students is that it forces them to develop legitimate takedown skills without relying on gi grips, which prepares them for MMA and submission-only competition where you can’t grab fabric. We’ve adapted Ouchi Gari in several ways—first, we emphasize the underhook variation heavily because that’s the position we’re constantly fighting for anyway in our clinch game, and second, we combine it with our rubber guard and lockdown entries by using it as a way to pull guard with momentum and superior positioning. If you hit a good Ouchi Gari but your opponent somehow prevents the complete takedown, you can transition directly into our guard pull sequences while maintaining control of their posture, essentially using the failed throw as a setup for ground attacks. We also drill Ouchi Gari to front headlock to twister progressions because the sprawl defense creates perfect twister control opportunities. The beauty of incorporating judo into 10th Planet’s system is that it gives our guys another dimension—most BJJ competitors expect rubber guard and lockdown from us, so when we start attacking with legitimate standing throws, it completely changes their defensive mindset and opens up everything else. I tell my students that Ouchi Gari is like the jab of takedowns—it’s fundamental, reliable, and sets up all your other attacks, but unlike wrestling shots that can get you in trouble against guillotines, this keeps you safer while creating chaos for your opponent.