Sode-tsurikomi-goshi

In a right natural posture, Tori and Uke begin their grapple. Tori advances, stepping forward first with the left foot, then the right, driving Uke backward. He then pauses and initiates breaking Uke’s balance. Pushed back, Uke steps backward with his right foot, then the left, but maintains his position. He then moves forward with his left foot, pushing back to regain his original stable posture.

At this crucial moment, Tori modifies his grip from Uke’s left collar to the end of Uke’s left sleeve. He pulls Uke forward, causing Uke’s left foot to step forward. Tori then lowers his body and steps in with his right foot, positioning it in front of the tip of Uke’s right foot. As Uke is about to step down with his left foot, Tori opens his body to the left by pivoting on the tip of his right foot. He simultaneously steps his left foot back and around inside Uke’s left foot, positioning his back toward Uke. With a lift of the right hand and a pull with the left, Tori brings Uke’s body tightly against the back of his waist. This action prevents Uke from transferring weight onto his left foot, breaking his balance and causing him to rise onto the tips of both feet.

To complete the throw, Tori straightens both knees and uses his right hand to lift Uke further. By twisting his body to the left, Tori then throws Uke down.

The principles of this technique are similar to tsurikomi-goshi, but its unique feature is that tori uses uke’s sleeve for the positioning and execution of the throw (tsukuri and kake). There are reverse and normal methods of gripping with the right hand. The reverse method, where tori forces uke’s arm up, is very effective but risks revealing the intention to uke, who can then easily defend. Therefore, the best way to lift and pull uke is with a normal grip, while skillfully dodging his attempts at resistance.

Also, if uke has a firm left grip on tori’s sleeve (or collar), he can resist tori’s attempts to lift his left arm up easily. Tori must therefore break uke’s left grip and at the instant he stretches it out to grapple tori again, he can lift uke’s arm up. Tori takes a normal right grip of the end of uke’s sleeve from below and advances, maintaining a space. Tori opens his body to the left and draws out uke’s left foot, then lifts and pulls with his right arm curved. However, if tori steps in with the right foot too close to uke’s feet, uke will be able to resist easily when tori tries to lift his left arm up, and will exert pressure on tori’s waist, causing his technique to fail.

Tori lifts up with the right arm, with the wrist and elbow completely straight, extending it along and in front of uke’s left arm, then he positions his body and loads uke onto the back of his waist. If tori can pull uke’s right arm towards the right armpit and stomach area with the left hand and load him onto the back of his waist with his body tight against his, uke will not be able to resist.

Tori straightens both knees, raises his waist, and at the same time combines the lifting and pulling action with both hands to throw uke forward in a large motion. At the moment before grappling, tori can grip the end of both of uke’s sleeves, while maintaining a good distance, and apply the technique while pulling uke forward. This is effective as uke is unable to grapple with tori and his balance breaks as he leans forward with the right arm outstretched.